Julia Haley checked her reflection in her review mirror one more time. In just ten minutes she was to meet someone named Norman Briggs for a job interview for the secretary position at Community General Hospital. She wore little makeup- some lip gloss and face powder. Her shoulder length, dark brown hair was tied up in a neat ponytail, and her white blouse was tucked neatly in her black skirt. She grabbed her handbag and carefully locked her car before heading towards the lobby. She didn't notice she was being followed.

He made sure he had his weapon in his pocket before following his prey into the building. He walked casually, he dressed causally and no one would even take a second look at him. He looked like an innocent college student, visiting someone. He followed at a safe distance and saw a tall, white-haired doctor head into the elevator.

He overhead Julia being directed to the conference room on the second floor where Norman Briggs was waiting. She disappeared into the elevator and a few seconds later, he did the same.

Julia waked down the deserted hallway towards the conference room, feeling a little nervous and on the edge. Twice she had looked behind her to make sure she wasn't being followed. She's had the creepy feeling ever since she entered CG. She smiled with relief as she saw the partially opened door to the conference room. She took another step but a hand clapped over her mouth, stifling her scream. She struggled and kicked, but her captor whacked something against her temple that made everything go black. She went limp in the captor's arms. He dragged her into the elevator and went down to the basement. Once he was in there, he took out the knife and without a moment's hesitation, slashed the knife across her throat. Dark red blood spilled out, staining her white blouse. He dropped her to the hard floor, pocketed his knife and calmly headed back to the elevator.

A few minutes later, Dr. Mark Sloan agreed to go down to the basement and find the box of syringes. The tall, white-haired doctor took the elevator to the basement, opened the door and fumbled for the light. He walked down the steps and a trail of blood reached his shoe. He stared at the prone figure near the metal shelves. The figure was an unconscious woman; her throat was slashed- she was bleeding to death.

Mark performed the emergency operation on the woman, stitching up her horrific neck wound before she lost any more blood. The woman was going to be okay.

The woman was then shifted into a private room- ICU room no. 4. Mark stayed decided to stay with her until she woke up. Dr. Amanda Bentley walked into the room, " Have we got any ID on her?" she asked him.

Mark was sitting on the chair beside the bed, listing to the steady rhythm of the heart monitor, " I haven't checked her handbag yet," Mark answered, his eyes riveted to the woman's sleeping face. She was strikingly pretty- around thirty or so with a petite build and shoulder length dark brown hair. He wondered if her eyes were blue or brown perhaps they were green.

Amanda found the woman's wallet and scanned her driver's license.

" Her name's Julia Haley," she read, " And she's forty five years old. She doesn't look forty- she looks around thirty five!"

" That's what I thought," Mark said, " We'll learn more when she wakes up."

Amanda studied her friends’ face. His blue eyes have never left Julia's face.

" I’ll go and tell Jesse what happened. Maybe we can help this woman to find her assailant," Amanda said but Mark didn't even reply.

Julia woke up half an hour later. Her eyes opened- her vision was blurry and her neck was throbbing. She touched a wide bandage that covered her neck.

She could make out a person standing at the end of her bed and he raised an arm threateningly. Julia's eyes widened and she started to scream.

" I won't hurt you!" the figure quickly assured her, " I'm a doctor." Her vision cleared. A white-haired, blue-eyed doctor smiled at her. He also had a mustache, " I'm Dr. Mark Sloan," he greeted her.

" What happened?" her memory was fuzzy.

" Don't you remember?" Mark asked gently. Her eyes were dark brown.

" No," Julia shook her head, trying to clear her mind. Mark told her what happened.

" Do you know who would want to kill you?" he asked,

" That's the thing. I just arrived in LA a week ago," she confirmed, " I'm from San Diego. I had a job interview to go to," slowly her memory returning, " I was on the second floor, heading for the conference room. Someone grabbed me... and that's all I can remember."

" So you don't know anyone?" Mark prodded.

" Not a soul." Julia paused, " And that's not including the person who was going to interview me- Norman Briggs. I haven't even met him. And I’ll bet I've lost my chance."

" I’ll talk to Norman and get him to rearrange your interview once you've recovered," Mark suggested, " Norman's a friend of mine."

" Would you?" Julia looked grateful. Mark nodded and at that moment, his son entered the room. Amanda must have called him, " Hi, I'm Lt. Steve Sloan," he greeted Julia flashing his badge at her.

" Great, a cop," Julia muttered and Mark raised his eyebrows.

" That's right. I'm a cop and you almost got murdered. I need to as you some questions."

