Spring awoke instantly, aware she was not alone. She took a moment to orient herself and then realized she was tucked in against Colton, his good arm holding her close. She was feeling quite pleased with herself because she suspected he rarely let women stay in his bed. Glancing at the clock, however, she knew she had to get up. She still had to go back to her place for a quick shower, head into the office to write the story which would run in tomorrow's paper after Jessica's interview aired, and then she needed to be at Belinda's place for her interview with Jessica.

Colton had arranged for someone to come in and clean up Belinda's place. Spring knew it was going to cost him a lot of money because he hadn't just hired the cleaning service to tackle the vomit on the carpet. No, he had arranged for them to clean the entire house. She knew he had gone back and forth on that, not wanting to be intrusive, but she also knew he had instinctively understood Belinda needed a fresh start. The cleaning service had been respectful of Belinda's things, but they had also removed three bags of empty liquor and beer containers.

Seth, as responding officer, should have charged Belinda with possession of marijuana, but he'd just thrown the pot in the garbage and pretended not to have seen it.

Slipping from Colton's grasp, Spring tiptoed to the bathroom and slipped into yesterday's clothes. She left his bathroom and he was still asleep. She would have to leave his front door unlocked, but figured that would be better than someone showing up and finding her in his bed. He'd been right that there would be repercussions for this and, in the light of day, Spring was less certain than she had been last night.

Did she want a relationship confined to Colton's place or her own? Or could she convince him she wasn't ashamed of their relationship? Even if she managed to get him to go see a movie with her, that might not go over well with other people in town. Spring had never cared what others had thought of her, but she had seven sisters and five brothers-in-law or soon-to-be-brothers-in-law to consider. Her life was no longer her own, if it had ever been.

What if they went beyond the sphere of Mission City? Vancouver was just under an hour's drive away, although that seemed to like a long way to go for a date. Still, as she pulled on her boots and headed out the door, she knew she would be back. Colton may have scruples, but her will was stronger, of that she was sure.

Colton awoke to a dull ache in his arm. He reached for Spring, but found her spot cold. How long had he slept, he wondered, and how long had she been gone?

Glancing at his clock radio, he noted it was just after ten. Because of his midnight tête-à-tête with Spring, he had slept well into the morning. Now he needed to get to the bathroom and then he needed a bath. Of course he would prefer a shower but he wasn't supposed to get his stitches wet and besides, he wasn't sure he could actually stand up for the entire shower. Normally a very strong man, he was feeling weaker than he would have liked. So he told himself to just deal with it as best he could and an hour later he was fairly clean.

Breakfast was poorly buttered toast and orange juice he managed not to spill. Then he got onto his computer and started looking at the stories about himself. Where he had expected complete condemnation, there were people who cautioned against a rush to judgement. There was not, however, news of the recent recantation. Not that he expected there to be because it was too soon, he knew. But that left him with another full day ahead of him and nothing to do. He'd already watched all the shows on his PVR - not that there had been that many. He wasn't into television and there were very few things which he just had to watch. He didn't even have any guilty pleasures. He worked and then he worked harder. Even his days off were consumed with the job, as it was for Dorrie. It was why they made a good team.

And there was that pang again. The knowledge he would never work with Dorrie again. The idea he would never be a cop again. One huge lapse in judgement and he had lost everything.

A sharp knock at the door brought him from his reverie and he yelled for the person to come in. He hadn't bothered to relock the door after Spring had left.

Yet he was surprised when Jessica Stone stepped into the room.

She took a look at her surroundings and then her eyes settled on him. "Your hair needs to be combed."

"Probably," he acknowledged, "but I'm not good at doing things with my left hand. I managed to wash it, which was quite an accomplishment."

"How is your arm?"

Did she really want the truth? He couldn't tell. "I'll survive."

She nodded, willing to accept him at his word. "You're a hero, you know."

Her words grated. "I'm no hero, Ms. Stone, and you know it."

"Oh, please, Colton. First of all, it's Jessica. Secondly, humility doesn't suit you. We both know you didn't have to go to Belinda's house."

"Even so, I don't want credit for doing what any cop would have done. She was in trouble and I helped."

"You're just lucky you didn't cut an artery."

