Of Lost Happiness and Lasting Pain
Author's Note: So, in your reviews, you've asked for a multi-chapter story. And I decided to give it a try. There will be a case and there will be focus on the team. Mainly Morgan/Prentiss since it's half the reason for why I watch this show at all. So, be patient with me and I hope you feel it's worth reading! Title taken from Paradise Lost by John Milton.
Disclaimer: Not mine.
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Prologue
He traced the writing on the cold marble stone for the hundredth time. Her name. It shouldn't be there. He ran his finger along the date. The date two lives ended. Hers literally and with that, so had his. His whole body hurt. Everything hurt. It hurt to think, to breathe, to simply exist when she wasn't there anymore. People had told him to give it time, that grieving was always awful especially in the beginning but then he'd learn to deal with it, grieve in a different way they said. Well, he didn't see that happening.
And no one cared. No one felt responsible for such a stupid mistake. Because it had been a mistake, people had screwed up and that's why she wasn't with him anymore. And no one blamed them. Did they even remember her name? Probably not. To them, she was just another case with a tragic outcome. They could screw up, destroy someone's life and then move on to the next. No on held them responsible for anything, so then, how would they ever learn?
He slowly removed his hand from the tombstone, reading the inscription at the bottom. The few words he had so carefully picked out. Words he'd told her on so many occasions and no matter what, he always meant it just the same. She used to tease him for it, for being such a sap but he didn't care; he still said it over and over again.
"Us against the world."
He knew it was rather cliché, because it was. But the fact that to them, that phrase had meant so much. People would smile, say "aww, that's great" but never quite grasp the real meaning behind it. He stared at the cursive writing for another long moment before standing, brushing the grass off his jeans. He looked around the churchyard, wondering how many other heart wrenching stories lay behind these tombstones. Plenty, he guessed.
As he reached his car, he simply sat in the driver's seat for a while. His hand was shaking, from the cold or from what he was about to do, he didn't know. Pulling the gun from his pocket, he weighed it in his hand. It was so heavy. Before yesterday, he'd never held a gun before. He was frightened, he had to admit that. But people had to be reminded. Taught their lesson. Thoroughly reprimanded. No one should have to go through this again.
And even though it scared him, there was some personal gain. At least for a moment. Because people were going to pay. Pay for their fatal mistake.
They were going to be punished.
He put the key in the ignition and backed out from the parking lot. As he drove back into town, gun heavy in his jacket pocket, he set his mind.
It's us against the world, Anna.
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You're more than welcome to review this short and maybe even confusing prologue. I'll post the first chapter immediately so you'll get some sense of this story!