Anytime you need a friend:
Author's Note:
Well Considering that I have become hooked on Flashpoint, I have been listening to music, and reading a LOT of fan fiction about them, and besides really liking Ed, I have fallen hopelessly for Spike. and I agree that Spike doesn't have nearly enough Fan Fiction on this site about him. So I am writing one. Enjoy. Please read and review. I don't own Flashpoint- I wish but I don't. Don't sue me-I'M POOR! Also this Fic started Clamoring for me to write it at 1 in the morning. So here I sit writing it.
Mike "Spike" Scarlatti was going for a jog around town, to clear his head before work. He didn't have a whole lot of physical strength, not like Ed or Sam, but he still worked out as much as he could. He had taken Ed's advice and started Jogging in an effort to build up his Stamina. After three weeks of doing it, he had noticed a change in his all around mile time. It had gone from something like 45:34 to 30:00 flat. Spike was really proud of himself.
He also noticed that if he ran while listening to music, it lightened his mood and also gave warring thoughts a chance to duke it out in his mind safely, instead of getting angry like some team members did, or going to a bar every single night and getting drunk. It had become his haven. The refuge from the thoughts that bothered him. A way to process things and Spike liked that.
Spike was jogging along rocking out full volume to a random song that Lou had put on his Ipod the other night when his phone buzzed in his pocket. He stopped jogging in order to Answer it.
"Yeah, Spike here."
"Spike, it's Ed. The team is going out to get a drink or two after work. You in?" Spike thought about it a minute. Just then a curious situation caught his eye. There looked like a young Girl, approaching the railing at a quite determined pace. Spike spoke into his phone.
"Ed. I'm out. I am standing on the bridge of Scotchdale and I think we have a possible jumper. I repeat, we have a jumper. I'm the only one here Ed. What do I do?" Ed was all business immediately.
"Spike I want you to try and talk her down. I have absolute faith in you Spike. I know you never really get a chance to negotiate, But remember what you were taught in the academy. We are rolling now. Bringing your gear with us. Call if you need to." Ed hung up and Spike was left listening to a dial tone.
Spike had NEVER talked anyone down before. not an actual scene anyway. The last time he did was in the academy. He couldn't remember where to start. He pulled his headphones off and tucked them away into his pocket. He would give it a try. He approached the railing of the bridge. He could see the girl straddling the railing looking downward.
"Um, Hi there. Nice weather." The girl startled and turned toward him clutching the railing and holding up a hand in front of her.
"Stay back! Don't come any closer! Just stay back!" Spike held up his hands at his sides. He stopped where he was.
"My name is Mike. My friends call me Spike. I'm a member of the Strategic Response Unit. I don't want to hurt you. I was just passing through on my daily jog and saw you sitting there. I only wanted to make sure you were ok." A curt nod was his only answer.
"I'm fine. I Just enjoy sitting here. You can leave now." Spike stayed where he was. The girl sighed in frustration and rolled her eyes. Spike hid a smile, his neices were the same way. That would put the girl at approximately 15-16.
"I can't do that. My morals won't allow me to walk away from a young lady in distress. That and my parents would beat my ass if they found out that I could have done something but didn't. I only want to help you in whatever way I can. But I can't walk away from here, knowing that you are in distress and that I could have possibly helped. Can I ask your name?" The girl just sat there not answering. Spike spied a column next to the railing. It was roughly 6 feet away from where the girl was sitting.
"Is it ok if I sit on the railing against the column? It's just that I've been running for awhile. I'm getting a little tired. I won't touch you, I just want to rest." The girl moved a little further away and nodded. Spike sat down and relaxed, thanking the girl.
While he relaxed, he studied the girl. She wasn't drop dead gorgeous, but she was pretty. She was wearing a yellow shirt that had short sleeves. He could see bruises and cuts all over her arms. She had long pretty light brown hair. He took a sip of water from his water bottle. Just as he was about to offer her the extra water bottle in his bag, his phone rang.