Here was a place he hadn't allowed himself to go. If he hadn't gone then Spring would have broken that window and it could have been her with the stitches instead of him. That thought made him slightly nauseous.

"Why are you here, Jessica?"

"I spoke to the media liaison for the RCMP and they're going to give you permission to tell your side of the story."

He felt like he'd been punched in the gut. "I don't have a side of the story."

"Oh, please, don't be coy. As you know, Belinda recanted her story. You deserve your chance to clear your name once and for all."

Colton shook his head. "I'm no innocent in this and you know it. Even if I didn't rape her, I did breach her trust."

"So you deserve to be castigated," Jessica offered. "But not condemned. You've done good work and you've had a lot of supporters. They deserve to be vindicated for having stood behind you."

"I had sex with her."

"Which she freely admits she initiated. Yes, you could have said no, but very few will find it unforgivable that you had a moment of weakness."

"But I haven't forgiven myself," Colton pointed out. "How can I go on television and thank my supporters when I feel they were wrong in believing in me in the first place?"

Jessica made a clucking sound. "God, Colton, you're a piece of work." She was about to say more when the front door opened. Jessica glanced at him, but he merely shrugged.

Dorrie and Officer Bonnie Noland stepped into the room. Colton knew the polite thing to do was to make the introductions, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. Dorrie raised an eyebrow, then put on a smile which didn't quite reach her eyes.

"It's nice to see you again, Jessica. Let me introduce Officer Bonnie Noland from the Abbotsford police force."

Jessica held out a perfectly manicured hand. "Pleasure to meet you."

Bonnie took it, but with some reluctance. "Nice to meet you, Ms. Stone. I've seen you on television."

"Call me Jessica. We're all informal around here, right?" She had a brilliant smile as she looked back and forth between Colton and Dorrie. Neither managed to return her smile.

Dorrie gave Colton a look and he knew it was time to get rid of the reporter. He stood, pleased his legs were able to hold him. "Look, Jessica, we have some police business to attend to here. Let me show you out."

Her look became speculative. "I thought you just told me you weren't a cop. What changed in the last sixty seconds?"

"I'm not a cop," Colton reiterated. "It's just that we have some business to discuss."

"This has to do with Belinda Oliphant, doesn't it?" She phrased it like a question, but it was more like a statement.

Dorrie, Colton, and Bonnie all exchanged glances. It was Bonnie who broke first. "Sit down, Colton. We might as well tell her because it's now a matter of public record. Both things," she said.

Both things? What did that mean?

Still, he didn't need to be told twice. He sat on his couch and invited the women to do the same. All three stayed standing.

"We arrested Darryl Ross last night," Bonnie said.

Colton did a little happy dance in his mind. He knew a fist pump wouldn't be appropriate, but if he was alone with Dorrie, they would both be celebrating.

"That didn't take long," he said.

"Who is Darryl Ross," Jessica asked. Then, like the good journalist she was, she put the pieces together. "He's the man who drugged and raped Belinda Oliphant."

"The one and same," Bonnie supplied. "Dorrie managed to get him on tape putting a drug in my drink. We've sent the drink to the lab, but I think we all know what the results will be. Obviously I didn't drink it, but I let him think I had. He didn't even have the decency to take me back to his place and instead he attacked me in the alley at the back of the bar."

Colton swore.

"Isn't he going to cry entrapment," Jessica asked.

"Oh, he can try," Dorrie said. "But no one put him up to drugging her drink and..." Her voice trailed off.

"Not your fault," Bonnie assured her.

Yet Dorrie didn't look mollified. "He was just so fast and we were prepared to follow his car, not watch as you got dragged into the alley."

"But it's not a concussion," Bonnie said plainly. "It's just a bump on the head."

"From when he pushed her against the wall," Colton surmised. "I should have been there."

"So when is he being arraigned," Jessica asked.

"Three o'clock," Dorrie said. "He needed a few stitches himself."

Jessica's eyes widened. "How did that happen?"

"Idiot tried to run when Bonnie identified herself as a cop. She ran after him and tackled him." There was no mistaking the pride in Dorrie's voice. "And she was wearing killer heels."

Bonnie shrugged. "I've worked vice, so that was no big deal."

