Another day. And another day meant another dozen bodies to autopsy, countless family members to console, and more uncounted fights with her new "family". Or at least that was what they called it.
Sure, she had been there for a year. Sure, they survived the plane crash. And sure, she knew Nigel might have a "thing" for her...not that that's a bad thing. But she could feel it. They didn't want her there. They wanted everything to go back to the way it was before she came to Boston. And frankly, she wanted to go back to New York. That's her home, and that's where her family is. But dreams like that had been fading for a long time. She knew she couldn't go home. And she hated the men that had made her leave.
Kate woke up, tangled in her lilac sheets. It wasn't a pleasant awakening, due to the Dandie Dinmont Terrier that was licking her face. She rolled out of bed and walked to her back door, letting Binky out in the yard, smiling as she watched her pride and joy struggle to make up his mind on where to lift his leg. She remembered when she first saw the little furball, curled up in the corner of a cage, no more than a month old, at the New York SPCA. Skin and bones, and never knowing a kind hand, he could have been there forever. But she had a soft spot for animals, and it was her Achilles' heel. She brought him home, and 2 years later he had won several of the world's most prestigious dog shows. He was her baby boy.
She got in her brand new car, a jet black Chrysler 300. The insurance money finally came through from her last car's theft. But this, oh this, was worth the wait! She got in and revved the engine, letting her inner carchick out for a little while. When she got to the morgue and pulled into her parking space, she could feel the stares. Jordan walked up, seemingly out of nowhere, whistling lowly while admiring.
"Now that's a car!"
"Thanks, just got it yesterday." Kate smiled tightly, not one for small talk.
She got out and went up to the ninth floor, got her mail from the front desk and headed for her office.
XXX
Nigel and Bug were in trace, waiting out a test result.
"So... slow day, huh, mate?" Nigel asked, leaning on a table, nearly bored to insanity with the lack of bodies and thus the lack of mysterious deaths that had come in.
"Yeah, and I think I'm going to start pulling my hair out if this test doesn't hurry up!" Bug commented, not angry but frustrated. Lily would turn to be the saving grace for both of them.
"Bug, can you help with Maddie? She's being a little fussy." She asked sweetly, pushing the doors wide and handing the screaming infant over. Bug took her with zeal, glad to have something to do.
Lily turned to Nigel and handed him a closed vile of yellow liquid.
"Garrett wants you to find what this is. It think it was found in the mouth of a man that just came in. But first," she pulled the keys to the morgue van from her pocket and handed them over to the ecstatic Nigel, "you and Kate need to go pick up a body from the Charles."
"I'm on it!" He declared, grabbing the keys as he rushed to find Kate.
He found her in her office, so he knocked lightly since he didn't know her current mood.
Knock Knock
"Come in."
Nigel popped his head in, but Kate didn't look up. She was concentrating on organizing a stack of papers a few inches high. He scooted all the way in.
"Dr. M wants us to go and pick up a body from the Charles."
"Ok, I'll just be a minute." she paused, "By the way, do you know who John Anderson is?" Kate asked casually, looking up, but there was the faintest hint of concern in her voice.
Nigel watched her closely. There was something in those blue eyes that wasn't normal.
"No, never heard of him. Why? Do you think he was the John Doe we had last week?"
"No, no. Just curious." Kate brushed off the air of concern that had started to show. Whoever he was, he had somehow gotten her address and was sending her letters, 4 of them so far. All of them romantic and flirty as if he was asking for a date. But where does he even know her from?
She put the papers down and got up from her desk. Nigel opened the door for her, and after she walked out, looked curiously at her as she walked away.
XXX
The drive to the scene wasn't long, but it seemed to drag out forever. There was an awkward silence the whole way there that neither of the two knew the cause of. Once they finally got there, identifying the route to the scene was easy. Just follow the line of badges and nightsticks.
"Huh. I thought this was just a drowning. Why is there such a big crowd?" Kate asked as she hauled her kit from the van.
"No idea. Need any help, luv? You still look sore." Nigel was right, she was still sore. Last week someone hadn't seen her in the parking lot. She was still limping, but nothing was broken.
"No thanks. Just cause someone rammed me a couple of days ago doesn't mean I'm useless." It came out more curt than it was supposed to, but that happened a lot. Nigel genuinely cared. Besides, her right leg really did hurt! Nigel just nodded, not wanting to get on a bad start since he'd be working with her for a while. Plus, he wanted to be able to push her buttons later, and he couldn't do that if she was already angry at him.
Halfway up the unusually big hill that was between the road and the Charles, Kate had to change her mind. It was too steep, the kit was too heavy. She didn't really ask Nigel, he just took it out of her hand when she started to wince slightly. He chuckled when she got huffy for a second but then got over it, resuming her laborious trek up and down the hill behind him.
Kate made up ground once it was level, and got to the body first. Male, white, probably late 30s, was all she could tell from the distance that the yellow tape forced until she showed her badge. But then she stopped, Nigel nearly bumping into her. She was just staring at the vic, looking more scared and shocked than he ever thought she could.
No. It can't be. It just can't. It's a dream! It has to be! He can't be dead. No!
She started to back up, one little step at a time, getting faster. Nigel was worried out of his mind. He reached out a hand, trying to grab her arm, but she tensed and pulled away roughly.
"Kate? Kate, what's wrong? Are you ok?" She must know him. But it's not like her to get so worked up! Maybe she really does have a sensitive side that they just haven't found yet.
Kate wasn't ok. Her whole world was crashing in on her. What was he even doing in Boston? Why the hell would he come here, where he knew she was staying? She felt her legs buckling, her head spinning. She had to get out of there. But her legs wouldn't move! All she could do was sit. Sit and try to keep herself from hysteria. She brought her legs up to her chest and buried her face in her arms, her whole body shaking. But she wouldn't cry. She hadn't cried since the day the Towers fell outside her window.
NOW Nigel was worried! Who in the world could this man be to make her so upset? He was too young to be her father. He decided to stop wondering and do the only thing he knew of. He slowly walked over and bent down, enveloping her in his arms. She tried to push him off at first, but gave up, needing the comfort he was offering. She eased into him, letting him rest her head on his chest. She wondered how long it had been since she let someone do that. She continued to silently mourn, not knowing what else to do.
