Everyone Needs A Hero

Part 14 - I'll Be Watching

Jo yawned as she erased her name off the OR schedule. It'd been a long night and an even longer week. Her relationship had been going great until two weeks ago. After that she felt like there were miles between her and Jack. She didn't feel like they were drifting apart, no this distance was intentional.

Since all the wounds that Alex had left her with were still fresh, she didn't want to sit at home and think about the distance so she slept at the hospital and buried herself in her work. Living at the hospital had been rough, often the on call rooms weren't an option, either they were filled with residents and interns or were being used for sex. She slept where she could, a gurney in the hall, an empty patient room, a chair in one of her patient's rooms or a chair in the waiting room.

"You look like hell " Link greeted as he walked up and wrote his name on the board. It was somewhat hypocritical because he didn't look any better than she did because his son was protesting sleep.

"I look better than you" Jo responded setting her marker down.

"Well I know why I'm not sleeping but what about you ?" Link asked her.

"I think I'm being ghosted and it would be fine except I really like the guy. " Jo explained "I've been sleeping here, just burying myself in my work so I don't have to think about it"

Link nodded and he moved so that he was standing next to her. He put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Well is he worth thinking about it?"

Jo nodded. He was worth it but she didn't want to risk having her heartbroken again. Alex had hurt her in so many ways , some of which she wasn't even aware of and she couldn't bear to go through that again.

"So maybe you should think about it, confront this guy. " Link told her with a smile" You know I remember something like this with Shepherd. I just showed up on her porch in the rain and told her I wanted her. And now look at us."

Jo smiled. It was good advice. Maybe she should just show up and confront all of it. "Thanks"

"Wasn't expecting to see you here " Luke said as he stepped into the police station. Sullivan was there standing at the desk probably for the same reason.

"Well I can't sit and wait. "Sullivan replied with a shrug.

Luke understood this. The waiting was the hardest part of all of this. Especially knowing that the police still had no idea if the arsonist was targeting the department. Before it wouldn't have bothered him so much but now with Vic wrapped up in all this it was a different story.

"Chief Ripley " a younger woman with a pixie cut greeted as she walked up to them. She was the lead arson investigator for the Pearl Apartment Fire.

"Sinclair "Luke greeted back meeting her halfway and shaking her hand" I'm hoping you have something"

"Sir please call me Hannah " Hannah replied with a nod " I don't have much but come on back I'll show you what we've got so far. I'm assuming that's battalion chief Sullivan " She gestured towards Sullivan as they walked.

"Yes Ma'am " Sullivan answered as he followed Hannah and Luke further into the police station.

"Is Captain Herrera planning to grace us with her presence as well ?" Hannah asked opening the door to the conference room where most of the investigation was taking place.

"No Ma'am " Sullivan answered " She and 19 are responding to a call. Left just before I did "

Hannah nodded as she picked up a couple of file folders and uncapped a large box. The box was filled with the remains of the fire that had led them to believe it was arson. "Classic signs " Hannah explained turning to the two men behind her " a pile of clothes on the bed was what fed the fire. We think our guy doused them in gasoline and threw an open match on the bed. Empty gas canisters were found inside the room too. Well thought out and articulated, personally I think it'd be safe to assume that this isn't his first rodeo. He's probably done this in his past maybe three times or more "