A/N: This one has absolutely nothing to do with Family Ties, but it popped in my head and wouldn't leave, no matter how nicely I asked, so I figured I should probably write go ahead and get it down. Just like with everything else, I don't promise I can update it regularly, but I've never abandoned a story. Usual disclaimers apply: if you saw it on TV, I don't own it. That's the only disclaimer you're getting, as it applies to the entire story. Review, review, review!

Quinn was more than a little tired of dealing with the man in front of him. He'd taken the job as a favor to an old friend, but he was ready to kill this Andrew Harker and just walk away. Screw the favor. He should have just called in the marker Eliot Spencer owed him.

"Look Harker, it's simple. I delivered the item you asked for, and you will pay me what we agreed on. If you don't, I will take your precious little carving with me, and I'll let the people currently missing it know exactly who wanted it stolen."

It was bad business to let someone cheat him out of what had been promised. Let one get away with it and everyone would try it. Quinn wasn't about to let that happen.

"Let's not be hasty, Mr. Quinn. I'm sure that we can work something out."

"We'll work out fine as soon as you pay me. Everything."

"I will have the money wired to your account."

"Now that wasn't so hard, was it?"

"I'm afraid the storm has closed down the airport for the night. Allow me to extend the hospitality of the house. We can have you to the airport first thing in the morning."

Quinn hated the idea of spending a single night under the roof with this man. Something about Andrew Harker just made his skin crawl. And it wasn't just the fact that Harker had hit on him the moment they were alone. But the storm had been raging for nearly an hour with no sign of letting up, and the airport was the only way off the island. No boat would even consider launching in seas this rough. He reluctantly agreed to stay, and Harker made a quick phone call. A short time later they were walking hallways until Harker came to a stop in front of a door and pushed it open.

"I'm sure you'll be comfortable in here."

Quinn turned on the light and froze. A woman was sitting on the bed, hands and feet cuffed.

"What is this?"

Harker offered him a small key, presumably for the cuffs. The woman glared at both of them, giving them several anatomically impossible suggestions for how they spend their time.

"I thought perhaps you might prefer a different playmate, since you didn't seem interested in what I was offering. I like to watch as well."

Was he really suggesting….? The expectant look told Quinn that was exactly what Harker was suggesting.

"Well, I'm no exhibitionist, so as tempting as the offer is; I think I'll have to pass."

It was rare that Quinn turned down a night with a woman, but they were always willing. He didn't hold with rape. And the fact that this woman was in restraints was evidence that she wasn't here of her own volition.

"That's a pity. I have no other interest in keeping her here, so if you don't want her, I'll just have to give my men their chance before they get rid of her."

"Get rid of her?"

Harker nodded, and Quinn bit back a curse. He couldn't afford to lose his temper now, not when he was hours away from being able to get off the island. Besides, he knew Harker hadn't wired his money yet; if the man died now, he wouldn't get paid.

"Come now, Mister Quinn. How difficult can it be to take a beautiful woman to bed?"

Quinn held out his hand for the key, which Harker gave to him with a smile.

"Just so you know, I'll be evaluating your performance. And I will know if you're faking it."

Now Quinn really just wanted to kill the man. He'd bedded women in pursuit of a job, but this was ridiculous. If he found out that Harker was somehow recording this, there was no consideration in the world that would keep him from killing the man.

He approached the bed hesitantly. It was a giant four poster monstrosity, but fortunately it did have nearly sheer curtains. They would at least give him the illusion of privacy. The woman was watching him warily. He thought she was right to be worried. He caught her as she tried to scoot away the moment he sat on the bed.

"Calm down now," he ordered as he worked on freeing her from the restraints. He was talking softly enough that he was reasonable sure Harker couldn't hear him. The woman stared at him as if he'd grown a second head.

"I don't want to hurt you," he informed her, abstractly noting that she was indeed beautiful, "but if we don't do this now, he will have his people kill you. If you don't fight me, I will make this as painless and as quick as possible. Nod your head if you understand me."

She nodded, and Quinn pulled the unlocked cuffs from her wrists and ankles. He was surprised when she actually head butted him and lunged off the bed. He lunged right after her, not wanting to watch Harker kill her in front of him. Killing for business was one thing, but this would just be murder.

"Oh no you don't!"

He caught her around the waist and easily hauled her back onto the bed as she tried to gouge his eyes out. So much for doing a good deed. When she kicked at a rather personal area, he reluctantly grabbed the cuffs and shackled a wrist to one of the posts, climbing on her to pin her legs down. She bucked underneath him, trying to dislodge him, but he was much heavier than she was so he just waited for her to tire herself out as he leaned to close the curtains. Harker was going to be sadly disappointed if he thought he was going to see anything more than silhouette.

"Don't tell me you're shy, Mr. Quinn."

He ignored Harker's heckling as he focused on the woman he held pinned. She looked close to hyperventilating; her chest rising and falling with shallow breaths.

"I don't want to hurt you, girl. Stop fighting me and let's just get through this," he tried to reason as he reached under her to pull down the bedding.

