Hey, out there! Thanks for taking a look at my story. English is not my usual language, so please be kind and don´t shoot me for the grammar. Reviews are very welcome, it would be nice to know, what you think.
Disclaimer: I don´t own anyone or anything of CSI NY, I´m not earning any money with that story, it was written just for fun.
Mac Taylor pursued a suspect. "NYPD, do not move!" The escape of the man ended up in a small side street. "Okay, that's it, for now," said Mac, and cocked his weapon. "Yes, it is, for you," replied the suspect and fired.
Flack heard the shot, that was not Mac's weapon, that sounded completely different, he ran faster and headed into the little backstreet. "Why are not you dead?" Don heard the suspect ask, "I was targeting Your chest, why are You not dead?" The man was very upset and looked confused at his weapon. "Hands up, scumbag and put the gun down, now," yelled Flack, pointing his gun at the shooter. "Everything okay with you?" Mac was ghastly pale and unresponsive. Don put the shooter in handcuffs, "You are hit? Damn it, Mac, say something!"
"You are exceeding Your competences, Gala. It is not Your business to decide." "My endeavor is to protect," she said simply. Gabriel nodded, "that's right, but it is time for Taylor." "Why? He's a good man, Gabriel." If Gala would have been able to cry, then she would have done it. "It's not up to you, questioning, what is ment to be, Gala." "But it's not right!" Gala's eyes flashed as she said that.
Gabriel sighed, feelings. Gala had feelings for her assigned human. Gabriel knew, she had shown herself to him, unforgivable for a guardian angel. They always remained in the dark, only gently leading, under no circumstances they are allowed to poach into Grim Reaper's business. "Leave now and focus yourself on your mistakes, Gala." She lowered her eyes and vanished.
"She has denied me his life, Gabriel, again." growled the just mentioned. "She is his guard, she feels responsible" Gabriel replied softly. "No more, Taylor's time is up, he's mine now. I expect you to punish her, she is forgetting, where her place is." The figure in the dark hooded coat disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.
Two hours later, in the lab, Mac was still chalky-white and hardly spoke a word. Flack came by with extra strong coffee and donuts, the cure-it-all for anything and everything, as some policemen claimed. Jo stopped him before Mac's office, "what happened out there? Mac looks terrible." "I do not know, Jo. I heard a shot and when I turned into the alley, I had maintained a completely confused shooter and a cadaverous Mac. The bullet was lying in front of Mac, fully intact. The shooter said, it just fell to the ground, right before it hit Mac. Sounds crazy, don´t you think? "
Mac sat in front of the program which the NYPD used to create phantom images. Just like this, he thought, that was the woman he saw. Today was the second time that he had seen her. Three days ago, Mac was almost having an accident with his car, there was nothing happening back then, thanks to this 'woman', who had been sitting on his passenger seat and suddenly had whispered barely perceptible "watch out". And today? She had appeared as suddenly as three days ago and stood between him and the shooter, the bullet bounced off her, easily. Then she vanished into thin air, Mac was a rational person, he did not believe in 'signs' and such nonsense. But the fact was, actually, if she had not been there, he would be lying on Sid's autopsy table, stone dead.
"Who is that?" Don wanted to know, he placed the coffee under Mac's nose and held out to the donut box. "With sprinkles, specially for you. So, who is she?" Mac took a sip of coffee, "I have no idea." "A witness to the shooting?" Don asked, "something like that" Mac said quietly. "Something what? Damn it, Mac, you're talking to me, Don, you can tell me everything, you know that. I didn't notice someone else." "No one has seen her, except me," Mac sounded uncertain, as Don noted, not as usual. "Okay, first things first, start at the beginning," he asked Mac, that sounded scary to Don. "Did you ever have a feeling like you are supposed to be dead, Don? Since Monday, I think of nothing else." "Since that almost crash with the wrong-way driver?" Mac nodded slowly, "I would have had no chance, the guy was heading his way frontal into me." "You got lucky, Mac," said Don, what was Mac trying to say? "Luck had nothing to do with that, she warned me," Mac was aware how crazy that sounded, but he needed to talk to someone. "Warned you? Like what?" Mac took a deep breath, "she was suddenly sitting in the passenger seat, pointed at the other car an said 'watch out', then ..." Mac did not continue, "she has vanished into thin air, or what do you mean?" Don grinned, Mac needed some vacation, urgently. "Just the same as she did hours ago," said Mac seriously and ran his hands over his face, "I'm going crazy, right?" he asked and looked at Don. Don nearly choked on his donut, "hey, I know, Halloween is coming up, but you're not talking about ghosts, here, do you?" Don whispered the last words and suppressed a slight shudder. His Irish grandmother had always told the wildest tales of horror, undead, headless horsemen, witches and forest spirits, Don got goosebumps. "Just forget everything, that I have said, I guess I'm overworked, I should really see the doctor because of my insomnia," Mac took a bite of his donut, the one with the colored sprinkles, and closed the box.