"Yeah, This is Spike."
"Spike it's Ed. How are you doing?" Spike perked up.
"I don't think I'm doing so well Ed. I can't get a name, she doesn't seem interested in talking to me. I honestly feel like a failure. I'm not good at this like you and Greg are. How soon are you guys going to be here?" He could hear Ed laughing.
"Spike, We have been here for about 15 minutes. We've got a perimeter and everything. You were so focused on talking to the girl you didn't even notice us drive up. You're doing fine. You want an earwig to make it easier to talk to us?"
"No. Phone's good. I gotta go." Spike hung up. He put his phone in his pocket and looked at the girl.
"The rest of my team is here miss. They won't come any closer, and if they do, it will be to talk me. Is that alright with you?" The girl shrugged. Spike held out the bottle of water. The girl watched his movements like a hawk.
"Failure huh?" Spike was so startled that she spoke, that he dropped the bottle of water and it rolled away. The girl smirked. He looked at her and noticed that she had green eyes.
"What?" He asked stupidly. The girl actually laughed.
"You said on the phone that you feel like a failure. Why do you feel like a failure?" Spike decided he liked this girl. She seemed to have a very inquisitive nature about herself. Spike thought that he could put it to good use at some point.
"Because I'm not a negotiator. I'm just a tech guy on the team. Ed and Greg, my boss, they are way better at this. I've never actually talked anyone down from a ledge, or from killing hostages. I usually sit in the truck and do tech stuff. What do you know of failure?" The girl frowned and looked away.
'Shit!' Spike mentally berated himself. 'I shouldn't have gone there. Think, What would one of the others do.' He sat up straighter.
"I'm sorry. Like I said, it's my first time. I don't know the right words to say. But I'm trying. It would really help me if I knew your name. I mean, you know mine. I'd really like to know what to call you. I wonder if I could guess your name." The girl arched an eyebrow at him. Spike noticed that she had adopted his similar pose. Back against the column, comfortable, non active. That was very good, Spike decided.
"You have pretty brown Hair, nice Green eyes, Emily? No. What about Anna? Not that one. How about-"
"My name is Calassandra, Callie please." Spike nodded.
"That's a nice name. It fits you. I think-" Spike's phone vibrated again. He rolled his eyes.
"Do you mind if I answer my phone?" Callie shook her head.
"Yeah?"
"Spike, her name is Calessandra Sanchez. She's a runaway. Been gone about 6 months. We have her parents on route. You're doing great Spike. We are watching from a safe distance away."
"Boss. She has a lot of bruises and cuts on her arms. I'm not sure- Maybe I'm reaching where I shouldn't. But, I think you should hold off the parents. Just a weird off feeling I have right now. Is that ok?" Greg laughed gently.
"It's a good feeling Spike. You're reading her, and doing a great job. Tell me what you need Spike. You look like you are making a connection with her. Try to work on deepening that connection." Spike sighed into his phone.
"I don't know what I need. this is too much for me. I'm underestimating my strength. Why couldn't Ed have been the one who was out jogging?" Greg laughed heartily.
"Because Ed is a little bit of a bull in a china shop when it comes to talking someone down. And this girl needs compassion and caring. We are getting a psych profile on her coming in right now. " Spike hung up the phone. Callie looked at him.
"Why did you run away?" Callie scowled and turned back to the ledge. Spike hit himself in the forehead.
"I'm sorry. I told you I'm not good at this stuff. Hhhmm, How about you pick a topic. I don't have anywhere else that I would like to be right now." Callie nodded. Spike noted that she was reading him as he was reading her. He smirked.
"I don't what's safe to talk about. How about music? What kind do you-" A shout cut her off.
"Calessandra Marie Sanchez. Get off that ledge this minute! Do you hear me!" Callie started inching closer to the edge. Spike leaned forward ready to grab her if need be.
