*Xander's POV*

I really didn't want to leave her, she looked so peaceful. I felt like I was right where I am suppose to be. Why did work have to be done? I could feel like panic tickle the back of my mind as I thought about all the things she still doesn't know. I brushed it aside, it didn't really matter at this point. I knew she would fight my demons and well I'd go to hell to save her from herself.

I may not be able to tell her right now, but I'm sure she knew. I slowly and carefully laid her on her back and detangled myself from her. I pressed a kiss to her cheek and climbed out of bed. Shooting tingles raced through my arm as blood finally circulated. I quietly creeped out of her room. Joining the others and ignoring their looks. I got down to business.

"I see no reason why James is upset or disappointed in what we captured. We even got activity besides what Theresa did. On both the interview day and when we investigating. We did a really good job with this one guys. So tomorrow I want you all to just let me deal with him. There is no real point in going over things again." I looked out the window and saw the sun had long since set. I looked around my group they all looked beat and well I felt that.

"Guys just go home. We will all meet tomorrow in the parking lot, about a half hour before the meeting. Everyone cool with that?" They nodded and muttered their agreements, they collected their things and left. I didn't miss Maddox and Casey stealing a quick kiss when they thought no one was looking. Casey went into her room and I didn't think twice. I went back to Theresa's room. I was almost to the bed when Ma'ii came to me and gave me "I gotta pee dude" look. I found her leash easy enough; Theresa had left it on the end table by the door. Ma'ii lost her mind in excitement when she saw it. She really was like a puppy. I quickly creaked open the door. Thankfully slept like the dead and Casey's light was still on. Ma'ii bound beside me out into the yard. We walked, she sniffed. After a couple circles around the yard, she had did her thing.

We had just reached the door, when I felt like I was being watched. I surveyed the area around me and found no one. Ma'ii growled not so quietly. Still nothing to be seen by me. Ok. We were in the house about 0.7 seconds later. No, I don't play, the door was locked as soon as it was closed. I took the leash off the pup and with her on my heels and all but run back to the bedroom. I got back into the bed before I got completely comfortable, I heard a little yip I looked over the edge of the bed and saw Ma'ii giving me a pitiful look. I picked her up and placed her on the foot of the bed. I turned the bedside light off, and cuddled Theresa. She sighed happily as I wrapped my arms around her. I knew right then what I think I knew this entire time. She is the one for me. Now if only I was the one for her. I fell into a not quite restful sleep.

Morning came way quicker than I thought it would. I woke up in almost the exact way I went to sleep. Oddly enough, I didn't mind. My face was covered in white blonde hair, my arms wrapped around a soft, warm waist. With my eyes closed, the sounds of her sleeping was all I could hear. It lured me back to sleep. I was pushing off the morning and the meeting, if only for a little longer. I knew this wasn't going to go well.

"Xander?" A soft voice cut through my sleep. I felt someone touch my shoulder. My arms were empty. There was no warmth beside me. I cracked my one eye open. Yup there she was, staring at me with worry written on her face. Her hair was wet so like normal she showered first thing. Never in my life have I met someone who showered as often as her. Whatever makes her happy. I have no complaints, she always smells amazing. I sat up and stretched, letting out a monster yawn, Theresa's eyebrows shot to her hairline, her face was priceless. I couldn't help but laugh at her. I slowly stood up and wrapped my arms around her. I felt her relax and hug me back. We just stood there for a moment, it didn't get awkward or uncomfortable. We were both at peace. I just so happen to look at the clock on her little table.