But it was, Colton knew. She'd run after him after she'd received a knock to the head. She would have known back-up was on the way, but it was still a gutsy move. Maybe ill-advised as well, given they knew where Ross lived and it wouldn't have been too hard to track him down, but Colton understood the urge to act, to make the arrest. "Did you find the drug on him?"

Dorrie nodded. "He tried to dump it when I was putting him in cuffs, but we saw him do it. He tried to claim we planted it on him, but that's just bluster. The video is very clear."

"So this helps support Belinda's claim," Jessica pointed out. "It will help restore some of her credibility."

"She doesn't need to be dragged through this," Colton said, instantly wary and concerned for Belinda.

Jessica shook her head. "Belinda wants to be pulled into this. She wants to nail the man who started all this. She knows everything she says will be suspect..."

"I doubt the Crown will proceed with her case," Bonnie said.

Dorrie merely smiled. "You haven't met Remy Stevens, our prosecutor. She'll throw the book at him, including Belinda's rape and she'll nail him. She hates rapists even more than Colton and myself, which is saying something."

"What was the other news," Jessica asked.

Dorrie and Bonnie looked at each other before Bonnie broke the eye contact to look over at Colton. "Catriona is dropping the charges against you. She's making a formal statement this afternoon. She's not going to go so far as an apology, but she is going to say you've been cleared of all charges."

For several moments, no one said anything.

"That's good," Jessica ventured.

"It won't undo the damage," Colton said brusquely. "I will always be under suspicion. There will always be talk."

"Then do the interview with me," Jessica said. "Tell the people your side of the story."

"He won't do that," Dorrie said quietly. "It's not in his nature, so please don't ask again."

Jessica looked stunned. "I think you're all crazy."

"We didn't go into this job for the fame and glory," Bonnie supplied. "We like to work in anonymity. If my photo ever got out then my undercover work might be compromised. It's the same for Dorrie and Colton."

"Well, it was," Colton said. "I'll never have anonymity again. More like notoriety." He tried to keep the bitterness from his voice, but he knew he didn't succeed. "Look, the media liaison for the force will issue a statement and she'll probably be willing to do a quick interview. Now, I'm tired. I need to rest."

Jessica and Bonnie prepared to leave, but Dorrie stayed where she was. Colton could see this was going to be an argument and wasn't sure what to do.

"I'll just stay and help you into bed," she said. It was a brook no opposition voice and Colton was well-familiar with it.

"Fine," he said, even though he was pretty sure he could manage on his own. Dorrie had more to say and he had to respect her as well as her opinion. She had earned the right to bend his ear whenever she felt like it, as, generally, she would be there for him.

When Bonnie and Jessica left, Dorrie turned to him. "Let's get you into bed."

Colton shook his head. "I'm comfortable on the couch and I really don't want to get up."

"Have you taken your pills?"

"Uh, no."

She did not look impressed. Wordlessly, she went to the kitchen.

"I don't want the painkiller," he said to her retreating figure.

"Colton, I don't really care what you want," she assured him. Within moments she was back with a glass of water and the pills. Dutifully, Colton took them.

"I might not be coherent in a few minutes," he pointed out.

"I don't need a few minutes," Dorrie assured him. "Aside from Seth, you are currently surrounded by women. I think that's an important fact to make known. You work well with women. You respect them and treat them like equals. Heck, in most cases you treat them even better." She continued to regard him. "But I still think you need to stay away from Spring Dixon."

"That's none of your business, Dorrie."

She gave him a level look. "So there is something between you. I thought there might be."

"I don't know what there is," Colton said honestly.

"Well figure it out," Dorrie said. "Because there's too much riding on this for it to just be another one of your typical relationships. I've never said anything, just watched you go through woman after woman. There haven't been many, but there have been enough. I've never said something because it was none of my business, but I've been waiting for one or more to come forward and talk about their experience with you."

This surprised Colton. "Why would they say something? I always treated them with respect. I was always honest with them. You're right there haven't been that many, but I've been careful." He hesitated. "What are you trying to say?"

"That those women knew the score and some of them, like Chantale Byrne, still got hurt. But Spring Dixon? She's an innocent in comparison to the others."

"She's not a child," Colton said, repeating Spring's words to him. He didn't need to defend himself to Dorrie, of course, but he wanted her to understand.

"Well, I've had my say. I just hope you know what you're doing."

