Page 5 of For Blood

He nodded, smiling slightly."He always is."

They climbed out of the truck, their movements slow and deliberate.Morgan's muscles ached from the hours of searching, but it was nothing compared to the ache in her heart.As they approached the house, Skunk's barks grew more insistent, his paws scratching at the door.

"Alright, alright," Morgan said, fumbling with her keys."We're coming, boy."

The moment the door swung open, Skunk was on them, his stocky body wriggling with excitement.Morgan knelt down, burying her face in his soft fur for a moment, allowing his unconditional love to wash over her.

"I wish it was always this simple," she whispered, more to herself than anyone else.

Inside, Morgan collapsed onto the couch, kicking off her boots with a groan.Her hands found their way to her hair, fingers running through the tangled strands as she tried to make sense of the night's events.The tattoos on her arms seemed to ripple in the dim light, a reminder of the life she'd lived and the battles she'd fought.

Derik disappeared into the kitchen, the sound of cabinet doors opening and closing echoing through the quiet house.Morgan stared at the ceiling, her mind racing.What if her father had been there, just out of sight?What if this was all some elaborate game?The questions swirled in her head, each one more frustrating than the last.

A wet nose pressed against her hand, startling her from her thoughts.Skunk had hopped up beside her, his big brown eyes full of love and curiosity.He rested his head on her lap, and for a moment, the simple comfort of her dog was enough to pull her from the spiral of doubt and frustration.She stroked his head absently, her thoughts miles away.

"You're a good boy, Skunk," she murmured."You don't care about all this mess, do you?As long as you've got your food and your walks, the world's alright."

Skunk's tail thumped against the couch in response, and Morgan found herself wishing, not for the first time, that she could see the world through his eyes.No complex conspiracies, no buried secrets, no ghosts from the past haunting every step.Just the simple joys of a loyal companion and a loving home.

But even as the thought crossed her mind, she knew she couldn't let it go.The letter, her father's possible survival, the connection to Cordell and the corruption within the FBI – it was all tangled together in a web she couldn't ignore.She had fought too hard, lost too much, to give up now.

"We'll figure it out," she said softly, more to herself than to Skunk."We have to."

The sound of Derik's footsteps pulled Morgan from her reverie.She looked up as he returned, two bottles of water in hand.Her partner's green eyes were etched with concern, the lines around them more pronounced than usual.He sat beside her, his lean frame sinking into the couch cushions as he offered her one of the bottles.

"Hey," he said softly, touching her arm.His fingers were cool from the water bottle, a stark contrast to the warmth of her skin."I know it didn't go the way you wanted, but you're not crazy for hoping, Morgan.You had to try."

Morgan nodded, her throat tight.She took the water bottle, the plastic crinkling under her grip.For a moment, she focused on the simple act of twisting off the cap, desperate for something tangible to ground her swirling thoughts.

She took a sip, the cool liquid soothing her parched throat.Leaning her head back against the couch, she closed her eyes, feeling the weight of exhaustion settling over her like a heavy blanket.The disappointment of the fruitless trek through the woods mingled with a deeper, more unsettling emotion she couldn't quite name.

"It's not just the disappointment," she finally said, her voice barely above a whisper.She opened her eyes, staring at the ceiling as if the answers might be written there."It's the realization that...even if it had been him, what would I have done?What could I have said to the man who let me grieve for him, who let me think he was dead while he was out there, alive and hiding?How do you even begin to face that?"

The questions hung in the air, unanswered.Morgan's mind raced, imagining scenarios where she confronted her father.Would she hug him?Punch him?Demand answers about Cordell, about the corruption that had stolen a decade of her life?The tattoos on her arms seemed to itch, a physical reminder of the time she'd lost, the person she'd become.

She turned to look at Derik, studying his face.He had stood by her through so much, even after his own betrayal.Sometimes she wondered if she deserved his loyalty, his love."I don't know if I can forgive him," she admitted, the words tasting bitter on her tongue."But I need answers.I need to know why."

Derik's arm wrapped around Morgan's shoulder, pulling her close.The familiar scent of his cologne mixed with the faint hint of coffee on his breath grounded her, anchoring her to the present.Skunk, sensing the shift in mood, let out a soft whine and nuzzled against her leg, his cold nose pressing into her jeans.

Morgan rested her head on Derik's chest, feeling the steady thump of his heartbeat.For the first time since they'd returned from the woods, she allowed herself to truly breathe, her exhale shaky and uneven.

"We've got something good here," Derik said after a moment, his voice a low rumble in his chest.His fingers traced absent patterns on her arm, skimming over the inked skin."You, me, Skunk...this life we're building.Whatever answers you didn't get today, we'll find them eventually.But right now, we've got to fight for what we have, you hear me?We've got a lot to fight for, Morgan."

The words settled over her like a warm blanket, comforting yet heavy with responsibility.Morgan closed her eyes, letting the rhythm of Derik's breathing sync with her own.She thought about the life they were carving out together, the small moments of normalcy stolen between cases and the lingering shadows of her past.

"I know," she murmured, her voice muffled against his shirt."It's just...sometimes it feels like I'm chasing ghosts.My father, Cordell, the truth about what happened...it's all tied together, and I can't seem to untangle it."

Derik's hand moved to her hair, gently stroking the dark strands."We'll figure it out, Morgan.Together.One thread at a time if we have to."

She nodded, not trusting her voice.The frustration still simmered beneath the surface, but Derik's words had sparked something else – a reminder of why she fought so hard, why she refused to let Cordell and his corruption win.

Morgan sat up slowly, meeting Derik's green eyes."You're right," she said, determination creeping back into her tone."Whatever mysteries my father left behind, whatever ghosts are still haunting my past...I can't let them consume me.We've got work to do."

Her gaze drifted to the coffee table, where case files on Cordell were stacked neatly."Taking down Cordell and exposing everything he stands for – that's still our priority.My father...if he's out there, he'll have to wait.I won't let more lives be ruined while I chase shadows in the woods."

Derik squeezed her hand, a small smile tugging at his lips."That's my girl," he said softly."Ready to save the world, one corrupt bastard at a time."

Morgan couldn't help but return the smile, feeling some of the weight lift from her shoulders.She leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to Derik's lips."Thank you," she whispered."For being here, for understanding...for everything."

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