Ironically, we died under a sign sponsored by the cemetery warning teens not to text and drive. We didn't even get the chance to brace ourselves from the bright yellow lights belonging to the "Quick and Painless" delivery truck that ended our lives. The truck hit from the driver's side and killed her instantly. If both cars weren't going so fast, I could still be alive; instead the truck crushed the pathetic silver Saturn against one of the pillars holding up the sign. I was alive long enough to read it and let out one last, bloody, laugh.
"Don't be so melodramatic Naomi, honestly." She let out a loud sigh and ran a hand through her blond hair. I could tell she felt guilty.
"Shut your face Roxanne, honestly." I smiled when she flinched at the use of her entire first name. "Besides, thanks to you I'm dead now and I can do whatever I want."
I pulled her in for a hug, so she knew I didn't mean anything by it; she pinched my arm in response. I pouted, rubbing my arm trying to soothe the stinging sensation.
"Jeez Roxy! Do you have to pinch so hard?"
She nodded, obviously pleased with herself, I could see the gleam in her light green eyes. I scowled as menacingly as I could.
Next to me Nathan covered his mouth with a massive hand trying to hide his chuckles, then laughed loudly when I glared at him, his white wings shaking along with his body. Slamming one pale hand on my shoulder, and the other wiping the tears from his blue eyes, he tried to stop laughing enough to talk.
"You guys are too much." He shook me and I could feel my brain rattling in my head.
"Really Nate?" I pushed his hand off my shoulder, "I'm half your size you beast!"
He sputtered and let out another deep booming laugh. We stared at him until he calmed down with a wide smile on his face.
"I haven't laughed this much since," he paused, running a hand through his brown curly hair, "well I can't remember when. But I know it's been a while, my ribs are still aching. By far the best time I've had guarding Purgatory. Mostly everyone is sad and boring."
"Maybe because dying is sad and boring you twit." Michael retorted with a scowl. If it wasn't for the black feathered wings and the attitude I would guess Michael and Nate were brothers. I didn't really mind Michael's cynical attitude or the raw power that just radiated off him, Roxanne however, looked extremely uncomfortable, sitting next to the angel from Hell.
"Oh Mikey you need to lighten up! Purgatory duty ain't so bad."
When we learned about it in history, Purgatory was described to us as a dark place where you float around until God allowed you to move on to Heaven, or sent you to Hell.
In reality it was brightly lit and looked like the typical waiting room of a hospital complete with a receptionist's desk. The only difference being the one TV located across from where we were sitting. The TV connected us to the living, well Roxanne to the living. I had no relatives, ever since I was a baby I was bounced from foster home to foster home. Needless to say I had a horrid life, which is why I'm confident the Spirit in the Sky is going to give me the break I deserve and send me to Heaven.
"Oh God Jane call an ambulance!"
What started out as a nice vacation—sort of—turned into a complete nightmare. Maura Isles, Chief Medical Examiner to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, had traveled to California for a week with girlfriend Jane Rizzoli, Detective, in hopes that she would give a short speech at a seminar in Bakersfield and then they could do what they'd like. Unfortunately they had been behind the "Quick and Painless" delivery truck that bashed the Saturn into a pole.
Smoke began to rise into the afternoon sky, tainting the blue with hues of gray until the entire sky looked begrimed. Maura got out of her car and ran across the empty street towards the scene with Jane talking to dispatch, following close behind. The honey blonde saw the impact, and knew the driver of the silver Saturn could not have survived, but she approached the passenger side with hope that he or she would still be alive.
Jane, however, was more focused on the man in the delivery truck who was alive and groaning in pain. Besides the gash on his forehead he looked fine, but she needed to make sure.
"Hey buddy you alright?"
The man nodded without looking at Jane; instead he looked towards the car crushed in front of him and the matted, bloody, blonde hair pressed against the window of the silver Saturn.
"Oh God is she dead? I killed her!"
Maura's hope of the passenger being alive quickly diminished when she saw an arm hanging lifelessly out the window. She approached the girl and checked for a pulse. Finding none she hung her head in disappointment and quickly walked towards Jane and the hysterical man.
