Chapter Title: Painful Separations (prologue)

Author: Sam

Story: Sessions of Survival: 00 of 09

Series: SpeedBurn: 01

Characters: Mac Taylor, Claire Taylor, Jason Gideon, Derek Morgan, Stella Bonasera, Johnny Kelly, Andy Sipowicz

Rating: M: Violence, Sexual Innuendoes, Language, Drug Use

Summary: Gideon is called to help an old friend with a new case. Stella's in legal trouble, but what can Mac do . . . especially since he's never met her?

Spoiler: Yeah, seasons 1 – 6 of NYPD Blue and random facts from CSI: NY and Criminal Minds.

Category: Crime-related; Drama; Science; AU

Setting: AU: SpeedBurn: Sunday, April 20, 1997: Chicago, Illinois and Wednesday, April 1, 1998: New York City (for about two months).

Disclaimer: CSI: NY was created by Ann Donahue, Carol Mendelsohn, and Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Alliance Atlantis Communications (2004-2007), Alliance Atlantis Motion Picture Production (2004-2007), Alliance Atlantis Productions (2004-2007), CBS Paramount Network Television (2006-2009), CBS Productions (2004-2006), CBS Television Studios (2009-present), Clayton Entertainment, and Jerry Bruckheimer Television. Criminal Minds was created by Jeff Davis and produced by Touchstone Television (2005-2007), Paramount Network Television (2005-2006), The Mark Gordon Company, ABC Studios (2007-present), CBS Paramount Network Television (2006-2009), and CBS Television Studios (2009-present). NYPD Blue was created by Steven Bochco and David Milch and produced by 20th Century Fox Television, Fox Television Network, and Steven Bochco Productions. I am in no way connected with these people, and I do not claim ownership of these characters, lands, or names. I have borrowed them to share a story, and most likely not a story any of them would have written, had they had the time or no. I am making no money from this and it is just for my entertainment and that of free entertainment to a select group. Thank you.

Distribution: Please ask first?

Note: In the SpeedBurn timeline series significant changes occur in various episodes, marking differences in each series. The initial drastically changed episodes are in chronological order: "Bait" (Without a Trace), "Reveille" (NCIS), "Lost Son" (CSI: Miami), "Bodies in Motion" (Crime Scene Investigation), "Summer in the City" (CSI: NY), and "In Name and Blood (In Birth and Death)" (Criminal Minds). Many episodes after those changed are also different. This story is number 1 in the grand scheme. Thank you.

Second Note: This is a three-way crossover between CSI: NY, Criminal Minds, and NYPD Blue. Keep an eye on dates and locales so you can follow the two cases.

Feedback: Yes, please, especially constructive.

xxx

Setting: Sunday, April 20, 1997; Chicago, Illinois:

"Why us, Gideon? The Chicago unit can easily handle a kidnapping. Why call for someone from DC?" Derek Morgan's smooth voice sounded curious but not anxious as he turned the rental car off the turnpike.

Jason Gideon nodded, flipping to the first page in the file he held. Taylor – Suspected Kidnapping – April 20, 1997 was written at the top followed by a list of details concerning the crime, scene, victim, and other pertinent information. Along with the text was a photograph clipped to the page: a man with dark hair and intense stare looking straight at the camera standing with an arm around a lovely brown-haired, blue-eyed woman with a playful smile. Jason stroked one finger gently down the photograph, as if touching something precious.

"The FBI didn't call us in, Derek. The victim's father called me in."

"Specifically? You know these people?" Derek didn't take his eyes from the road as he wove the car around the city traffic.

Letting out a slow breath, Jason closed the file. He didn't need to look at it to know everything it contained. "I served under him in Beirut."

Derek's eyes widened at the admission. "Wait . . . Beirut? Are you talking '83? The Marine barracks bombing? You were there?"

Jason looked at his trainee then back at the view through the windshield. His voice took on a faraway, lecturer's tone, much as it did when reciting the evidence and profile of their cases. "Lieutenant McKenna Llewellyn Taylor was severely injured and still saved others. He did surgery in the field . . . but he wasn't trained for it. Our Corpsman was swamped. I was a raw private first class and left the Corps shortly afterwards."

The senior investigator ran a finger over the edge of the case file without looking at it. He remained distant sounding, almost detached from what he said. "The lieutenant was in the hospital for weeks. I went every day to see him, but his nurse was more strict than a gunnery sergeant. She'd only let visitors in for a few minutes every three days." With the smallest shrug of his shoulders, Jason indicated a relaxed nonchalance separate from his lecturer attitude. "He lived; he healed; he stayed in and later served in the Gulf War; so she must have done something right."

"After he retired from the Marines, he went on to law enforcement. He met Claire Conrad around that time and they soon married. She works for Port Authority at Great Lakes; he's second in command of the Chicago Crime Lab."

Derek whistled low. He shook his head and pulled into a space in the hospital parking garage. "And they're calling in a favor with a buddy?" The young African-American investigator turned off the car.

Jason finally turned to Derek holding the file out to him. "This morning their first child, Magnolia Star Taylor, was born after a difficult delivery. Five hours ago, the doctors got Claire's hemorrhaging under control and the mother was allowed to hold her infant for the first time. After twenty minutes a nurse came in and told them Claire needed to rest and the baby needed to go back to the nursery for routine checks. She took the infant from the mother's arms, walked out of Mrs. Taylor's room, and no one has seen nurse or infant since."

Jason slid out of the car, looked over the roof at his trainee, and said "so, yes, Lieutenant Taylor called in a favor from an old Marine buddy."

He closed the door of the rental car and turned towards the hospital entrance, Derek close on his heels.

xxx

Continued in Chapter One: Second Chances