Into My Heart

LXXX

A/N: Can you believe it? 80 chapters already. Do you still like the story? 

MALLORY

I frown, quite confused.

I am standing right in front of the police station, where a huge crowd was gathered in honour of the two victims recently killed - because of Kelley O'Hara it appears - and when I see Ali Krieger walking out with a bright smile on her lips, Julie Johnston by her side, I just don't get it anymore. Wasn't the brown-haired girl supposed to be back in Washington? Didn't she leave the case after her partner was killed? Everything seemed too easy right now: I actually don't think Kelley O'Hara - no matter how bad she may seem - did something, I believe she has been framed.

Hailie is standing by my side, as Jill just took a phone call not far from where we stand. After a moment, I see Abby and Kristen walking toward us, quite alarmed by the current scene.

"The hell?" Kristen lets out, staring right at Ali Krieger, who hasn't seen us yet.

"What's she doing here?" Abby adds, staring at me this time.

I shrug, as Hailie takes the lead:

"We don't know what's going on: Agent Krieger and the Sheriff just got out of the police station with O'Hara" the blonde explains, unfazed. 

Before either of us can say anything, the sheriff walks up the stands, behind a microphone, and issues her public statement, as always during an arrest:

"Good morning to all" Julie Johnston starts, pretty serious. She stares right our way for a moment, before staring at the cameras ahead of her and continuing: "Thorough the night, this morning included, we have been interrogating Mrs Kelley O'Hara, influential CEO of her father's company, who responded to the crimes against the eyeless victims occurring those past two weeks. She has identified as co-head of The Patriarch, a local terrorist group operating against Press Corporation and Orange in general these past years, occasioning multiple death, including those of Stacey, Cody, Tyler and Channing Press, as well as Dan O'Hara's and Agent Ashlyn Harris from the FBI in Washington. Mrs O'Hara will be judged in two weeks from now by the federal court in San Diego. Thank you, that will be all."

The crowd erupts in cheers, as Kelley O'Hara is taken away in a police car, on her way to San Diego, while police officials were going back to the station. In the meantime, Julie Johnston and Ali Krieger walk toward us, but my guts tell me something odd is going on: why would Kelley O'Hara have given me an USB-card ? It's like if she knew that she was going to be arrested and didn't have the time to prove her innocence.

Kristie tenses up as the two women approach, as Abby wraps an arm around my shoulders protectively. 

Behind them also appears Alex Morgan. Obviously, this didn't come too much of a surprise to see her where Kelley was, since we found pictures of her exchanging a secret package with O'Hara: but the question remained, why? Kristie's eyes immediately turn dark, as she watches her co-worker remain at a safe distance, probably knowing that the blonde would immediately jump at her neck and probably slice it.

After a moment, Julie Johnston announces:

"Good afternoon, ladies! (and, immediately staring at Kristie throwing daggers at her with her eyes only) Except you, Kristen: Lia told me you kissing her was only a skam, so..."

"Wait, you kissed the forensics gal?" I ask, amused.

Kristie winks at me, before responding to the sheriff:

"Jealous much, sheriff?"

As the two women were about to go at each other's throats, Abby quickly takes the lead and says, addressing Ali Krieger mostly:

"How come you're back?" 

Ali smiles.

"Well, when Sheriff Johnston contacted me with evidences that couldn't be ignored about Kelley O'Hara, I thought it was time to come back and arrest The Patriarch - or at least Becky Sauerbrunn's right hand."

"Do you seriously believe she is that person, or is it the easy way out of this case, Mrs Agent?" Kristie sassily asks, raising her eyebrows.

"Careful, Mewis" Ali warns her, beyond serious.

Abby, as always, is there to save the day, addressing Sheriff Johnston mostly:

"Why is Alex Morgan working alongside of you, then?" 

"Mrs Morgan has proven of being of an amazing help - we even considered taking her in as a civilian consultant for the police" Julie explains, unfazed.

Kristie holds a laugh back.

"Ah, if only she wasn't working with Kelley all along..." she says under her breath, but loud enough for the Sheriff to overhear.

"What did you just say?"

As Abby throws a warning look at her sister - of course, nobody but us knew about the pictures of Alex and Kelley exchanging a secret package - I decide to jump in and say:

"Excuse her, ladies" I say, trying to buy some time, "but Kristie kind of has a thing for Alex and is jealous that she is working with her gorgeous ex-girlfriend"

When Kristie's murderous eyes are on me, I only see the content smirk on Julie Johnston's face, as Ali Krieger rolls her eyes next to her. Nevertheless, it drew the attention away from what Kristie almost revealed, and it was worth getting the blonde angry at me. I mean, she'll come around: we now need to discover what that interaction between Alex and Kelley was, and why would somebody take a picture of it.

Abby, visibly amused by the situation, just says:

"Anyway, I better go back to work: those patients aren't gonna cure themselves. (and then, turning toward me, she adds:) Let me drive you to school, kid."

I nod my head, before grabbing Kristie's arm as the three of us walk away. But I could tell, from the Sheriff and the FBI agent's faces, that they weren't too fooled by our little act. Rather, they seemed quite confused.

We get into Abby's car, as Kristie declares, obviously very mad at me.

"You're lucky you're kind of fun, otherwise I would've killed you right away, Mallory"

I smirk.

"At least they don't know about Alex and Kelley's suspicious whereabouts."

"Speaking of which" Abby jumps in the conversation, thoughtful, "we should really uncover the truth about Kelley O'Hara."

Kristie nods.

"Don't worry: I'll get my Dragons on it. After all, we need to know for sure if the second Dragon Queen isn't a fraud."

The rest of the drive is silent, but I could tell Kristie was burning from the inside...