A/N: This is my response to episode, 1.14.
WARNING: Contains a minor character death and subject matter that may be disturbing to some.
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I just like to have fun with them.
All units, please respond…
Shots fired
Federal Agent Involved
One body, male early 30's…
Medical Examiner in route
Unsurmountable, fear gripped Pride as he and Brody started up the street to the familiar loft, which was now a major crime scene. Parking had been a nightmare as police cars, an ambulance and the coroner's wagon jammed street of the French Quarter where Christopher called home.
The details were vague, all they knew were shots had been fired and at least one person was dead; one person that vaguely fit the description of Christopher LaSalle.
Brody stopped just shy of the porch step, her heart practically leaping out of her chest. What if…
Though she'd been trained to handle these types of situations, she found that she could barely control her own emotions. Sure she had lost people in the field before but this was… Her own partner could be…
For several seconds she and Pride just stood there looking at the front door hoping and praying the report had been wrong: If the body in question was Christopher he wasn't sure how he would respond. For almost a decade it had been just he and LaSalle. For all practical purposes Chris had become family.
He looked at Brody, "Even though you're trained, it never gets any easier if it's one of your own."
"I don't want to go in there," Brody murmured meeting Pride's gaze.
"Whatever's in there isn't going to go away if we just stand here," Pride took the lead entering first.
From the doorway he could see Loretta and her team hovering over a body. His palms started to sweat. The body was the right size to be Chris Pride thought sickly as he and Brody weaved their way through the crowd.
"Loretta?"
"Don't look Dwayne," Loretta would only give him a verbal acknowledgement. She herself was still trying to process how her victim had ended up with a bullet to the head.
"Loretta, I need to know." Pride said more forcibly pulling her out of her thoughts.
"Forgive me." Loretta turned slightly, giving Pride and Brody a glimpse. "It's Cade." Brody covered her mouth turning away. She had seen gruesome crime scenes before but this was someone she knew; her partner's brother.
As morbid as it might sound a slight sense of relief washed over them. Though the identity of the body had brought a little comfort, they both knew the worst was yet to come. Brody even the more so, she knew firsthand what it was like to have lost a sibling.
What about Chris?" Brody asked, spotting a crowd in the courtyard. Heart still hammering, she made her way through the sea of people to the patio.
Chris was standing with his back to her, several CSI's and local police surrounding him.
"Excuse me" Brody wriggled her way between two officers in effort to get close to LaSalle. As soon she got close enough she felt her heart begin to plummet. Chris's face and neck were dotted in blood splatter. At first, she thought that he'd been injured but then she realized that he was standing next to Cade when it happened.
Without thinking, she reached for a bar towel that LaSalle had left lying over a chair.
"Chris?" He was staring blankly out into the street.
Gently, she started to blot the side of his face only to be met with a harsh tone from one of the CSI's.
"You can't do that, Ma'am." That blood splatter was now evidence. "We still need to photograph that."
That? Did they just seriously refer to her partner as that? Brody snapped, stalking over to the CSI her first thought was to smash the camera to bits. "He is a federal agent and his brother has just died. How about some professional courtesy?"
The CSI threw his hands up, backing away. "Just tryin' ta collect the evidence."
"Anyone else?" Brody challenged panning the crowd. She was going to protect her partner no matter what the cost.
As the crowd started to thin, Brody moved back to the railing.
"Chris? Chris, it's Brody."
LaSalle heard her voice, but didn't acknowledge her. His mind was still stuck on a warped version of the replay. He'd been so close, but powerless to stop it. The arguing and then… It had all happened so fast.
Pride stood a few feet away watching Brody's failed pleas to reach Chris. LaSalle wasn't talking. "What was his state of mind when you got here?" he asked the uniformed officer in charge.
"He hasn't said a word since EMS pulled him off the vic. Pretty upset when they first got here though." The officer paused making sure he had Pride's complete attention. ""It looks like the victim was shot with LaSalle's weapon."
Judging from the blood splatter, LaSalle could have been trying to stop him.
"Thanks," Pride clapped the man's shoulder before moving out onto the patio to deal with his number one.
