Disclaimer: Not mine. I'm not associated with Crossing Jordan in any way shape or form. Don't Sue.
Author Notes: Well, I liked Revealed the best out of all the episodes I've seen so far, but I always thought, well what if things didn't wrap up so nicely in the end? And Since I'm a sucker for plot bunnies and making my favorite character suffer (So sorry Nigel) This is the result.
Chapter 1: Dark Shadow
Dr. Nigel Townsend didn't bother to turn on the lights. He knew his work area better than he knew his apartment. He side stepped a book that had fallen at some point and he had never bothered to pick up. He crossed over to where his microscope sat, waiting for him. He hummed softly to himself, the case had been solved. He had been wrong, obviously, and he was feeling rather stupid about it. He moved to retrieve some slides when he heard the faintest sound of shoes scrapping against the floor. Thinking he was imagining things he glanced up. He was a little startled when a dark shadow moved in the corner.
"That you Bug?" He asked, thinking the slightly odd man was perhaps trying to have a go at him. He started back, that wasn't Bug, the height was wrong, the stance. "Who's there?" He demanded. He squinted in the darkness trying to make out the shape. His heart jumped into his throat, when Frank Jones finally came into focus. He shouldn't have anything to fear, but there was a glint in the man's eye that had the taller man throughly unnerved.
"You believe in the vampire." Frank began, advancing on the fearful criminalist. "You believed I killed that man. That I drank his blood." Nigel back peddled around his desk, trying to put distance between the advancing man and himself. His ankle caught the corner of the desk, and he crumpled in a heap, with a surprised yelp. Before he had time to straight himself out, Frank was upon him, his knee's pressing him to the floor, his weight to much for him to push off. Frank leaned forward, licking his lips slightly.
"What are you doing, get off me!" Nigel demanded, hoping he didn't sound as frightened as he was. All he wanted was for this strange man to leave. He wouldn't say anything if the man would just go. With the way the man was eyeing him however, he got the distinct feeling things were about to take a very bad turn. He felt Frank's knee dig more harshly into his ribs and he fell silent as the vampire eyed him quietly.
"It's a rush you know. Siring someone. It never gets old." Frank murmured, leaning down. Nigel brough his free arm up instinctivly to protect his neck. He was surprised and horrified to feel Frank's fake, yet deady fangs sink to flesh. Nigel found his voice again, and howled in protest, pain, and fear. Frank had bitten him right over the pulse in his wrist, and he was already beginning to feel light headed, as the man drew blood. It seemed to go on forever while the man drew blood out. He gasped in relief when he the teeth released the broken skin and Frank move back from him. He smiled, Nigel's blood dripping off his fangs, before leaning down again, Nigel couldn't get his arm in front of his throat this time. Frank smiled against his throat and made a few small gashes. Nigel winced as he felt blood begin to trickle down his throat. "To remember me by. until our next meeting." He hissed in Nigel's ear, before standing and sliding effortlessly out the door.
"Help.." Nigel called as loudly as he could. He vaguly realized no one was near enough to his office to hear him. He slowly, painstakingly hauled himself up to his feet, feeling his world go topsy turvsy for a moment. He reached out for his desk to help steady himself. He gasped in a couple deep breaths and staggared to the door. Blood trickled down his neck and his wrist was making puddles on the floor. If he didn't get help soon, he was going to bleed out, He had nicked the vien and Nigel was pumping blood. He stumbled weakly down the hall and towards Garret's office. He made it half way down before his world tilted, and he crashed heavily to the ground. He couldn't move, and felt the pull of unconciousness. Sad resigned eyes casted one last pleading glance towards the doors which remained shut. When unconciousness came, it came quickly, and Nigel slipped into the darkness.
Jordan Cavanaugh was surprised at the very least to find Nigel sprawled out across the tile floor in front of her office. When she had heard the muffled thump, she had assumed someone had just tripped. When she didn't hear them get up, she opened the door. Any smart remark she may have had, died on the tip of her tongue when she saw the pool of blood that was rapidly spreading around him. She cried out in horror and surprise drawing several people out of their offices. Many similar cries followed and Garret knelt beside the fallen man.
"Go get some gauze and someone call 911" He shouted. Garret Macy was a hard man to rattle, but seeing the man he had berrated the day before, laying pale and life less in the hall his heart had constricted in his chest. People ran in seperate directions to do as what was asked. Bug returned, loaded down with gauze, casting a horrified and worried glance down at the man he spent so much time with.
"What happened?" Bug asked, there was blood leaking down from the man's wrist but no one would think him capable of slitting his wrist. Nigel knew easier, less painful ways to go if that had been the case. No he had been in the process of trying to find help, and suicide wouldn't explain the nicks on his neck. Something weird had been going on.
"Bite marks?" Jordan questioned suddenly, locating the two holes.. When she gently prodded the wound, Nigel whimpered quietly, and mumbled something unintelligible.
"Jesus Christ, what were you doing?" Garret mumbled.
"More importantly, how long has he been laying here, and how come no one knew anything!?" Jordan demanded, gently pushing some of his dark hair off his face. "Hang in there Nige...we're here now." She murmured softly into the ear of the wounded man.
"He's bleeding to fast." Bug said as he exchange the gauze he had for a new square, applying pressure. "It must have happened recently, or he'd be dead." Jordan shot him a angry look, but remained silent. When the ambulance finally arrived, the others were pushed back and Nigel was hurried away in the ambulance. A few moments later, Bug, Jordan, and Garret were heading towards their cars. They dealt with death every day, but they didn't want to deal with the fact that the next autopsy might be on one of their own.
Well, that's it for Chapter one. If you guys liked it, there will be more. If not, we'll leave it at this.