So did he. He felt his eyes drooping. "I think I'm about to fall asleep," he found himself saying.

"I'll stay," she offered.

He shook his head. "No need. I'll be okay. Just leave the door unlocked, okay?"

Her brow furrowed.

"In case someone shows up," he said. "It's easier to just yell for them to let themselves in than to get up."

"You didn't give her a key?"

There was no need to clarify who the 'her' was.

"No, I didn't. I...I didn't want to seem too forward," he replied honestly.

"So there is something there," Dorrie persisted.

"Let's just say it's been a long time since I've felt this way about a woman. Maybe I've never felt this way," he said honestly. "Which is incredibly disrespectful to her sister, I know."

"We all make mistakes, Colton."

He eyed her carefully. "And what are your mistakes, Dorrie? All the years I've known you and there's never been anyone."

"That's personal," she said quietly.

"No more than my relationship with Spring."

"Then I'll back off," Dorrie said, her face a mask of hurt.

"I didn't mean anything," Colton said. "I guess I'm just tired of having to defend myself."

She nodded. "I'll leave you alone then." She headed towards the door and without a backwards glance, she was gone. Within moments, Colton was gone as well.

Spring stood in front of Sunshine's door and ran through all the reasons she should knock and all the reasons why she should walk away. This was a crazy idea, she knew, but she had to try. Sunshine was the only person who could help her. She raised her hand when the door opened. Sunshine was on the other end, a rueful smile on her face.

"Come in," she said. Not waiting for a response, she headed into her family room. With only a small amount of hesitation, Spring followed. Sunshine sat and Spring did the same. Sunshine's house was immaculate as it was on the market. She and Hawk planned to get a bigger place, pooling their resources, because their family was expanding so quickly. They had already chosen a place out in the Hills, near the ranch. Also near Rainbow, Torah, and Zephyra. Funny how all the sisters were settling so close to each other.

"Ask the question," Sunshine said without preamble.

Sunshine's bluntness didn't surprise Spring. What she was asking...well, her sister had the right to be annoyed. Spring took a deep breath. "I was wondering if I could invite Colton to your wedding."

"Do you think he would accept your offer," Sunshine said, deflecting the question.

"I don't know," Spring said honestly. "But I do know it would be good for his reputation. I know it would be awkward for you-"

"Having my ex-husband attend my wedding? How could that possibly be awkward?" Funny enough, there was no sarcasm in Sunshine's voice. She was truly intrigued.

Spring hesitated. "I would like him to have the opportunity."

"Because you have feelings for him," Sunshine said without question.

"Is it that obvious?"

"You wanting him to come to the wedding is a good clue," Sunshine said. "But I've known for some time how you've felt for him. About the time I married him, if I don't miss the mark."

Spring was stunned. "You knew," she asked quietly.

Sunshine smiled benevolently. "I've always known. I thought it was just a crush and, no offence, he didn't reciprocate or was even aware of your feelings."

"I know that," Spring said. "And it was a crush, at first, but over the past few months it's become more than that. I don't know how it happened, or even why, but I've come to see him in a new light."

"You were jealous when he started seeing Chantale," Sunshine observed. "Which is why you went out and had a fling with what's his name."

Since she wasn't particularly proud of that affair, Spring didn't supply his name. "I thought I needed to prove to myself that Colton meant nothing."

"Not so easy to do," Sunshine said. "You're just lucky the guy was also looking for something meaningless. Otherwise it could have been tricky."

Spring had been honest from the beginning and the whole thing had been about a week long. Then he'd gone back to the girlfriend he'd dumped, realizing he had made a big mistake. They were now engaged, although Spring wondered if he would be able to be faithful. Maybe he'd just needed to sow those wild oats and Spring had been the vessel for doing that. She could have felt used, but she hadn't. What she had felt was empty. Then Colton had dumped Chantale two days after Christmas and Spring had yet again debated the wisdom of wanting a man who could be so callous.

By then Autumn had been raped and Colton had been there, trying to support her. His gentleness with her sister had moved Spring and she'd readily acknowledged he wasn't such a bad guy. He and Chantale just hadn't been compatible, she'd told herself. Maybe, just maybe, he might give her a chance. But there had been no way to make her way into his sphere without him seeing right through her play.