Taking the opposite side from Brody, Pride placed a mollifying hand on LaSalle's shoulder. "Chris, they need to take your statement. You know what has to happen."
LaSalle gave a slight nod.
Pride then averted his glance to Brody. "Go into the bedroom, grab a ball cap, his shaving kit and some clean clothes." I'll take Chris in the truck and we'll all meet back at the office."
Directing his attention to the CSI crew, Pride spoke with authority. "You'll get all of the evidence you need, but you'll have to do it on my terms."
Twenty minutes later, they were in the sanctuary of the field office. When he was certain, LaSalle was settled Pride allowed two CSI's and one detective to enter the bullpen.
The tall detective with thinning sandy colored hair was the first to speak. I'm detective Larabee. This is CSI Harper and Cooper."
"And this is my sandbox," Pride said. "There will be no badgering of my agent. Ask your questions, gather your evidence and get out."
Brody watched protectively, as the CSI's photographed, prodded and swabbed her partner in all the usual ways. Afterwards they took a collection of his personal belongings and bagged them.
At least Chris seemed to a be little more with it now she thought noting he was following all of their verbal commands But there still something about his gaze that was definitely off, not that Brody could blame him. People had noted the same thing about her when Emily had died.
"He's got 10 minutes to shower and change." Detective Larabee told Brody as the CSI's released her partner for questioning.
Brody could feel deep seeded anger begin to bubble up in her chest. There was something about this guy that she just didn't like. Judging his tone he wanted to hang her partner.
"You heard Pride, our station, our rules." Body stood face to face with the detective as LaSalle picked up his bag and headed for the shower.
"He has as long as he needs," She was more than content to stand watch at the door if it would buy her partner some sort of peace of mind.
"Uh..we need his clothes," one of the CSI's said calmly. "Preferably before he gets in the shower."
"Fine, give me your evidence bag." Brody sounded exasperated.
Both CSI's looked nervously at Larabee as if they were waiting for permission.
Larabee rolled his eyes shaking his head as he motioned for them to hand Brody the bag. "Cooper go with her, make sure the evidence isn't tainted.
Brody walked slowly into the shower area and knocked on the door. "Chris, it's Brody we need your clothes." Cautiously she opened the door. Chris was just taking off his shirt. Arms crossed over her chest, she watched as her partner stripped down to just a pair of boxer-briefs.
"Take all the time you need," Brody determined this was the time to leave. Quietly, she exited, followed by CSI Cooper.
For almost thirty minutes, LaSalle stood under the shower, letting the water run cold. He didn't care. In fact he hadn't even noticed. He was still too caught up in the moment. Outside the door, Brody was calling his name, her attempts falling on deaf ears. It wasn't until she came inside and tugged on the curtain that he was pulled back to the present.
"Chris."
His doleful blue eyes, met her concerned filled brown ones. Brody instantly recognized the look. It was the same look she had seen in the mirror right after she had learned that Emily had died. Looking away, she reached for a towel and handed it to him.
"Get Dressed."
Body was waiting for him when he walked out of the bathroom, looking more like his clean sporty self. "We set up Larabee in the interrogation room, per Pride's request." She said, before noticing a suspicious looking red mark on his cheek.
"Is that a powder burn?" she reached up to touch it, only to have LaSalle sidestep her.
"It's nothin'"
LaSalle tried to focus on the detective's questions, but the sound of gun fire ringing in his ears made it impossible for him to comprehend. The man literally sounded like Charlie Brown's teacher. Everyone who spoke to him sounded like they were in hole.
"Just tell me what happened between you and your brother," the detective repeated for the third time.
LaSalle squeezed his eye shut tight trying to will the fog away, but the sound of the gun fire and the feel of blood splattering on his face just kept getting in the way. It was like this mind was stuck on rewind.
From the other side of glass, Brody looked Pride. "Do you think he's in shock?"
"Wouldn't you be?" Pride answered deciding to call off the questioning.
"I was," Brody said quietly into Pride's back.
LaSalle's head snapped upward at the sound of the door. Though he wouldn't exactly call it peace, Pride's voice seemed to bring a smidgen of clarity.