" Before you hound me with questions, I just want to tell you I don't trust cops. Not since-" she paused.

" Not since what?" Steve demanded.

Julia's face went pale, " Not since my parents were killed in a car accident two years ago. That's why I came to LA- to make a fresh start. The San Diego police never found my parent's killer."

The next afternoon, Julia was allowed to go back to the hotel she was staying at. But she had to return to CG to get her stitches out at the end of the week.

Since she in no condition to drive, Mark was happy to drive her. She directed him to her car, a sleek, dark purple convertible- a Porsche.

" Nice car," Mark commented as he slid behind the steering wheel.

" Thanks," Julia said shrugging indifferently, " I'm staying at Freemont Hotel on Slate Street."

With her directions, they pulled to a stop in front a ritzy hotel. I have a feeling Julia has some money. This expensive car and that hotel tell me a lot. Mark thought glancing over at her. She led him to the third floor and pulled a key out of her handbag. She froze as she realized the door was partially opened, " That's strange. I could have sworn I locked this." She pushed the door open and she gasped, her key falling to the floor. The room they were standing in- the living room- was a wreck. The curtains were hanging in shreds, the cushions of the Victorian’ couch was punctured, the stuffing covering the floor. She walked from room to room- not a room had been spared.

" Mark!" she called from the bathroom in a trembling voice.

Mark hurried to the bathroom. A message was scrawled on the mirror with pale pink lipstick:
 
 

" Money?" Mark repeated, " I think you haven't been telling me the whole story Julia."

Julia wrung her hands anxiously, " You're right. I haven't told the whole truth." She sighed, " But not here. Let's sit in my car and talk"

" You have money then?" Mark asked cautiously as soon as they were back in her car and her eyes lowered- almost as if she was ashamed of it.

" Yes, I do. I'm, uh, what you might call a airess. My family comes from a wealthy background. After my parents died, I inherited a vast fortune." She paused, " After their death, I broke my engagement to my fiancé Peter Jaworski. If he had his way, we'd be married now. But I was too messed up after my parents’ death. He didn't really understand how we could break up after two years together. He told me he’d never let me walk out his life, but I did."

" Does he know where’ve you gone?" Mark asked.

" No. At least, I don't think so," she frowned, " Why?"

" He might be a suspect Julia."

" Peter would never hurt me!" she objected, " He might be angry with me for breaking up with him, but he would never hurt me. He’s not the violent type."

" You can’t stay at your hotel Julia. Whoever did that may come back."

" I haven't thought about that. What should I do?"

" You can stay at my place," Mark suggested, " Until your attacker is caught."

" I couldn’t," Julia said, " I don't want to impose."

" You wouldn’t be imposing. I live with my son and we have plenty of room for a guest. He wouldn’t mind. And that reminds me, I’ll have to call him and get him to look around your hotel room for clues." He found his cell phone and began dialing Steve.

He explained the situation so far, " Julia and I will meet you here so she can pack up her stuff," he said goodbye and smiled at Julia, " Are you ready to go back inside?"

" I guess so," Julia said reluctantly.

" You’ll be safe with me," Mark assured her, " Safety in numbers and all that."

Steve arrived ten minutes later while Julia was packing her suitcase. Mark showed him the message on the mirror and told him about Julia's past. Steve’s lips tightened as he listened, "Well, you can add Julia to the suspect list Dad."

" What? Why?" Mark demanded.

" Think about it Dad. Maybe she was too impatient and greedy to wait until her parents’ die of natural deaths to get her hands on the millions. She planned the car accident and was rewarded with her inheritance for her work."

Mark was appalled, " Surely you don't believe that theory son! Why would she try and kill herself?"

" It’s possible she went bankrupt after awhile. That's why she came here for a job interview. Millionaires don't usually work. Or, maybe she was found after her job interview. She didn't get the job and committed suicide." Steve shrugged, " My theory is muddled, but once Julia confessed, it should all fall into place."

" Julia is not a killer," Mark objected fiercely. Steve raised his eyebrows,

" Usually it’s me who is attracted to women who turns out to be killers, but the tables have turned."

" What do you mean by that?" Mark demanded but Steve left the bathroom, " Are you done?" Steve asked Julia coldly.

Julia nodded and zipped up her carry-on bag and shouldered it, " I'm done," she answered with equal frostiness in her voice. Mark glanced at them uneasily. He could feel the raising tension between his son and Julia.

" You take her home Dad," Steve ordered, " I’ll stay here for a thorough search."

" Son," Mark pleaded, trying to get him to take back what he said about Julia but Steve remained stubbornly silent.