Gala had to smile, she sat unseen on Mac's couch and listened to the conversation between the two men. Although Gabriel was not amused, she had feelings for her human protegé. Gala loved this serious, quiet and yet so vulnerable man. Is it possible, to love someone, if, strictly speaking, you have no heart? She wondered briefly and glanced at the phantom image. He took a very close look, she thought, that's me, actually that was me, she corrected herself, twenty years ago, when I had a heart and a husband and a daughter, a life that was beautiful, before it was ended on a lonely country road, by whomever. "Did you run the image through the database already?" asked Mac's colleague and now Mac shook his head. "Maybe you've seen her somewhere and, come on, I do not know, just do it." Mac sighed briefly and pressed the corresponding button. "Atta boy" grinned Don and disappeared.
Mac started the search, run the image through every database, that came to his mind, completely without success. "Adam!" "Yes, boss?" He was walking past Mac's office, as Mac called him in. "I'm looking for this woman, Adam. 'I searched through all the files, I could imagine, have you got a tip?" "Hmm, pretty thing," said Adam, "a suspect?" "Adam, where do I find her?" "Okay, boss, disappearances? Traffic authority?", "Tell me something I have not tried yet," grumbled Mac. "Nominal members?" "Nominal members?" repeated Mac, "Yep, the unsolved cases, which would be absurd, of course, you've seen the Lady recently, I guess." Adam started to laugh, "I can see dead people ..." he said in a creepy voice and earned a reluctant look of Mac. "Um, I've got something else to do," Adam cleared off.
Mac run the image through the 'Cold Case' files, he didn't expect much about it, most of that file were still in 'paper', not scanned into the database yet. There are more important things, than scanning them. They rested their life in that huge archive room in the basement, covered with dust. Suddenly the Computer made a noise. Mac took a look, MATCH the letters were red and big.
Eve Masters, Mac read, hit-and-run, 1992 on a rural road to Providence, Rhode Island. Left behind a husband, Lyle Masters and a 15-year-old daughter, Kelley. She now looks a little different, Mac thought, he didn´t want to use the word 'wraithlike' intentionally, but Eve Masters was clearly the woman he had seen. She had been dead for 20 years, thought Mac shaken, that could not be so. Mac suddenly felt tired and overwhelmed, he decided to go home. He made a copy from the case file and then went on his way. Once home, Mac tried to get some sleep, without success, as always.
Mac stood up again, frustrated, and sat down with a glass of red wine on the couch. He reached for the record, was not much in there, it had been in the middle of the night and the road was lonely, no witnesses in sight. Eve Masters had stopped to help a hurt dog and had paid with her life. She wanted to do something good, thought Mac sadly. "I would always do that again," Mac's heart nearly stopped, she sat across from him, on the chair, just like that. "Eve?" Mac asked tonelessly, this was definitely crazy. "They call me Gala, right know," she explained, "and I'm responsible for you." "Responsible for me?" "You think that's strange? Everyone has someone who is responsible for him." Mac stared at Eve, she did not seem real, but at the same time she was sitting on his chair. She smiled now, "You're not crazy, Mac Taylor. But you're right, you are able to see me, no one is allowed to see his guardian angel." "And yet it happened," Mac said quietly. "Yes, sometimes," confirmed Gala, "why?" Mac wanted to know, Gala bowed her head a little, "does it matter?" "Does it matter? I'm sitting here talking to ... no idea, my guardian angel? Excuse me, if I think that it matters." She nodded slowly, "maybe you're right." "So what?" Mac asked, "So what?" "Why can I see you?" Gala smiled again, "I said, maybe you're right." "Do I have to die?" Mac asked abruptly and Gala looked at him seriously. "We all have to die, Mac Taylor, sooner or later." Mac swallowed, "Sooner, you mean, in my case?" Gala remained silent for a while. "I do what I can, but HE is strong and powerful, maybe I fail, maybe not." "That's a lot of 'maybe´s' that you leave me with, Eve." Mac replied, precise information was obviously not her kind of thing. "I have to go," she said, putting her hand on his shoulder. A moment later she was gone. Mac felt the warmth and peace that pervaded him suddenly, and fell asleep on his couch.