"He's going to kill us both anyway, and I'll be damned if I spend my last night playing to this sick bastard's wishes!" she hissed as she tried to bite him. She managed to sink her teeth into his hand, drawing blood. It wasn't as painful so much as it was—his lower body was suddenly much more interesting in the proceedings. Quinn grabbed her free had as she tried to take a swing at him, her struggles renewed as his body physically reacted.

Quinn was less than pleased at the knowledge that this poor girl shared his suspicions that Harker had no intention of just letting them go. He'd begun to suspect a double cross as soon as there was an issue with the agreed payment. He'd had a plan already forming for dealing with that contingency, but that plan was shot with the addition of this woman. He couldn't just leave her here when Harker already said he had no intention of keeping her (though he wondered if Harker really meant that or if he was just trying to provoke him into raping the girl). There were lines he just did not cross, and his mama would have his ass if she found out he even entertained the thought of abandoning this girl.

He kicked off his shoes, and pulled the sheet up over them both. He would be damned if he gave Harker even a hint of him stripping either his own clothes or the girls'. He ignored the girl hitting him as she shrugged out of his suit jacket and unbuttoned a few buttons on his shirt. He wasn't exactly into erotic asphyxiation.

"What's your name?" he asked as he shed his pants and lay down; half on top of the girl, still keeping her legs pinned so she couldn't kick him.

"Go to hell!"

"Alright, Go to Hell, listen to me for just a second and stop trying to cripple me. We're both in the same situation here, and I'd say it's in your best interest to cooperate."

"Hardly! You're not the one cuffed to a damn bed!"

He covered her mouth with a hand when she started yelling obscenities at him again, and bit back a few curses of his own when she bit him again.

"I'm not a patient man, Mr. Quinn," Harker called from his seat, and they both stilled, "If it's too difficult for you, I'll have one of my men take care of it."

"I don't like an audience, Harker!" he answered back, "If you insist on being here shut the hell up and sit there and wait! Or do something useful like wire my money!"

Now she was staring at him, eyes wide. She was clearly terrified of him, a fact he didn't appreciate. He didn't move his hand as he leaned so that he was speaking at her ear, hesitant to have her start up again.

"Now listen carefully. I don't intend to hurt you. I don't WANT to do this. Now if you stop fighting and cooperate, I will get us both out of here, and I will get you home. Nod if you understand me."

She nodded and he carefully removed his hand, using it to reach for the key to the cuffs when she didn't try to attack him again. Maybe she would see reason now. He hoped so; he really didn't want to hurt her.

"Good. Now close your eyes, and imagine whoever you have to in order to get through this. I will make this as easy and as fast as possible."

She nodded again, which he took as permission to continue; or as close to permission as he would get. No matter what some men thought, no woman ever gave permission to be raped. Most that stopped fighting did so in order to survive. After brushing a stray hair from her face, he unshackled her wrist and let the handcuff fall to the floor.


"You didn't tell me your name," Quinn reminded the woman he held loosely in his arms. That he as her violator was the only person available to offer any comfort was a fact he just found sickening and so wrong on so many levels. He'd done his best to make sure he didn't hurt her, but the tears had started almost immediately and were only beginning to let up. Harker had stayed the entire time, leaving only once Quinn was completely spent.

"I can hardly call you 'Go to Hell' now, can I?"

"Kirsten," she answered with a shaky giggle as she wiped tears away.

"Nice to meet you Kirsten. Although I think we could wish for a better introduction. I mean what I said: I'm going to get us both out of here, and I'll take you wherever you want to go."

"He's not going to let us just waltz out of here."

"I can handle anything he might send through that door. You just need to be ready when I tell you. We have to wait until we can get off the island before I make a move."

Kirsten started to pull away, and Quinn let her go. He considered it a small victory that she hadn't attacked him again. Now that Harker was gone he had time to wonder how this young woman ended up here. She didn't look like the type to actually be involved with Andrew Harker's idea of "business".

"Where're you going?" he asked when she slid out of the bed. It looked like the crying jag was over for the moment; a good sign.

"If we have to wait to leave, I really need a shower."

The chemise she'd been wearing slid back down her body as she stood, Quinn idly noticed as she headed for what he assumed was a bathroom. It wasn't a surprise that she would want to scrub the feel of what he'd done off her body, and he silently warned his inner insensitive bastard to shut the hell up. He had no right to be put out that she didn't seem to appreciate his saving her life. Now that she'd mentioned it, he kind of felt the need to shower too.

He waited, semi-patiently, for forty-five minutes before worry started to set in. Even if she scrubbed her body until she drew blood, it shouldn't take THAT long, and she wasn't the only one in need of the bathroom. Was she just trying to avoid him? Was she worried that he'd attack her again?

"Kirsten?" He knocked on the door, but received no answer. "Kirsten, are you okay in there?"

He knocked again, more insistently, after getting only silence.

"Kirsten, if you don't answer me I'm coming in. Are you alright?"

When he still heard nothing but the sound of running water, he tried the door knob and discovered it opened. Hoping he wasn't about to walk in on her, he cautiously stepped inside. Well, she wasn't shrieking at him to get out, but almost would have preferred that to her utter silence. He didn't even hear the sounds of her washing.


