So this is my first CSI: Miami fic. I've been a fan of the show since I was ten and I'm happy that I'm finally getting to post a fic for it. I started writing this a couple of years ago but today I decided to take it further. This follows a different timeline so I would advise you to just take it as you see it :P With all that said, I hope you enjoy! (P.S: Happy Duran Duran Appreciation Day!)
"What are you doing?" the familiar voice knocked Jesse out of his reverie. He stopped what he was doing and turned to see a very confused looking Natalia standing in the doorway of the locker room. His stomach dropped and he emptied the last few things into the box in front of him. This is not how he wanted to do this. "Answer me Jesse! What the hell are you doing?"
The police officer gently closed the door and turned to face her again. "'Talia..."
That told her everything she needed to know. The brunette immediately shook her head. "No, you're not leaving. You can't."
The edge of desperation in her voice cut through him. He wanted to tell her that it was the only way. He wanted to hold her and assure her that everything would be okay. But he couldn't. "This is what I need to do. I'm sorry."
Natalia walked closer but still kept a safe distance. The hurt was clear as day on her beautiful face. "What, so you were just going to leave without telling me?"
"I was going to tell you-"
She arched an eyebrow and folded her arms across her chest. "So I'm the last to know when you know very well that I should have been the first."
There was no denying that she was right. Jesse should have told her the moment he had made up his mind, even before that, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He had been trying to avoid seeing the heartbroken expression she now wore for as long as possible. It was cowardly, he knew that but he wouldn't have done it any other way. He hated to see her hurt. "Natalia, I'm sorry-"
"So that's what was wrong with you for the past few weeks. That's why you were so off last night. You knew you were leaving and yet you didn't think that I deserved to know?" there was a bitterness to her voice that he'd never heard before. It frightened him.
Jesse sighed and took a step closer. "You did deserve to know. I just couldn't bring myself to tell you. I'm so sorry Natalia. I didn't want it to end like this. I never wanted to hurt you."
She scoffed. "Well you did a fantastic job of that! Congratulations," the CSI said sarcastically.
He didn't know what to say to that. There wasn't anything he could say to make her feel better. It was what it was. They had been secretly seeing each other for over four months and there was no denying the CSI deserved a lot better than him. He wasn't sure that he could give her what she needed.
"Where are you going?" her voice was much weaker now but it cut through the silence that had overcome them.
It felt like an impasse. It felt like the end. It was the end. "California. I got transfered to LAPD."
"When?" her voice was barely a whisper.
Jesse frowned. It pained him to see how much this was hurting her. "I start next Thursday. I leave on Sunday..."
Natalia shook her head in disbelief. Was this even happening? Because it felt like a very bad dream. "You're really going." She had meant it to sound like a question, instead it came out as a statement.
He nodded and fidgeted awkwardly with the box in his arms.
Silence washed over them again. This was goodbye. It finally set in. Natalia opened her mouth to speak but closed it just as quick. She gave her lover a meaniful look, sadness tinged with disappointment and even a hint of gratitude, and turned. She was gone before he could even think to say something.
Not that Jesse wanted to. There were no words for what he wanted to say to her. Somehow it was better that way. They already knew what the other wanted to say, why ruin it with words?
Jesse set the box down on the bench and unstrapped his gun holster before placing that in the box aswell. He heard footsteps and glaced up to find that Calleigh and Eric had entered the lockeroom.
They stopped talking when they saw him. "Hey Jesse," the blond said with a sad smile. "How does it felt to have worked your last shift here in Miami?" Eric asked.
Jesse frowned. He wasn't quite sure himself. "Weird," was the answer he ended up going for.
"Well we're all going to miss you," Calleigh assured him, sad to see her colleague go.
He smiled. "I'll miss you guys too."
"A couple of us were talking and we wanted to know if maybe you wanted to go for farewell drinks tonight?" the Cuban wondered, "If you have last minute packing or something then that's cool."
The soon-to-be LAPD officer contemplated that for a moment. It would be nice to have one last hurrah. "Sure," he smiled, "That sounds great."
And it was. Well, as great as it could possibly be. Everyone was confused when Natalia didn't show up but Jesse had expected it. He didn't blame her. But it was a nice oppurtunity to say goodbye to the people who had become his friends over the past few years.
Jesse thought he would see Natalia again before he left but three o'clock on Sunday came and there was no sign of her. He waited an extra fifteen minutes but when she didn't show or text, he got in his car and headed for the highway, trying not to look back.