They were late to the seminar, luckily Maura's speech was pushed back until the last hour, and although she gave it her best her mind was stuck on the two girls who perished before her eyes. She decided she would collaborate with the Bakersfield Police Department and help out with the girls as much as she could.
The car was registered to Lacey Smith mother to Roxanne Smith, the driver of the Saturn. Jane accompanied the officer going to deliver the bad news. It was heartbreaking seeing the mother break down completely when Jane explained to her that her only daughter was dead.
"How could she have been so careless?" The mother said through sobs. Jane wondered if she should ask her about the other girl in the car. They were having a hard time finding out who the other girl was and if the Lacey didn't know, then they would have to wait for dental records to come back within two weeks, and Jane and her kindhearted girlfriend did not have that kind of time.
"Mrs. Smith I would like to ask if you knew this girl." Jane pulled out a picture of the passenger laid out on the autopsy table. In the photo she looked peaceful, almost as if she were sleeping and not dead.
Mrs. Smith covered her mouth with a delicate hand to try to hold back sobs. She could not believe that her daughter would be so careless as to put her best friend's life in danger.
"Mrs. Smith I take it you know the girl?" Jane asked breaking Mrs. Smith's musing.
She couldn't find herself the will to speak; she was so entirely heartbroken about the entire situation. Not only had her daughter caused a man deep psychological issues, but she also had killed her best friend, and Mrs. Smith had no one else to blame but herself. She knew she had to make it right.
"Her name is Naomi uh Naomi Perez I believe. She went to the same school as Roxanne they were best friends." Mrs. Smith looked at the picture again and frowned.
"Mrs. Smith-"
"Please, Detective, call me Lacey."
"Lacey do you know where we can contact Naomi's parents?"
"She looks so young like this." Lacey mused wiping a tear that landed on the picture with her pointer finger. Jane really wanted to stay on track, after all Naomi's parents must be worried, but she couldn't find it within herself to disturb Lacey. "Did you know she was older than my Roxy?"
"I wouldn't have guessed it ma'am."
Lacey looked at the police officer by the doorway, features etched in disappointment, and back to the Detective with only remorse written across her face.
"She didn't have parents. As far as I know she was bounced around from home to home from a very young age. She actually lived with us for a while." A small smile found its way to Lacey's lips as she reminisced about Naomi.
"When I first met her I thought she was twelve. She was so angry at my mistake…I could tell…but she was sweet enough to let it pass. She always let it pass."
Jane spoke softly, "Was she living with you?"
Lacey shook her head eyes still glued to the picture.
"The State took her, said I wasn't her legal guardian. Maybe it was better this way you know?" Her blue eyes filled with such emotion Jane had to look away, but just for a second.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, at least she's not suffering anymore. I just didn't want her to suffer."
Jane thanked Lacey and began to walk out the door. Jane felt relieved and miserable at the same time. She was relieved that they had an identity to their Jane Doe, but miserable that Naomi Perez had been released from a horrible life through death.
"Detective!" Lacey called out to Jane who stopped and turned facing the heartbroken mother. "Thank you for being so kind. I know my daughter killed someone and I appreciate you not holding it against me."
Jane smiled.
Maura rolled off her naked girlfriend sweaty, and panting. They had a long day and what better way to relieve tension than making love. Jane wrapped and arm around Maura's waist and kissed her neck, inhaling Maura's scent.
After the accident Maura reverted back to her Queen of the Dead ways especially after they found out about Naomi, and that worried Jane. She wondered why these girls affected her so much.
"That could have been me Jane." Maura didn't wait for a reaction, "I could have been bounced from house to house."
It was silent, neither knowing what to say.
"Who knows what things she had to endure Jane? I've heard horrible rumors about foster homes."
Jane thought back to what Lacey had told her the day before.
"I just didn't want her suffer."
It was better this way, but Jane would never say that. Not aloud. She could see Maura's body shaking along with her quiet sobs.
"Maur…please don't cry."
Maura turned and began to kiss Jane passionately, trying to put every emotion she felt into the kiss. One hand cupped Jane's face while the other made its way down the detective's toned abdomen.
Jane broke the kiss and stared into her lover's pleading eyes.
"Please Jane. I need you."
Jane nodded and temporarily kissed her lover's troubles away.