"Gabriel has not warned you?" asked the Death in his dark, hooded cloak. "He has done that," she confirmed it. "But you are not willing to accept what is determined, it is intended to be so. You'd have to know that." The Death sounded very grumpy. "You never ask questions about what is intended?" wanted Gala to know, she wasn´t willing to give up, that easy. "Nobody does that, Guardian, and I certainly will not be the first one, you, by the way, shouldn´t be either. You owe me a life, Guardian. I would agree to take another one, instead, but none that is given before the specified end, do you understand that? " Gala nodded, Death had shown mercy and wisdom, and he had shown a way.
Mac stood in the huge basement, which contained the old case files and evidence, the box of Eve Masters was found quickly, even if the basement was like a central warehouse, where everyone from the area stored their pending cases. If I have to die, Mac thought, I'll do something meaningful before, like finding the murderer of Eve, for example. With the box under his arm, he walked back to the lab. "Hey, boss, are you still trying to find out the whereabouts of that chick?" Adam asked, laughing and throwing a curious look at the box. "Can I help?" "Why not," said Mac, and took Adam to the office. "Not much evidence in here," Adam said, a few minutes later. "Didn´t promise you an easy case, Adam." "All right, I was just joking. The tracks of the car color might show something now, our technical capabilities are better than 20 years ago, maybe something is possible even with the tire tracks. I´ll take care, right away." Mac nodded, "Thank you", "not a big deal, boss, they call me Mr. Helpful." Adam grinned and went with the evidence for analysis. Mac put on his coat and left the office to get to his car in the deep-level garage. "You got some time for coffee?" Don had just parked his car, he met Mac in front of the elevator. "Actually, I'm on my way to Providence, Don." "Providence? What are you going to do there, it´s not our district. Getting bored with the NY criminals?" "It´s something personal, Flack. I want you to do me a favor. There is an envelope on my desk in my office. I want you to take care of it, in case that something happens to me. Would you do that?" asked Mac and Don looked horrified, "what should happen to you? Damn it Mac, what's wrong with you?" "I'm fine, I just want to make preparations, that's all. You taking the letter?" "Because you're my friend, Mac, just because of that." Flack spontaneously hugged Mac. "Take care, man, I won´t carry your coffin or say something nice at your funeral, I´ll kick your ass, do you understand?" Mac smiled, "I'll see what I can do."
A while later, Mac stopped on that road, where Eve´s accident has happened. Close to the roadside, he discovered a weathered wooden cross, the letters, 'MUM' could hardly be read any more. Mac felt cold, according to autopsy report, Eve died quickly, the driver of the accident vehicle had hit her in full speed. "You must not do that, you owe me nothing. I am only fulfilling my job." Mac was not surprised to see her, for some reason. "I want to do it, Eve. Makes it feel you sad, all this?" Gala was surprised by his question, "Why should it? It does not matter for me, pain or sadness are non-existent, where I am now." "I don´t believe you," Mac said confidently. "You put your job at risk, for me, if I understand correctly. You wouldn´t do such thing, if nothing mattered at all." "You seem to know me very well, Mac Taylor." Gala disappeared again. Damn it, Mac thought, how can you talk to someone who disappears just like that. She takes the easy way out, he thought. Mac went on and stopped at the Master´s home. Abandoned, he noted. The blinds were drawn, the big garden overgrown, it had been a happy home for a happy family, once.
"Looking for the Masters?" Mac was approached by an older woman. "They are long gone." "I´m investigating that accident, 20 years ago Mrs.?" "Baker, Maggie, if you like. Can I offer you some tea? I knew the Master´s very well, especially poor Evie." "I'd love a cup of tea," said Mac. "My name is Mac Taylor, I´m with the NYPD." Maggie smiled, " So come in then, tea will be ready soon, Mac Taylor with the NYPD."
Maggie's house was old-fashioned, but very cozy, Mac felt immediately at home. "Why is the New York Police Department interested in this accident? It happened 20 years ago." wanted to know, and poured out the tea. "Actually, that's not quite true, I'm investigating because of a personal interest, I don´t know, if this is leading to something at all." "A tragedy that was, at that time. Eve was on her way home, she visited her father. She stopped because she had noticed an animal lying in the middle of that road. When she got out to take care of it, she was hit by someone in another car. " Maggie blew her nose vigorously. "Where there any suspects?" Mac asked, "not that I know of. For Lyle and Kelley it was terrible, the three were so happy. Evie was a very special person. So full of love and warmth she had a kind word for everyone and was always so helpful . Lyle died six months after Evie, I think his heart has just stopped beating. " Mac was affected, "and Kelley?" "She had to go to relatives in Maine, to Bangor, I think. Poor child, she was not very happy there. The sheriff visited her once, she hung around and, but I do not know if that's true, she was probably using drugs. " Maggie sniffled, "as I said, a tragedy."