" Let's go Julia," he said finally and Julia followed him out. She could feel Steve’s eyes boring holes in the back of her head. Steve didn't trust her-and she didn't trust him.

" You don't mind if we have company over for dinner?" Mark asked Julia several hours later.

" Company?" Julia repeated, " Your son?"

" He might be busy working on this case," Mark said, " My friends Amanda and Jesse usually come over for dinner."

Julia's throat was throbbing unbearably-and the stitches were itchy underneath the gauze.

" I think I’ll go and take a nap before dinner," Julia decided. She went to her guestroom and opened the bottle of painkillers Mark had subscribed her yesterday. She swallowed two with the glass of water sitting on the small table beside the bed. It was a lovely room with cream-colored walls, a lilac-colored bedspread and a Victorian-carved headboard and mahogany furniture.

Julia was standing on the beach. A chilly wind blew her long hair around and seagulls squawked eerily above. What am I doing here? She wondered as she walked along the shore, trying not to get wet from the rough waves. She spotted a figure standing several feet away. She hurried over to the figure and saw it was Mark. His face was hidden, but she knew it was he by the build. He was just standing there smiling at her. He put his arms around her and drew her to his body. Her heart thudded against his chest and her lips met his.

She looked up at his face, which was suddenly illuminated by the moon shining above. A scream rose in her throat. It wasn't Mark at all, it was him. Peter!

" Where’s Mark?" she cried pulling away. Peter whipped out a knife. His dark green eyes glittered menacingly,

" Dead," he answered before the knife lashed froward, aiming straight for her heart…

Julia sat up in bed, trembling. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead and she used her sleeve to wipe them away. She glanced at the alarm clock; it read 10.30 p.m. She climbed out of bed shakily and grabbed her red dressing gown and put it on before heading for the balcony for some fresh air.

She leaned against the rail and let the slightly chilly wind cool her hot face. She heard the sliding doors open and footsteps approached her.

" Can’t sleep?" asked a kind voice.

Julia turned, " I had a nightmare," she explained, " I've had nightmares since yesterday. They’re all the same." She sat down at the table and took out a tissue to wipe her tear-filled eyes, " Mark, I left San Diego to get away from my past… my past has found me here." Mark placed a hand comfortingly on her shoulder. She dashed her tears away and stood up. Mark was wearing a dark blue bathrobe over his pajamas. He put a hand on her arm and pulled her closer to him. She remembered her nightmare-she had kissed a man who she had thought was Mark, but Peter had tricked her. But this was no nightmare now.

Mark’s lips were getting closer to hers and she panicked. She had vowed not to get close to anyone in LA, especially now since someone was after her. They might get hurt as well Mark might get hurt.

Julia broke away, " I really need my sleep," she told him and left the balcony, leaving Mark alone.

Dr. Jesse Travis left CG and headed for his car. He spotted Julia's purple convertible. Mark had told him last night he had spoken to Norman about giving Julia a second chance. Julia was in the lobby right now, rearranging a date for another interview next week with Norman. According to Mark, Norman had been furious that Julia didn't show up-until Mark explained what happened. Norman agreed to give her a second chance, but that's it.

He unlocked the door to his car when a black jeep with tinted windows pulled into the parking lot and drove towards the purple car. Jesse watched the vehicle stall-as if the driver was admiring the convertible. But Jesse was suspicious of the black Jeep and memorized the license plate before the Jeep roared off.

That night, Jesse told them about the Jeep. Mark called Steve so that he could check it out, "Do you know anyone with a black Jeep?" Jesse asked Julia.

" No," she shook her head, "It could be rented," she suggested. She took a handful of cheese and onion potato chips.

" How’s your neck?" Amanda asked her.

" It’s okay. It drives me crazy with all this itching."

" On Friday you can get your stitches out," Amanda reminded her. Fifteen minutes later, the phone rang. They waited expectantly for Mark to hang up.

" Who’s the owner of the Jeep?" Julia asked.

" He couldn’t tell me that. The Jeep is rented from Malibu Car Rental on Pier Road."

" That's not much to go on," Julia sighed.

" Not necessarily," Amanda replied, " Jesse and I go can go and interrogate the staff."

" They won't give out that kind of information about their customers will they?" Julia asked.

" Not if Steve comes with us. They won't say no to a cop," Jesse suggested.

" I better call him back," Mark returned to the phone.

" Somehow I don't think Steve will help," Julia told them.

" Why not?" Jesse demanded surprised.

" He doesn't trust me. He thinks I'm a suspect."