He was very hesitant in opening the curtain, giving her every chance to respond. What he saw was enough to make him freeze. She was sitting on the floor of the shower, knees drawn into her chest, not appearing to even notice that the water pelting her was freezing cold. He immediately shut off the water and reached for a towel, draping it around her.

The contact startled her out of her stupor, and she immediately flew at him. Quinn didn't make a move to stop her, only moving to ward off blows that would cause real damage. He just let her work her very justified anger out on his body. Eventually she tired out, and Quinn grabbed the forgotten towel and wrapped it around her. She slapped his hand when he tried to tuck in a corner so that it stayed closed.

"Get dressed, Kirsten. I'll be outside."

She emerged several minutes later, wearing the same silky chemise she'd been wearing before. Quinn had assumed that was something Harker had put her in, but now he had to wonder. She eyed him warily as he stared at her.

"Is that all you have to wear?"

He wasn't one to complain about a beautiful woman in lingerie, but that would draw a lot of unwanted attention at the airport.

"Yeah, 'cause you're in such better shape right now."

Her comment drew his attention to the fact that he still hadn't put his pants back on, so he stood in his half-buttoned shirt, boxers, and socks.

"Fair enough."

He picked up his jacket from the floor and handed it to her as he slipped into his pants. She seemed to relax ever so minutely when he was fully clothed and she had slightly more to cover her. He was going to have to do something about her clothes before they got on a plane.

'Next time I'm kidnapped I'll ask for time to get changed first."

He hadn't realized he'd spoken aloud.

"You should get some rest, Kirsten."

"What about you? You're no good to anyone if you're passed out."

"Get some sleep. I'll be fine."

He would have liked to get some rest, but he couldn't chance being asleep when Harker's men came to kill them. Kirsten was in no shape to keep watch for them. He'd be fine; he'd gone much longer without sleep before.


It was almost three in the morning when they came. Quinn had to shake his head at their amateur moves. They went straight for the bed where Kirsten laid sleeping, and the shaft of light from the bathroom door, but didn't check for any other threat. And Harker only sent two men? He was insulted.

He punched the one that stopped within six inches of him, putting him down with the blow that broke a rib. It was just icing on the cake that he got to kick him in the head, knocking him out. The commotion drew the attention of the other, who abandoned his trek to the bed. Quinn had to dive out of the way as the bullets started flying in his direction. From his position on the floor he was able to knock his opponent's feet out from under him. It had been awhile since he'd been in a good old-fashioned brawl. This one was only slightly harder to put down. It really wasn't fair; they were already down when he was just getting worked up.


Right. It was almost pitch dark out, thanks to the storm. Kirsten wouldn't have been able to see much of anything.

"I'm fine."

He was fine, and he was done. The fact that Kirsten had been right about men coming to kill them meant that Harker hadn't wired his money. He was going to find the man, make sure his money was transferred, and then he was going to take great pleasure in taking the man apart. The storm was starting to slack off enough that they could get to the airport.

"Come with me."

It would be easier to just leave her here while he dealt with Harker, but he couldn't take the chance that more killers might show up. Kirsten slid out of the bed, pulling his coat tightly closed around her. He knew the layout of the house from extensive studying, so finding Harker's room was no difficulty. When they stood outside the door, he handed one of the guns he'd lifted from their would-be assassins to Kirsten.

"If anyone other than me comes back through this door, pull the trigger."

She nodded, and he slipped inside. He found Harker in bed asleep, a woman curled up beside him. Quinn pulled the other liberated weapon from his pants and turned the safety off, pointing it at Harker's head before turning on the bedside lamp.

"What the-?" Harker blinked as his eyes adjusted to the sudden light.

"You missed."

He lifted the man's cell phone from the bedside table and tossed it on the bed.

"Now call your people and have my money wired. And I suggest it before my trigger gets too itchy."

It was gratifying to watch Harker immediately hit a button with trembling hands. After only a few rings the call was picked up.

"That money to Zurich: send it now. All of it."

Quinn waited until he heard the voice on the other end confirm the transfer before he took the phone away.

"You really should know better than to double cross your contractors, Harker. It's bad for business."

With that he pulled the trigger, the silencer doing its job. The woman beside Harker didn't stir. Quinn backed out of the room and grabbed Kirsten by the arm.

"Time to get out of here."

"Did you kill him?"

"Do you really want the answer to that?"

She didn't say anything else as they carefully made their way to the car barn. Harker's love for cars as status symbols was incredibly useful in getting away. Quinn didn't make a habit of stealing cars, but he knew how to do it. That skill would prove useful since his rental was nowhere to be found.

Rather than taking one of the flashy sports cars that filled the barn, Quinn headed for the sedans that had to be the everyday vehicles that Harker's employees used. They were much easier to break into. In no time at all he had the driver's side door open and was able to unlock all the doors. Kirsten quickly slid into the passenger seat as he hotwired the ignition. With any luck they would be lost among the travelers at the airport before Harker's woman ever woke up.