Life As We Know It
Summary: When Delko and Alexx travel to Minneapolis to assist with the recovery efforts at the site of the bridge collapse, they both reflect on how precious life is and how everything we know can change in an instant.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. My hearts go out to all those affected by the tragedy in Minnesota. When I kept hearing about how the divers are working tirelessly despite the treacherous conditions, and the selflessness of the doctors, Red Cross and other support staff, this story came into my head and wouldn't go away. I write this just to get my thoughts down somehow and try and comprehend the horror of what happened.
Up until about 9am, it had been a quiet morning. Then a call came in about a body found inside a car in a canal west of Miami International Airport that had not even been discovered until the tides had gone out. Delko, Calleigh, Wolfe and Alexx arrived and for the next several hours, while Calleigh and Ryan processed the scene around where the car went off the road and into the canal, Delko had put on his diving gear and went searching the area around the car while Alexx processed the body found inside. For Delko, the search was painstaking, as the water in the canal was muddy and had obviously been stirred up by the car when it hit the water. Eventually, he found everything he could at the time, and when he came ashore, began changing out of his gear. He had just finished stowing his gear in the Hummer when his phone rang. He checked the display and saw it was Horatio.
"Yeah H. What's up"? Delko asked.
"Eric, how are things proceeding at the canal scene"? Lt. Horatio Caine asked.
"Almost done I think H. Alexx just released the body to go back to the lab for autopsy, Calleigh & Ryan are processing the highway where the car ran off the road, and I just finished searching the water around the car. Nothing conclusive yet though", Delko replied.
"That's alright Eric. I actually need you to come back to the lab, and bring Alexx with you. Give anything you have to Calleigh & Ryan and have them finish processing the scene, ok"?
"Sure Horatio. What's going on"?
"I'll explain when you & Alexx get here Eric. Oh, and one more thing. You may want to bring your underwater gear with you". Then he hung up.
Eric stared at his phone frowning. What on earth could Horatio need him and Alexx for back at the lab?
"Are you alright Eric"? Calleigh asked as she walked up to the Hummer to put away her own gear. Eric was startled. He had not even heard her approach.
"I don't know. H just called; he wants me and Alexx to come back to the lab right away, wouldn't explain over the phone. He wanted you & Wolfe to finish processing the scene here".
"Of course Eric. I hope everything is ok", Calleigh replied.
"Me too Calleigh. Me too", Delko said as he left to go find Alexx.
"Any idea what Horatio wants us for Eric"? Dr. Alexx Woods asked later as they parked the Hummer and walked inside the lab.
"I have no clue Alexx. None at all".
They found Horatio in his office with an extremely grim look on his face. When he saw them come in, he clicked off something that was on his computer monitor and turned to them. At first he said nothing, which began to worry Delko and Alexx. They shared a brief look. They both knew that there was not much out there that could get to Horatio Caine. However, whatever he had just scene on his computer monitor appeared to shake him to his core.
"Thank you both for coming in so quickly".
"Of course Horatio", Alexx replied. "Eric said you would explain to us what is going on when we got here. Is everything ok"?
Horatio shook his head. "I am sure by now that both of you have heard about what happened up in Minneapolis yesterday"?
Both Eric and Alexx simply nodded. When they got home after their respective shifts the day before, all they could do was turn on the tv and see the wall-to-wall coverage. They figured Horatio had been watching the actual video of the bridge collapse and that was what had stirred him up.
"Well, the reason I called you both in here is that the request has gone out across the country for volunteers to go and assist the Minneapolis police and medical personnel with the rescue and recovery operations. Being Eric that you are an underwater recovery expert and that you Alexx are a fully trained medical doctor and a pretty good psychological grief counselor…".
"Say no more H", Delko said, sharing another quick look with Alexx and seeing the same resolve & determination in her eyes that he felt in his own. "We'll do it. We'll go and help out. Count us in. When do we leave"?