"OH! Holy shit we're going to be late!" Even though I knew James was always at late, we could not be. I still let go of Theresa and started to rush around trying to find my things. I had less than an hour to get showered and changed and get us to the office. I was seriously toying with the idea of skipping the shower. I could feel Theresa staring at me, like she knew my plans. Knowing her, she did. Not finding my bag anywhere, I raced to the car. Yeah, there it was on the floorboard of the backseat. I was back in the house and almost to the hall when a very confused Theresa appeared at the end of it. I shook my bag at her, placing my hands on her shoulder I moved her out of my way as I sidestepped past. I left a quick kiss on the top of her head and was in the bathroom the next moment. I was in the shower before the water warmed up, that was a miserable mistake. I washed, rinsed, and got the hell out. I didn't even care if I looked crazy I just wanted to be there on time. I was dried and dressed within seconds but it felt like an eternity. I yanked open the door with one hand, the other was collecting my stuff. I almost hit my head with the door, in my haste.

I rushed into the living room, as I shoved my stuff back into my bag, wet towel and all. Thank God both girls were standing there waiting. Ma'ii was just laying on the couch. Any other time I would have put her somewhere. I didn't have time. I nodded at the girls and grabbed my keys. We were out the door, I was the first to the car so I opened the doors for the girls. I was in, they were in. I didn't wait for them to get their seatbelts on. I was going to cut it very close. We zoomed down streets and surface roads. I don't know how I didn't get a ticket or hurt someone. We made it with ten minutes to spare. Just enough time to meet with the group and rush inside. Thankfully Casey and Ida and made sure they had everything we needed to present.

I was all but running through the building, I had seen this place a hundred times nothing stood out to me. We were going to have to take an elevator. Great. Luck was on our side and one of the three dinged, the doors opened. I not quite patiently waited for it to empty out. As soon as I could I stepped inside and pressed the button for our floor. Everyone piled in the elevator. We waited for the doors to close and shuffled about as we rode up.

The nervous tension was almost smothering in this confined space. I've never had an issue with elevators but I do now. I looked at the others and all seem to be having the same problem. Theresa caught my eye and gave me a quick reassuring smile. Somehow she ended up opposite of me. I became more and more impatient to get out. I knew I could deal with anything with her by my side. Even though she didn't have a clue what I was doing behind her back. She and I barely knew anything about each other. I mean I know she went through hell in that place, she made that apparent when she was screaming at her mother. I still haven't told her....

*Ding*

The elevator bell interrupted my thoughts, which was welcomed. I really needed to focus on dealing with King Douchebag. I lead the group from the elevator to his receptionist's desk. She looked up and smiled at us. Without a word she got up and showed us into one of many meeting rooms.

Once we were all seated I checked my watch, we had less than five minutes.

"Everyone make sure your phones are off, it's better to be safe than sorry." Everyone shuffled about for a moment. We had barely gotten done laying everything out on the table when the door opened with a loud crack. James strolled in, boy he was pissed. He didn't look at anyone or anything, just looked straight ahead. He unbuttoned his dark coat and sat down. He leans back in his chair as he brings his one leg over the other. He places his hands on top of knee. He gives us all quick glances and I know this isn't a "I get to talk too" meeting.

Great.

He had this look on his face that reminded me of a snake looking at it's prey before it strikes.

"So, why don't we start with whose idea it was to do that shit storm you are calling an investigation?" His voice wasn't very loud but his tone demanded our attention. He didn't look at anyone in particular as he spoke. He just spoke at us. Dick.

"No takers? None of you want to explain why we now have to do another on location investigation and cost MY company more money? None of you want to tell me why you faked an entire investigations results?" He didn't really wait long enough between questions for anyone to ask. I saw him inhale again, I knew that next words out of his mouth were going to cause hell.

"None of it is fake." A voice I knew too well cut through the silence. It was a steady tone too. The others, me included all gasped. We all knew he didn't want answers, he just wanted to complain and make us miserable. James's eyes almost bugged out of his face. He huffed and played with his cufflinks for a second. A smile formed on his face, it quickly spread. His eyes landed on Theresa and they didn't move. No one else was in the room for all he cared. She didn't flinch under his gaze, I would applaud her if it wouldn't make things worse. She stated him down just as much as he did her. His harsh laughter broke the room like a mirror shattering. As the ribbons of it fell, we all got sliced.

