Disclaimer: Not my characters.
Warning(s): In order of appearance, Hagen-bashing, domestic violence & drug abuse.
i. picture perfect
She walks down the aisle on her father's arm. The wedding march is too ordinary for such a perfect day, so she's chosen All You Need Is Love. She's nervous, but it doesn't show, too much the Southern belle. She's a beautiful bride.
Her husband-to-be waits at the altar, so happy, he's literally beaming. Her father lifts her veil, then kisses her. She hands her bouquet to her bridesmaid and takes her groom's hand.
"I love you," he mouths and her grin widens. Together they turn to face the priest.
"I, John Hagen, take Calleigh Duquesne to be my wife . . ."
ii. daddy's girl
"I told you not to go out with that boy!"
Each word is accompanied by the lash of her father's belt on her back. She lies face down on the floor, her arms covering her head. Each time the buckle makes contact with her skin, she flinches. She's in too much pain to focus on his words.
She stretches out a hand and clutches the tiara they crowned her prom queen with.
When the beating stops, she doesn't feel it.
Her daddy doesn't have to worry about his princess dating a colored boy ever again.
She's buried that same week.
iii. bang bang, you're dead
"I'm taking all necessary precautions."
She doesn't want Horatio to worry about her; he needs to concentrate on catching Otis. She figures there'll be time enough to talk later, knows he'll be there when she needs him.
Later.
Three hours, and Kerner has her pressed against a brick wall, his gun to her head.
"Stupid bitch," he whispers, his mouth touching her ear, "did you really think I wouldn't make you pay?"
It's not supposed to end like this, she thinks.
But it does.
Kerner pulls the trigger. She doesn't feel a thing.
They don't find her until the morning.
iv. crush
She tells herself she only wants him to be happy, that it's a silly schoolgirl crush and she's too old for this nonsense, really.
But it still tears her up inside when she sees them together and she has to bite her lip to keep from screaming, "She's your brother's wife, dammit!"
When she sees Yelina's goofy grin and notices the diamond ring on her left hand, she wishes she weren't so observant.
When Horatio gives her a wedding invitation, she's tempted to throw it back in his face. But she smiles instead, pretending she's thrilled.
She feels physically ill.
v. hummingbird
She locks the cubicle door and kneels on the tiled floor. She doesn't usually do this at work but it's been a rough day and she really, really, really needs it.
She takes a small packet from her pocket and empties it on the cover of the toilet seat. Then she cuts the powder into three perfect, white lines. She folds a piece of paper and leans forward.
From the first sniff, she knows something isn't right. It's been mixed with something else.
But she's desperate, so she finishes the lines.
Her pulse is racing. Too fast. She can't breathe.