"You said he'd answer all the questions we needed." The detective Larabee seethed.
"Twenty-Four hours," Pride returned. "Just give him some time to get his head on straight."
"I've got a dead man with his face half blown off in his apartment" the detective was pointing right at Chris. "Tell me Pride, would you wait twenty-four hours?"
Pride literally had no words. If he went by the book he couldn't give Chris that much time. In fact, he couldn't give Christopher anytime.
"Twelve hours is all he gets," the detective shot back. "If he's not talking by ten o'clock tomorrow morning. I'm hauling his ass off. NCIS Agent or not he will go to jail"
"Fine," Pride nodded. "Agent Brody will escort you from the premises now."
Pride waited for the agent to leave before taking the seat the man had vacated. "Christopher, I need you to talk to me." They had already tagged Chris' weapon. All they needed to do was run it for prints. Pride shuddered to think what would happen if the gun only revealed one set of finger prints.
Chris buried his head into his hands, placing his fingers on either side of his temple, The sound of gun was so loud. Was that damn sound ever going to stop?
"Christopher," Pride's voice rose in volume. "You've got to give me something, Buddy."
LaSalle raised his head looking at Pride. "I need to call my mom and my sister." He said pulling to his feet and exiting the interrogation room.
Avoidance Pride thought wondering how he weighed the hell of watching his brother die over having to tell his mother.
Five minutes later, Pride and Brody stood in the bullpen looking up into the conference room. Chris had a cell phone in his hand, pacing the floor.
"Do you think he's telling her how it happened?" Brody never took her eyes off her partner. If she had to guess the answer was no. Clearly, she still remembered the feeling of emotion tightening in her chest every time she tried to tell someone about Emily.
"I doubt it Pride answered watching as LaSalle suddenly fired the phone into the glass and then quickly followed up by clearing contents of the table in rage. Paper went flying along with the intercom system and whatever else had been sitting on the table.
"Oh My God," He was going to crack. Brody started to move only to have Pride call her back.
"Let him be," Pride's cell phone began to hum on his hip. Director Vance. "But don't take your eyes off of him."
"I won't," Brody's eyes locked on her partner as Pride disappeared into the other room.
Chris was pacing liked a caged tiger. Judging from his body language Brody assessed that he was looking for a way to calm the rage and confusion that was building inside him. Chris was lucky she thought. At least he was where he had quick access to his family and friends. When she had received the news about Emily she had been stuck aboard the Moultrie without a single to person to comfort her or talk to.
"It only gets worse," Brody said softly as she watched LaSalle palm table. She half expected him to tip it over. But instead he locked his fingers above his head, his body clearly tense. She was about to move for the stairs when he suddenly emerged from the conference room.
"I'm going out" he said lowly breezing past her.
Brody hesitated for a moment, glancing at Pride's door. He was still on the phone with Director Vance. "I'll come with you."
Together they walked several blocks in silence. Brody was used to LaSalle's quick pace and longer stride but tonight she was having trouble keeping up. He seemed to have a destination in mind. Briefly, she wondered if he had some sort of plan until they suddenly stopped in a dark deserted section of the street.
"Chris?" he was sporting that forlorn look again.
Something was starting to click. A flash of clarity maybe? She had to admit the interrogator in her was intrigued. The need to push him for answers was starting to nag at her mind.
He'd just walked in the door, heading straight for the refrigerator. "Cade?" He was already in the kitchen when he felt his weapon being lifted from his belt.
Cade? He whirled around
Boom!
And just like that the fog rolled back in accompanied by the sound of the bullet screaming from the chamber of the gun.
"Chris?" Brody touched his arm and automatically he turned into her. He hadn't meant to but then her arms were wound around his neck. Tentatively his arms loosely wrapped around her waist not wanting to cross any boundaries until she started to ease into him, her body flush with his.
They were so close that Brody could feel his muscles quivering through his clothing.
"All you have to do right now is breathe," she whispered as his head rested on her shoulder. She wanted to tell him that everything was going to be ok but she couldn't. From experience she knew that things were never going to be fully right again.