" That's ludicrous! How can you be the suspect? You're the victim in this." Amanda pointed out shocked.

" Try telling Steve that," Julia muttered.

Mark replaced the receiver, " He’ll do it," he informed them, " He’ll meet you guys there in fifteen minutes,"

" We better get going," Amanda paused, " Do you want to come Julia?"

" No thanks. I've decided to lay low until this whole thing is over." Julia replied, " Thanks for helping me."

Julia's neck throbbed pityingly as she climbed out of her bed. She had another recurring dream about her ex-fiancée and she was getting tired of them. Will they ever stop?

She wiped her sweaty face with the sleeve of her dressing gown before padding into the living room. She thought about what Steve, Jesse and Amanda earned a Malibu Car Rentals. They had told them the owner was a male, in his early forties and he was from out of town but what that was all they could tell Steve. The owner had left vague details about himself when he had to fill out for a rental car. But it didn't matter-Julia knew her stalker was Peter. It was only a matter of time before he confronted her.

Just as she had done a couple of nights ago, she unlocked the sliding doors and leaned against the railing.

" I thought I heard someone," a voice said behind her. She turned, it was Mark. He stood beside her.

" Sorry if I woke you up."

" I wasn't asleep," Mark assured her shrugging.

" I don't know if I hadn’t thanked you for helping me," Julia said, putting a hand on his shoulder, " You and your friends have been great."

" Don't thank me until after this person has been caught," Mark insisted.

" Oh, he’ll get caught," Julia said, " I know deep down this attacker is Peter, but I don't know why he’d want to do this to me."

" Have you ever thought that your parents death and your attack is connected?"

" I've never thought about that," Julia admitted, " Your saying my parent's killer and my attacker could be the same person?"

" Yes," Mark nodded, " I just need to come up with a motive for why this attacker is after you."

" Peter killed my parents…" Julia trailed off, her eyes filling with tears, " That bastard. I’ll be there to see the cops put him behind bars."

She was aware of Mark putting an arm around her waist and pulling her close for a hug. She gazed up at his caring face before she began kissing him hungrily. She was relieved when Mark started responding. It meant he wanted it too and she wasn't making a fool out herself.

They didn't hear Steve come home. He opened the door and strode through the living room. He froze in his tracks when he spotted his father and Julia locked in a tight embrace and…kissing. Kissing if the world was going to end.

I was right, Steve thought, My father did like her… in more ways than one. Even though Steve didn't fully trust Julia, he was glad his father found someone to love… but will it last?

Mark walked down the hall towards the boardroom for the staff meeting, when suddenly; someone slapped a blindfold over his eyes. Mark felt the barrel of the gun digging into his back.

" Don't talk and don't turn around Sloan," a voice warned him, the voice was unfamiliar.

" Don't worry about Julia. She’ll be taking a little jump into space," his attacker chuckled gleefully.

His attacker guided Mark towards the nearby storage room and shoved him in. The blindfold fell to the floor. Mark whirled around just in time to see the door slam shut. He heard the click of the lock.

It’s Julia's attacker, he realized, he wants me out of the way so he can finish of what he started earlier.

He rattled the doorknob but it was useless. He was locked in.

Julia struggled and tried to kick her attacker. When she was heading for the boardroom for her second interview with Norman Briggs, Peter had grabbed her behind and covered her eyes with a blindfold.

" Peter, I know it’s you," she called as he pulled her into the elevator. The blindfold disappeared and Peter scowled at her.

" Why? Why did you kill my parents and tried to kill me?" she demanded him as the evaluator kept going…and going.

" I thought you would have figured it out by now, you and that Sloan doctor," Peter sneered, grabbing her shoulder and shoving her against the wall.

" What have you done to him?"

" Don't worry, I haven't hurt your precious doctor. He’s out of the way at the moment," Peter ran a hand through his close-cropped blonde hair, his dark green eyes were wild with fury.

The evaluator stopped and the doors slid open. Peter used the barrel of his snub-nosed gun to push her ahead. A cold wind stung her cheeks and blew her hair into her face. They were on the roof…peter was planning to push her over the edge.

" It was all for money," he told her, guiding her towards the wide ledge.

" When we were engaged, you decided to fill out a will. And you put my name down as the ‘next of kin’ to get your inheritance. You didn't want just anyone getting his or her hands on it. You were stupid enough to trust me."

" So you killed my parents and the inheritance went to me. And you tried to kill me so the inheritance will be yours."

