A/N: This one shot is part of the fanfic challenge set by Leslie Emm in the CSI Forum. The challenge is to write a fic between 100 and 1000 words in any category with a random choice of one main character and one minor character. I picked the numbers 2 and 20 so I was given Jessica Angell and Christine Whitney! I'm not sure what category this falls into so make of it what you will.
In the blink of an eye
She leaned heavily against the wooden bar and looked around the restaurant desperately trying to remember which table she was supposed to be serving. Her back ached and her arms and legs felt heavy. She squinted in the dim light surprised that it wasn't brighter. Her eyes were drawn towards the candle flickering on the table by the window. She blinked and saw two old men sharing a meal. They were leaning towards one another, their heads bent close, deep in conversation. You could tell from just one look that they were old friends. As one of the men idly twirled an empty wine-glass, the other dipped his spoon into a bowl and scraped up the last of its contents. She smiled as she watched him savour the last creamy mouthful before putting down his spoon, leaning back and patting his stomach.
"Honestly! I don't know where he puts it all."
She turned her head and blinked surprised to find someone standing next to her leaning nonchalantly against the counter. She tried to focus on the woman next to her but she couldn't quite get her old eyes to cooperate. She had an impression of long dark chestnut hair, deep brown eyes and full smiling lips.
"I mean just look at him."
She forced herself to look away from the other woman and turned her head to look back at the men at the table. The taller of the two leaned forward and said something in a low voice. The second, older man smiled, a small ghost of a smile. She felt her heart clench. He seemed so tired. So weary. So frail.
"At least he can still bring a smile to Mac's face. He was always good at that. Making people smile. He made me smile."
She turned to look back at the woman. She could hear the love in her voice. She blinked and the woman's face came a little more into focus. She was quite beautiful with her dark eyes and perfect skin, her full lips and her long gently waving hair. Somehow she seemed familiar as though she should know her. She blinked again as the woman smiled at her. "You're Jess," she breathed.
The woman laughed. "That's right."
"Mac showed me your photograph ..."
" … the one taken at the Christmas party where Don and Danny insisted on singing When I'm Calling You."
"Were they as bad as Mac made out?"
Jess laughed, a beautiful melodic laugh that seemed to vibrate through her entire body. Her hair shimmered with golden highlights. "Worse!" She glanced over at the table. "He saved my life once you know? Bet he never told you that."
"Mac?"
Jess nodded. "Yes we went to arrest this guy and he had a shotgun set up to a tripwire. He pulled me out of the way." Suddenly Jess' face turned serious, her dark eyes shining like midnight pools. "He'll be all right Christine. You needn't worry. My Don will look after him," she whispered.
Christine turned back. The two men were getting up to leave. She blinked. Don handed Mac a cane. She watched as he carefully lifted himself of the chair. Tears pricked at the back of her eyes as she watched him lean heavily on the cane. He had never once complained about the arthritis causing his spine and hip to crumble. "He looked after me all those years."
"I know but it's time to go."
"I don't want to leave him." Even as she uttered those words she knew she had to. The cancer that had ravaged her body those last few months had left her with no choice. Everything blurred as tears filled her eyes. She blinked but she could no longer see him. She blinked again hoping for one last glimpse but everything was fading. Only Jess' beautiful face smiled back at her, clear and radiant. She suddenly remembered something important. "Don asked me to say hi."
Jess nodded and held out her hand. "I know."
"Will we see them again?"
"Yes." Jess took her hand. "You'll see. They'll be here in the blink of an eye."