"DON'T! Callie, listen to me. Don't jump. Stay up here with me please. Those people will not come near you. Trust me. The rest of the team will keep them away, but you have got to level with me here. I have to ask, Where did all the bruises come from and the cuts? If someone did something to hurt you, we can protect you and make sure that person goes to jail. But we can't arrest or do anything unless I have a complaint." Spike took a deep breath.
"I'm betting that the bruises and the cuts are why you ran away. I'm also willing to bet that you and your parents don't get along all that great. Understandable. You're a young woman who wants to test her wings so to speak and be allowed freedom, but they won't let you because they don't think it's safe. My parents were the same way with my sister." Callie listened.
"What do I know of Failure? I'm not good enough for my parents. I'm too opinionated and stubborn. I refuse to yield when I know I'm right. I'm not about to take anymore shit lying down. I'm so tired that my mother tries to make me out to be something that I don't want to be. I'm tired of my father-" She cut herself off and turned away looking at the valley below, wiping a few tears away angrily. Spike scooted closer a little.
"Callie, What are you tired of with your father? You can tell me. I'm not going to lie to you. I promise. I have not lied to you yet, and I am not about to start. Ok? I am not going to lie to you. I won't judge you either if that's what you are afraid of. I can wait until you are ready to tell me. It's your call.
Sam watched Callie fight tears. He reached into his pocket and brought out the clean hanky that he kept there. He stretched his hand forth. Callie looked at him. He seemed nice enough. But then they all did in the beginning.
"Use it to wipe your tears. I won't touch you or grab you. And I am not going to force you to come down off of the ledge." Just then Spike's stomach growled audibly. Pink stained his cheeks. He looked at Callie embarressed.
"Sorry I haven't eaten in a while. What about you. Would you like something to eat or drink? I can call my boss and see if he will get a pizza delivered along with drinks. Or would you prefer a sandwich or something?" Callie seemed to consider his offer.
"I'd really like a couple slices of pizza. Extra Cheese, Sausage. If it's not too much trouble I mean." She said, biting her lip. Spike nodded his head eagerly. He picked up his phone and punched in a number.
"Hey Boss. I got a request." After they were finished talking, Spike hung up the phone. He looked at Callie who was looking at him.
"My boss said he would get the pizza on two conditions." Callie raised the eyebrow again.
"And they are?" Spike drew a deep breath.
"The first is that you come down off of the railing. And the second one is that you come down to SRU headquarters and talk to my boss down there. You wouldn't be under arrest. But we want to talk to you more. If you agree, there's a pizza and a soda waiting for you that will be delivered to SRU heaquarters." Callie mulled it over for a few minutes
"If I do, will my parents be there?" Spike shook his head. This seemed to comfort Callie considerably. She nodded.
"Will you be there?" Spike nodded.
"The whole team will be." The girl nodded again. Spike hopped off of the railing.
"Will you give me your hand Callie and let me help you off of the railing over to safety?" Callie reached out a hand until it touched Spike's. Startled she pulled it back, then reached it out again. Spike grasped her hand gently and pulled her towards him. Once she was on the ground, Spike pulled her into a hug.
"Thank you for coming down off the railing." As they started to walk, Callie dropped onto the ground. Spike squatted next to her, held his hand up to keep the team at a distance. He looked at Callie.
"I'm sorry. I'm so Sorry." Spike just looked at her.
"You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for. Can you walk? I can carry you if you want." Callie started trembling, so Spike picked her up in his arms and started walking. He was startled when Callie poked him.
"Yes Callie?"
"He hits me. And abuses me. And he also touches me inappropriately." By this time they had gotten to the SRU Truck. Spike put her in the truck and climbed in after her, aware that Wordy sat on the other side of her, as was protocol. He was also aware that she scooted away from Wordy and closer to him.
"We will talk more about it at the house. Rest now, We got you." She drifted off to sleep and Wordy poked him in the shoulder.
"Yeah Wordy? What is it?"
"You did a hell of a job out there Spike. Good Job."