Mac took another cup of tea before he left. "I did not know that," Gala said sadly, Mac was startled, "Could you stop doing that, please?" "I don´t do anything." "You 'appear' Eve, just like that, that's irritating." "I might ring a bell before I 'appear', would that help?" Mac frowned, she made jokes? No, Mac decided, she did not. "Where are we going now?" "I'm going to to the sheriff's office and ask some questions around there. What you are doing, I do not know, have you ever a day off?" The question made Gala laugh, "You would probably describe it as a full-time job, Mac Taylor. I am present 24/7 I don´t need any rest." Gala disappeared. Mac shook his head, he would never talk about this matter with anyone, under any circumstances.
In front of the Sheriff's Office's Mac´s phone rang. "Boss, it's me. The colortracks belong to a '86 or '87 Corvette in navy blue, this would also fit the tire tracks. Helps you in some way?" "Thank you, Adam. Can you send another request to the DMV, to whom such a Corvette 92 was approved?" "Running, Boss, but it takes a bit. I knew that you ask me that, weird, huh?" You have no idea of 'weird' thought Mac and thanked Adam again, before hanging up.
Mac walked into the office and showed his badge, "I would like to have a word with the sheriff." "Sure, just a moment." said the officer, "Clive! visitor for you, the NYPD!" Sheriff Parker came out of his office. "Clive Parker, what can I do for you, mate?" "The name is Mac Taylor, I am investigating the accident of Eve Masters." Parker raised an eyebrow, "Eve Masters, I have not heard that name in a long time. Come into my office. Jack, we need some coffee in here." Parker closed the door behind him and Mac. "I was the first at the scene, Detective. Eve was the first death victim I've ever seen. We are real backwoods here, the worst crime here this year was a raid on a liquor store." "You knew Eve Masters?" "Yes of course, she was very well liked here. My son Andy has gone to school with Kelley, they were in the same class. This accident was the only case I couldn´t solve. Have you got new evidence?" Mac nodded, "the car that ran over Eve was possibly a dark blue Corvette." Jack came in with the coffee, "dark Corvette? The son of the mayor drove a car like that, already a while ago," Jack said. "How long?" Mac asked, alarmed, "I do not know, in High School? Must be 20 years ago, at least", "Phil Burton, still lives here and runs the 'Kensington Arms', I'm there once a week," Parker said flatly. "Let's go," Mac said to the sheriff and both went to Burton's Bar.
"Hey Clive, I thought you come tomorrow, today is not quite your time." Phil Burton welcomed the sheriff. "I'm not here privately, Phil. This is Det. Taylor of the New York police. We've got some questions for you." "More specifically, to the Corvette that you have driven in 92," added Mac. Burton sat down wearily on a chair. "I knew at least, someone will come." Burton looked almost relieved. "At that time I came from a party with friends, I had been drinking, not much, a couple of beers, but ... I have not seen her, really, there was this big BANG and I, I immediately stopped. But I could not do anything, Eve was dead, I'm so sorry, Clive, really. " "Eve's daughter will we glad to hear that," Mac said sarcastically. "I need to handcuff you, Phil" Burton held out his wrists. "I wish I could undo that." he said.
When he was outside on the street again, Mac breathed deeply. He could hear a faint ringing, then Gala was back. "I knew the boy, he was not a bad guy, he probably has not seen me, really. Can I ask you for a favor?" "You ask me?" Mac asked in astonishment, "Yes, and I want you to promise me something." she replied, "Can you find Kelley and make sure that she's okay?" "Have I got so much time, Eve?" "You're going to have all the time in the world, Mac Taylor. I assure you. It is now time for someone else to take care of you. A good Guardian, not as 'irritating' as me." Gala smiled when she said that. "Farewell, Mac Taylor." She touched his cheek and disappeared for the last time. "Eve? Where are you going? EVE!"
"So you made up your mind?" Asked Gabriel. "I did. It was not hard, Gabriel." He sighed, "I do not know if you will ever be a Guardian again, Gala." "That's not important, please. My misconduct are serious, you have no choice." "I know."
Eve stood on Brooklyn Bridge. The first time in nearly twenty years she was able to feel the wind that blew through her hair. Eve shivered. "So here you are," said Death. "Yes, that was the deal, right? A life for a life, not finished ahead of time." She replied softly. Gabriel had made her human again, and she was about to end this life. Eve climbed over the parapet, she thought about that movie, she had seen with her daughter, days before her death, Bodyguard, Eve could remember a specific scene, this musician was asking her bodyguard, if he was ready to die for her, and he replied, that was his job. That's perfectly right, Eve thought, and loosened her hands from the parapet.
Two years later, Gala was called a Guardian again. A little boy, named Boyd. His parents were very lucky to have him. Their names were Mac and Kelley.