Then he had interacted numerous times with her family over the past year, but Spring had never found herself alone with him. In fact, until that recording had found the way to her desk, she had given up on the whole notion, deciding it had been fanciful thinking.

"I'll confirm it with Hawk," Sunshine said, "but I don't have a problem with him coming to the wedding. You're right about it being good for him. Not just to be seen with supporters, but also for his emotional well-being. His instinct will be to hole up in his condo and not leave. He needs to re-enter the community as soon as possible." She smiled. "But you know it's going to be a tough sell."

"I do," Spring replied. "But I also know it's necessary."

"He'll accept," Sunshine said, "but he'll be doing it for you and not for himself. Be careful, Spring, because he's attracted to you and tired of fighting it."

Spring remembered sleeping in his bed last night and felt a blush steal across her cheeks.

"And apparently you feel the same way," Sunshine said. "So I'll warn you. He's a good man, but he has a dark side. A side he shares with no one. If you're willing to accept that then you might be able to survive. If you want him to open up then the relationship is doomed before it even begins."

Feeling disconcerted, Spring rose. "I'll let you get back to wedding preparations."

"Practically finished," Sunshine said. "Hawk's mother has organized almost everything. It'll be a little crowded in the great room at the ranch, but with just family coming, it won't be too bad."

"If it's just family," Spring began.

Sunshine shook her head. "Colton is..." She hesitated.

The hairs on the back of Spring's neck stood up. "What is it?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Sunshine looked past Spring, almost unseeing in her gaze. "I was going to say that he is family. Or he will be."

Spring felt like she'd been hit in the solar plexus. "You're sure of that? Of him? Of me?"

"I'm not psychic," Sunshine was quick to remind her sister. "But, yes, you're going to try to make it work." She shook her head in frustration. "There are going to be a lot of rough patches in the beginning and any one of them could derail this tenuous hold you have on each other."

"But there's a chance," Spring said quietly.

Sunshine nodded. "There's always a chance."

Spring regarded her sister. "You do know, don't you? Why not just tell me?"

"Because it's not a guarantee and if things don't go the way I've predicted then you might become very angry with me. You have to chart your own course, little sister."

And since Sunshine almost never called her 'little sister', Spring knew it was time to take her leave. She rose and Sunshine followed suit. The two women walked to the front door and Sunshine smiled. "Hawk's home." She opened the door and stepped out to the front step, heedless of her bare feet on the cold stone. Hawk stepped into her embrace, then pulled her up until her feet were no longer touching the ground.

"You're a silly woman, Sunshine." There was no malice, only gentle teasing.

"I wanted to greet you," she said.

"Well that was quite a greeting," he said, stepping over the threshold and depositing her back in the house. He turned to Spring. "Nice to see you. You're heading out? Can't you stay a bit longer?"

Spring shook her head. "I still have a few things to do."

"But before you go," Sunshine said, "I might as well ask Hawk."

"Ask me what?" Spring didn't miss the slight wariness in his tone.

"If Colton can come to the wedding as Spring's date."

Well, Spring thought that was certainly blunt.

"Is this what you want," Hawk asked Sunshine.

She gave him a tentative smile. "It is."

"Then it's fine with me," Hawk said. "He wouldn't be my first choice of guest, but it's okay. I'm sure you have your reasons and you know I trust you. Plus, I'm pretty sure you don't have feelings for him anymore."

"I don't," Sunshine assured him. "But you already know that. There's no reason to be jealous."

Hawk appeared to consider. "I don't think I ever was. I just know how lucky I am that you're in my life."

Spring felt the undercurrent between Sunshine and Hawk. "So I'm going to take off. Thanks for being understanding," she said to both of them.

Sunshine grinned. "Have Colton call us if he doesn't believe it's okay. Since it's such a small wedding, I didn't do invitations, so I have nothing to send him."

"No big deal," Spring assured her. She was about to step away when Sunshine pulled her into a bone-crushing hug.

"Be strong," Sunshine said. "Don't let him hurt you."

With a quick wave, Spring stepped outside and headed towards her car. Not let Colton hurt her? How was she supposed to prevent that? Of course she supposed it went the other way as well. She would have to make sure she didn't hurt Colton either. Could she live with his secrets? With him keeping his dark side from her?

She didn't have a ready answer for that and until she did she would have to proceed with caution.