" But it didn't work the first time," Peter said, " that darned Sloan found you before you bled to death. I should have stayed and watched you die. But this time I won't fail," then he planted a small piece of paper into the pocket of her blouse, " a suicide note," he explained, " When they find your dead body, they will think you killed yourself. After a few days, your millions will belong to the next of kin… me."

" Mark won't believe I killed myself,"

" Yes he will. It’s all explained in the note how you can’t handle being all alone and afraid and the rest of the crap,"

" You won't get away with this," Julia was shaking, " Mark will know you killed me because you locked him up!"

" Maybe, but where’s the proof? They’ll find your suicide note and come to the fateful conclusion and Sloan will be devastated… but then after awhile, he’ll forget about you." Peter shoved her, " Get on the ledge!"

Julia stepped onto the ledge and looked down. The height made her dizzy and her palms started to sweat.

" I’ll give you a choice," Peter’s voice sounded friendly now, " Do you want me to push or do you want to jump? Either way, it doesn't matter."

Mark was beginning to feel claustrophobic in the small space. The four walls were closing in on him. He pounded on the door with his fist when he heard footsteps and the door flew open, "Dad!"

" Steve," Mark lurched out, " Where’s Julia?"

" With her ex-fiancé," Steve told him, " Jesse told me he’d seen Peter in the building and figured he was going after you and Julia."

" How did Jesse know what Peter looked like?" Mark demanded as he and Steve hurried into the lift.

" Remember how Jesse saw the Jeep? He also forgot to add he saw a man behind the wheel. When he saw Peter today, he thought he looked familiar and realized. Then he called me."

" Peter said Julia will be taking a jump into space. He might be taking to her the roof and pushing her over the edge."

Steve jabbed at the button, " Dad, I'm really sorry for not trusting Julia. I know now she's not the suspect, but the victim,"

" That's okay son," Mark assured her, " Right now all I'm worried about is getting Julia away from Peter Jaworski,"

Steve grabbed his cell phone and called for backup. After when he finished, he grinned at his dad," You really like her don't you?"

" Of course I do. She's a nice lady,"

" No, I mean really like her," he gave Mark a meaningful look.

" How did you know?" Mark asked, blushing.

" I saw you and Julia on the balcony last night," Steve admitted and laughed and his father blushed harder.

The doors slid open and they rushed forward, " Hands up Jaworski!" Steve shouted, aiming his gun at the wild man.

" Mark!" Julia shouted with relief. Her foot slipped and she fell backwards onto the wide ledge, the impact jarring every bone in her body. She sat up and Peter grabbed at her arm and missed.

Her eyes widened with horror as Peter’s feet slipped and he plunged over the edge, screaming all the way.

I killed him, she thought as she glanced over. His broken body lay in a pool of blood on the concrete. Mark hurried over and helped her up, " Are you all right?" he asked, his blue eyes filed with concern.

" I killed him," she replied, her own eyes brimmed with tears,

" No you didn't. He fell accidentally," he reassured her, putting an arm around her shoulders, he lead her back to Steve.

" He didn't hurt you did he?" Steve asked her.

" No," she shook her head, " How did you know I was up here?"

" Peter gave me a clue," Mark answered. They heard sirens down below as they headed for the lift. Mark told her what happened, " So, I really owe Jesse for recognizing Peter," Julia decided. She took the suicide note out of her pocket and gave it to Mark, " If things went his way, my death would have looked like a suicide."

" After everything that's happened, I can’t believe Norman gave me the job," Julia told her new friends, " I start work next Monday." Earlier they had learned Peter was the renter of the Jeep. After two years, he had finally tracked Julia down in LA, trashed her hotel and wrote that message. Basically, he killed her parents and tried to kill her for money.

" That's great Julia," Amanda told her, " But there’s one more mystery Jesse and I want solved."

" What’s that?"

" Are you two…together?" Amanda asked.

Julia clasped Mark’s hand in hers and smiled, " Well, we’ve become good friends over the past few days Amanda," she winked at her.

" Where are you going to stay now?" Jesse asked her, changing the subject.

" She's welcome here until she finds a place of her own," Mark answered for Julia.

After when Amanda and Jesse left, Mark turned to her, " You don't have to be afraid anymore. Peter’s gone and you’re safe,"

Julia leaned against him and snuggled under his arm. It felt so natural and kissing him was the next natural step. The kiss warmed her down to her toes.

" We haven't even had a date yet," she told him jokingly but she didn't care. As long she knew Mark cared the way she cared about him.

Mark traced her cheekbone with his finger before capturing her lips with hers again. He didn't care about the first date either. As long as she knew she wasn't entirely alone in the world anymore.