"You want me to truly believe all of this happened?" He barked out between harsh giggle fits. Jeez, even this dude's giggles are mean.

Yup I hate this guy.

"Well since that is what happened, yes I do want you to believe." She spoke as she was talking to someone who didnt fire on all cylinders. Everyone, myself included, was giving her the "oh god, no" face. Maddox looked moments away from bawling. She was ballsy. Hopefully her being new will save her. This was like a horrible game of tennis, everyone's head swivelled from James to Theresa. After a few seconds of terrifying silence. He finally had collected himself. He gave Theresa a look that I'm sure any of the rest of us would have ran from. Not her, though. She was not budging, she continued to look at him as if he was stupid. I almost wanted to laugh but a glance at James made the laughter die in my throat.

He didn't like people fighting him on a normal, he sure wasn't going to have it today. His jaw clenched, his chest jetted out, as if he was being pulled on a string chest first, he stood to his full height. Hell he might as well be towering over us.

"I doubt everything you were involved in Miss Baxter. I doubt you and if I doubt you, our viewers will as well. You see how that can be a problem? It boils down to money again. You are costing me money, instead of making me money." He leaned against the table as if to get closer to her, she was still across the table. A small smile on her face, she's all but daring him at this point. Her smile caused James to all but pop his lid. He slammed his hand against the table.

"I took you on as a favor! You're suppose to be genuine but all I saw was bullshit." He locked eyes with each of us.

"I'm surprised she was able to talk you into taking it that far." His eyes landed on me, a shark's grin spread across his face.

"Especially you Xander, you've always been the one who had to keep it legit and keep the integrity of the show on mind." He sneered like these we're terrible things.

"What did she do, hmm, Alexander? Did she make you an offer you couldn't refuse?" He wiggled his eyebrows at me and winked and Theresa. He hit two cords with one stone.

"No one calls me Alexander and no one faked anything." I managed to keep my tone light and carefree. He hates not getting a raise out of people. Theresa on the otherhand all but exploded in her chair. A blast of cold air rushed into room, filling it quickly. As the rest of us reacted, James pretended to not notice anything. He continued on with his menacing act. Casey had a hold of Theresa with both hands, she was doing her best to not let on that she wasn't doing a good job. I had to take control of this, and end the meeting.

Quickly, and preferably before things escalated. I stood up to draw everyone's attention to me, I mainly cared that Theresa stopped staring at James like she was going to rip him apart. I caught her eye and hoped with everything in me she got the "calm down" message I was sending out.

"I got an idea, a way to settle all this." I spoke calmly and directly to James. One of his eyebrows arched in response. He's such a tool.

"Why don't you come with us, you pick the location. You've never gone us on location. You can see how it's done, see that's it's all real. I'll make it better for you; if we're right you get two amazing episodes to air, you can verify one yourself. If we're wrong, I'll change the names, and I'll step down."

He knew I meant that I'd stepped down as the lead share holder for the show. He may own the company that airs it, and he foots the bill most of the time but I own the show and if I really wanted to I could take it to another company, another channel, to another James. He's always hated that, he's been begging me for years to sell him enough shares for him to be majority holder.

The smile that spread across his face told me what I already knew. He thought this was a done deal. He was right only he wasn't the one who was going to win. He had this stupid cocky look on his face.

"You've got yourself a deal. I will email you tomorrow with the details you'll need." Which means he's going to make his sweet receptionist spend all night finding a place and send me the information. We all knew that was our dismissal, we hauled ass of out there. I don't think anyone exhaled till we hit the elevators. Once we we're inside everyone let our big breathes. No one said a word the whole way to the parking lot. We went our separate ways with plans and promises to meet up later. I got the girls in the car. I treated them to lunch. I didn't realize we had been at the meeting for over an hour and a half.

We were in their driveway I had my hands full with the food and I was almost to the door.

"What did you mean when you said step down?" I heard from behind me.

Damn.