Chapter 1
The little girl ran away from the large home. Breathing heavily. She continued to run away from what she knew was coming. Her father's belt. He was drunk again. It was almost like an everyday occurrence with both of her parents. They were both miserable with each other.
Fear flashed through the young girl's emerald green eyes as she tripped over a root of a tree. Yelling out in pain as the new scrape on her nee started to pulse and bleed. She put her fear behind her and got up, running as fast as she could back into the trees.
Out of breath, she stopped and leaned against the tree. She took in deep breaths at a time hoping to calm herself. It was no use. Within seconds of stopping she once again heard her father's loud booming voice for her to come back.
When he appeared out of the bushes she took the rest of the air in her lungs up and screamed. She once again took off running, past the little stream.
Seeing a shed, she ran into it and held it shut. She prayed hoping he didn't see her take cover. Her hopes were shattered when the door was yanked open and the angry man that stood in the entrance was her father. She didn't even scream when he pulled her out and led her back towards their home where he would beat her in front of her older brothers. She let the tears fall down her cheeks, wanting to know what she did wrong this time.
He almost threw her in front of the house and took off his belt, she let out a "No daddy, please, I didn't mean to do it," she still did not even know what she did wrong. Just before he slammed the belt down, it all ended.
Calleigh opened her eyes after having another one of her recurring nightmares. Slowly sitting herself up, she looked at the clock, 2:47 AM. Last night she had woken up a little up after midnight in a coat of sweat. She ran her right hand over her face, breathing hard. She felt moisture underneath her hands. She was sweating. Everyone at work was curious about her lately. She would have been too if it weren't happening to her. Lately she'd been jumpy as well as yawning almost every five minutes. When she was alone she lean her head back and let out a small sigh. She wanted to relax more than anything. Slowly she laid back down on her side and hoped to fall asleep once again. Fatigue overcame her.
Once again she found herself in the trees. Except, she wasn't the same eight-year-old child she had been. Instead she was…her thirty-two self. Then she heard child laughter. Laughter was rare in her dreams, very rare. Pushing past the bushes she found her eight-year-old self being pushed on a tire swing by her older brother, David. She smiled at the sudden memory. She found herself walking towards them, but it was broken by an annoying chirping sound. Her cell phone.
Calleigh opened her eyes again. This time her clock read 4:10 AM. She sighed finding no use in going back to bed and pushed the covers off. Finding her phone, she flipped it open. A Murder had occurred down on Miami Beach. Time to get to work.
She showered for a good solid fifteen minutes before she walked to her closet. She instantly made a note to go to the dry cleaners down the street as she pulled out a pair of black pants and white button down shirt. Pulling them on, she walked over to the mirror, applying her makeup and drying her hair.
Work seemed to drag on. She processed the scene: Taking measurements, taking photographs, bagging evidence. Today it would be just her, Natalia, and Eric. Ryan had his day off today. When she had arrived at the scene, Alexx was just arriving and Horatio was standing firmly, hands on his hips, surveying the scene. Natalia arrived shortly afterwards, then Eric. Eric looked like he had just rolled out of bed. He wasn't supposed to get to work for another couple of hours.
At the lab, everything seemed normal. Techs were working on their case and other cases. Everyone was doing what they were supposed to do. What they're specialty was. This was the time Calleigh found herself sitting in the break room. Moreover sleeping in the break room couch. Eric was the one who discovered her.
He had smiled at his hard-working coworker. She looked peaceful for once. For the past couple of weeks she'd been acting like a zombie. As if she was replaced. She seemed disturbed. As if she hadn't had enough sleep. He didn't want to question her about it. Alexx had asked him if he'd talked to her. His answer was 'no.' He was intrigued by how little she would talk or how she would hide a yawn here and there. But overall, she wasn't acting like Calleigh. He was getting worried about her health.
Next to her he saw a cup of coffee. A half drunken cup of coffee. She probably had been living it lately. He slowly reached down and picked it up and turned around to put it in the sink when her phone came to life. She jumped up almost surprised that she fell asleep and looked around. Her hair was a mess; she had the darkest circles underneath her eyes. She looked terrible.
She grabbed her phone and flipped it open, "Duquesne," she replied quickly. He couldn't hear what was going on on the other end of the line, but he could have put money on it that it was Alexx calling her down to the morgue.
"I'll be down there in a few," the conversation ended when she flipped the phone shut and sighed. She had put her head in her hands and let out another sigh. It wasn't one of those 'content sighs'; it was one of those 'I need help sighs'.
"Calleigh?" he asked more as a question than anything else.
She jerked her head up and looked straight at him, "Oh, Eric, I didn't see you come in. How long have you been here?" she seemed startled.
"I've been here since you were asleep. I was putting your coffee cup in the sink when your phone went off," she looked back down at the phone still clutched in her hands. "Are you okay?"
She quickly got up, "I'm fine," she said a little quickly before she walked out the door and towards the elevators.
He flipped open his cell phone and hit one number he knew that could help, "Dr. Woods," he heard on the other line.
"Alexx, Calleigh is coming down for the cause of death, something's wrong…"
…
Calleigh walked out of the elevator and headed towards the one large room she knew too well. Stopping before she opened the doors, she took a deep breath and ran a hand through her hair. Finally she pushed open the doors and walked towards Alexx, putting on a fake smile.
"Hey Alexx, what do you have for me?" Alexx looked at her with a puzzled look.
"Are you okay?" Calleigh was taken aback from the sudden question.
She smiled, "What?" Calleigh asked.
"Calleigh Duquesne, you know very well what's what. Eric is worried about you. Now he's got me worried. Calleigh, honey, you should look at yourself. You haven't gotten enough sleep lately, your mind has been else ware, what's wrong?" Calleigh felt like she was fuming. She didn't mean to say what she was going to say next.
"Maybe people should just mine their own business and keep what they think to themselves," Calleigh looked at Alexx's confused expression. Just great, she was being cranky to one of the nicest people she knew. "I'm sorry, Alexx, I've just…I'm okay," she said that for more of her benefit than Alexx's.
Alexx had pretended she didn't hear Calleigh's little outburst, "Cause of death, gunshot wound to the upper torso," Calleigh raised her eyebrow.
"Gunshot wound? I thought she was strangled," Calleigh made a gesture towards the purple bruises around her neck.
Alexx handed an evidence bag to Calleigh, "I have some skin underneath her fingernails, I also took her fingerprints, "Alexx said reassuringly.
Calleigh smiled, "Thank you."
This isn't my first CSI Miami fanfiction. It's my second. This probably takes place in about…eh give or take fifth season. Please hit that little purple button, reviews are like chocolate, they are crucial to survival.
This is my fist E/C story, it's what it will end up to be. I really enjoy feedback. Thanks! Leigha