Lt. Caine smiled softly despite the gravity of the situation. "I had a feeling you would say that. That's why I have these right here", holding up what were clearly two airline tickets from Miami to Minneapolis. "Your on American Airlines flight 1035 leaving MIA in an hour". He handed them their tickets and watched them walk out the door. "Oh, and Eric, Alexx"? They both turned at the doorway and looked back at Horatio. "You both be careful…ok"?
"We will H", Delko replied. Alexx for her part merely nodded.
Some time later, their flight began making their descent into Minneapolis. The weather was clear and visibility was good, so Eric, who happened to have a window seat, looked out his window and tried to see if he could see from up above where the bridge had fallen into the river. Apparently, he wasn't the only one with the same idea, as he soon noticed other passengers trying to look out their windows to see if they could spot the wreckage. At first he couldn't see anything, as they couldn't make out too much detail from the altitude they were currently flying at. Within moments though, they cleared 10000 feet and then the plane made a sharp bank left. It was during the sharp bank that Eric, who was sitting on the left side of the plane first saw it. He couldn't speak. He was stunned by what he saw. He knew it was one thing to see the images on a television or computer screen, but another matter entirely to see them up close like this.
"Alexx…" he couldn't finish his thought, but the tightness and urgency in his voice was enough. She managed to come up to Delko's window and see for herself.
"My God…Eric, I can't believe what I am seeing…".
They were spared temporarily when the plane leveled out and soon they could feel the rumble as the landing gear was being lowered.
"Eric, I just can't believe it. When you hear about something like this, the sheer…coincidences involved, how the odds are supposed to be very high against something like this happening, it makes you just sit back and realize what is important to you. You realize now how much doing the little things matter, like always telling your family you love them. That's why I always tell my kids everyday that I love them. It's sad Eric, but often you don't know what you got until it's gone and taken away from you", Alexx said.
"I know. I can't help but think about how you have ordinary people living ordinary lives, making their commutes home, looking forward to spending time with their families, when in the blink of an eye, it's all gone. One minute you're here driving home, on your way to dinner with your family. Maybe you're listening to music on the radio, or talking to your spouse on the phone, or to a friend wondering if the Twins have an outside chance to come back and win the pennant. The next minute, the road drops out from under you, and it's all you can do to muster your last strength to tell a rescue worker to tell your family you love them because you know you are not going to make it and you feel you have to get that out there, to let them know you were thinking of your loved ones in your final moments. Too sad Alexx…just too sad and horrible" Delko sighed and then looked back out the window as their plane finally touched down. They quickly rented a car, and when they got as close as they could to the scene, they left their car, Eric gathering his underwater gear and Alexx her medical bag. Eric flashed his badge and Alexx her medical id to get through the security barricade and looked around to see where the staging area was for all the rescue personnel. For a moment they just stood there and took it all in. They could see from where they stood the devastation as they saw it from the plane as they circled above Minneapolis, and it was all they could do to turn their attention away from the water to the gentleman in a Minneapolis, PD jacket and a clipboard walk up to them.
"Can I help you folks"?
"Yes, I'm Officer Eric Delko, Miami-Dade PD, CSI underwater recovery expert", indicating Alexx next to him, "And this is Dr. Alexx Woods, our medical examiner".
"Ah great. I was told by a Lt. Horatio Caine to expect you. I really appreciate you both coming to help. Here is the game plan right now. Dr. Woods, in a moment I will introduce you to our own county medical examiner who you will be working closely with. Now Officer Delko, there are a few things you need to know before you go into the Mississippi River. The currents in the river are very treacherous, especially when the tides change. Visibility is also very poor at the moment. If the situation is deemed too dangerous, we will be pulling all our divers until conditions improve. Right now we are concentrating our search in the immediate vicinity of the collapsed structure. I'll give you both a minute to get settled before you get started. I'll be right back".
As he walked off, Delko and Alexx just stood and stared at the devastation around them. At first they just said nothing. The sheer volume of what they were up against was overwhelming to say the least.
"You ready Alexx"? Delko asked.
"You're never ready for something like this Sugar", Alexx replied.
"I know", Delko responded. He looked around another moment. "Let's go to work".