"I got the call," Jax said, looking over at Lilah. "It seems that your sister is being abused."

He watched her close her eyes for a moment, swallowing a knot of anger before pulling out her phone and sending a text. She glanced around, watching Dr. Wilcox and a few of the other officers leaving, "Listen, I'm going to head out."

Jax's brows knitted in worry, "Where are you going?"

The corner of Lilah's mouth lifted, "Are you suddenly worried about me?"

"You're my partner, remember?"

"So nice of you to finally acknowledge me," she said dryly. "It's too bad you're too late."

"What do you mean?"

"Detective Montoya is taking over this case as of tomorrow. He's being reinstated."

"Are you serious? Why wasn't I told?"

Lilah shrugged, "I don't know. I guess the captain wanted it to be a surprise."

"They'll assign you a new partner," Jax said, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. He had never intended to make Lilah feel unwanted despite his dislike for her. "Not one as amazing as me..."

"Spare me," Lilah grinned. "I'm actually taking a break."

"A break?"

"I put in my notice a couple of weeks ago."

"You put in your notice without telling me?" Jax had his hands on his hips, clearly taken aback by her statement.

"Don't act offended. You never liked me."

"I wouldn't say that—"

"It's okay. I have some family business to take care of. I also have to talk to Roberto's wife."

"Gladys? What are you going to tell her?"

"Just that her husband loves her. I'll also show her the recordings of my conversations with Tristan."

Jax chuckled, "You're a better cop than I thought. She has to believe that her brother has been feeding her garbage about Roberto."

"Yeah, well she still may not take him back. Detective Montoya seems like a handful."

"Nah, they're perfect for one another."

She put her phone away took a deep breath, "This may be the last time we see one another."

"You still need to clean out your desk at work," he reminded her.

She turned her head away and took another deep breath, "Do you think family is everything?"

Jax frowned, "What do you mean?"

"Would you do anything for your wife?"

"Most definitely. She's everything to me."

"Would you sacrifice yourself for her?"

"Do you mean would I die for her? Of course, I would. It's not even a choice for me. I'd have to die for her because I know I'd die without her."

Lilah rolled her eyes, "Okay, now you're just exaggerating."

"I'm not."

"I know. It must be nice to be loved like that. I've always wondered if things would've been different."

"Different how?" Jax asked, not following her conversation.

"If I had been loved that way."

"Lilah," Jax took a step closer to her, "is something going on?"

She stepped away and shook her head, "It was nice working with you. I'm sorry we didn't get to catch this guy. I'm sure you and Roberto will."

"Why do you sound so ominous? What are you up to?"

"Don't worry about it. I wasn't going to take any risks but now that I know my sister isn't safe, I have to do something."

"So what are you going to do?" Jax asked, a feeling of apprehension filling him.

"Don't ask. Just pretend you don't know anything."

"Lilah—"

"Please," Lilah pleaded. "Don't ask any questions. You'll find out soon enough."

Jax watched her leave the crime scene as though she were a marked woman, walking towards her death.

XXX

"Oliver? Wh-What are you doing here?" Dani felt as though she had suddenly been placed in a vacuum. She couldn't breathe as an overwhelming sense of emotion began to take hold of her.

"I've been trying to reach you for quite some time, Dani."

Dani reached out, her fingers disappearing in his flesh.

He wasn't real.

Dani pulled back her hand, "How are you here? Is this a dream?"

The old man nodded, "It is. It was the only way I could talk to you."

"I missed you," Dani attempted to hug him, but her arms went right through him.

"I'll be awake soon enough but there's something you need to know. The man who tried to kill me. I need your help in catching him."

"What? You saw his face?"

"I did. He's not an ordinary person, Dani. He's special."

"What do you mean?"

"All he did was touch me. It felt as though my life was being sucked out of me. If those kids hadn't stopped him, I would've died."

"Who is it? I can get Jax to—"

"I don't know his name. I only know his face."

"Then how am I supposed to find him?"

"Do you trust me?"

Dani took a step back, "What do you mean?"

"Do you trust me?"

"Why are you asking that?"

"Because I want to tell you where you can find him."

"Then tell me. I can have Jax and Roberto meet me."

"No, only you can stop him."

"What?"

"I told you he's special. He's not a human. There's no way he was human."

"So why do you think only I can stop him?"

He pointed to her hand, "Because you're wearing his mark."

She looked down at the circle in her hand, "This was left by—"

"He's a phantom. A ghost-like entity. If Jax were to touch him, he'd die."

Dani felt the blood drain from her face, "How do you know this?"

"Because he touched me. Didn't he touch you?"

"No. It was a woman named—"

"Don't tell me," Oliver held up a hand. "It doesn't matter. If you survived, you're able to do this. I would help you but I'm still in a coma. Once you stop him, I'll wake up."

"You'll wake up? Are you sure?" she couldn't hide the excitement from her voice.

"Yes."

"All I have to do is show up and face him? How do I destroy him?"

"I'm not sure."

"Oliver, this is too dangerous."

"I know. You don't have to go. Just know that he's coming for you. One way or another, you're going to have to face him."

Dani pressed her fingertips into her temples and made circular motions. Jax wouldn't want her to go alone.

"Think of your baby, Dani," Oliver said. "He's going to want your child."

She pressed a hand against her stomach which was still flat, "I'm not sure."

"It's now or never, Dani. He won't be there forever."

Her hand tightened into a fist before she looked up at Oliver's translucent figure, "Fine, tell me where to go."