Title: The 'Untouchables'
Author: Ebony-Jayne
Description: The worst part of their jobs is the amoral, arrogant criminals who think that they are entitled to do anything they want to anyone they please and the law can't touch them. and the living, breathing family and friends who have suffered, sometimes brutally, at their hands.
A/N: This one is going to be basically written like an episode. I know, I'm rusty. but this is my first publish in a couple of years so that's to be expected. Constructive criticism helps. Thanks for reading :)
Disclaimer: Much as I'd like to, I don't own them.
-L&O:CI-
"Hey Nat!" Penny greeted her colleague in the locker room as they got ready to go home after shift.
"Hey Penny," Natalie replied as she pulled her scrub top over her head.
"I keep meaning to ask you; how's Lianna doing after her fall?" Penny asked as she deposited her name tag and fob watch into a plastic box in her locker.
"Oh she's good, great," Natalie brightened as always at mention of her daughter. "Cast came off a couple days ago," she smiled at Penny.
"She been back on the horse yet?" Penny asked.
"Yeah, yeah she was right back on the next day," Natalie replied, eyes carefully not meeting Penny's.
"Good to hear," Penny smiled at her.
"Have a good night Pen, I'll see you on Monday," Natalie smiled guardedly as she picked up her bag and walked away.
"You too Nat," Penny called after her.
"She still going with that horse story?" Gloria Abbott asked as she came up to her own locker beside Penny and they watched the door close behind Natalie.
"Yep. Don't know who she thinks she's fooling," Penny replied. "We're all qualified trauma nurses. You saw Julianna's x-Ray right?"
"Big ugly spiral fracture of the left ulna and radius? Yeah I saw it," Gloria shook her head. "No way a topple off a horse does that. And Nat knows that as well as any of us."
"Do you think it's a cry for help?" Penny asked.
"I don't know," Gloria shrugged tiredly. "She lies like that knowing that we will see straight through it but then if anyone asks if everything is ok at home she clams up."
"Maybe he's telling her what to say and she's got no choice even though she knows we'll see through it?" Penny posited.
"Wouldn't be surprised," Gloria answered.
"I wish there was something we could do for them," Penny sighed.
"You and me both," Gloria sighed back. "But she just won't take the help."
-L&O:CI-
"Hey Nat," Leon beamed at her as she walked into the store.
"Hey Leon," she replied as she walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out a carton of milk.
"Are you and the Mr off to the Hamptons this weekend?" Leon asked as he rang up her purchase.
"Not this weekend," Natalie smiled, handing over a ten. "We're just having a quiet one at home."
"Well, whatever you do, you guys have a good one OK?" he beamed as he handed her change back.
"I will Leon, thank you," Natalie replied as she picked up her milk. "See you next time."
"See you Nat," Leon waved goodbye.
-L&O:CI-
Natalie climbed out of the car and grabbed her bag and the carton of milk. Locking the car door she headed toward the stairs, sorting through her keys for the door key as she went.
When she reached their apartment door she moved to put the key in the door and froze when the door moved inwards under her touch.
Hesitantly she opened the door and stepped inside, it was pitch dark. She started to feel nervous, Mark and Lianna should have been home. She stepped into the foyer and after groping around for a moment she found the switch and flipped the light on.
"Mark?" she called. "Lianna- ugh!" Something heavy crashed down on the back of her head. She fell to her knees, milk and her bag flying out of her hands and onto the floor. She screamed as she was grabbed roughly by the right shoulder and thrown over onto the ground, landing flat on her back. The object came at her again. Pain shot through her head and her vision began greying out as the object came down again.
"No," Natalie croaked out. "No!" She screamed again as the object rose and fell once more.
The world turned black then and there was nothing.
-L&O:CI-
"911 what is your emergency?"
"My wife! Oh god my wife!"
"Sir? Sir can you tell me what happened?"
"She's dead! Someone killed my wife!"
-L&O:CI-