/First story! Write reviews!/

It's was another crappy day. Cold, wet and windy. It had been like that for a week but Norman didn't seem to notice. He'd been too busy keeping his mind occupied from falling into the side effects of the ARI and the lack of Triptocane. Norman quit the FBI and gave up the ARI about two years ago, but all the free time and no ARI, left him with more time to suffer his convulsions. He got a new job in law enforcement to hopefully distract himself... But it never seemed to work.

"Fuck off Derek I'm not undercover for the last time." Norman had had it, ever since he got a small detective job at the ACU, Derek, Carter's old partner, had been suspicious and on his ass 24/7. "I don't care, once an FBI always an FBI." Derek squinted at poor Norman.

That day had been long and hard for Norman. Not one case they would let him work on. He fell backwards on his bed exhausted. He closed his eyes just wanting to rest them, the sounds of traffic filling his ears seemed to alter to the sound of leaves rustling. He opened his eyes to see himself laying in a blurry forest. "shit...shit...shit" the ARI side effects were kicking in. "Pull yourself together Norman." the dizzy man fumbled his way to the bathroom attempting to splash water over his face trying to keep calm. "Ngh." his knees weakened and he finds himself on the floor gasping for air. Norman spent that night sleeping on the bathroom floor and then spent the morning rushing to work.

He made it just in time only to spend 4 hours of straight filing. "Hey. FBI wannabe!" Norman strained to look up. "It's your lucky day, you have a case." Derek tossed a file on Norman's desk. Norman picked it up and flipped through it. "A suspected murder case?" He felt a shock of excitement. "Yea I guess it's your lucky day..." Derek sneered. Norman smiled to himself. *Finally! Some action! This might take my mind off the symptoms... Man I really needed this case!* he thought excitedly to himself. Norman looked over and inspected the file at his apartment that night. A suspected murder, a chain of murders, women in their early 20's ranging from blondes to red heads, all burned alive and all lived in the same apartment building. These facts seemed to only pop out for Norman, he had a sharp eye. *So to catch the killer, I need to catch his next victim, before the killer gets to her of course.*

Norman's game plan the next morning was to search that apartment building for the person of interest: female, 20, blonde or red head. Easy, right? Wrong. "Ugh, shit... There are 100 rooms!?" Norman knew this was going to be a challenge. Throughout room 1 to 43 had been mostly seniors, women in their 40's or strange bulky men with tattoos. From 43 to 68 he'd take short cuts and ask the residents if they've seen a woman with these traits. No luck. Finally he made it to the last dozen rooms. Room 89 had yet again another elderly couple who told tired Norman there was a girl who seemed 20 but they didn't know the colour of her hair cause the witness was colorblind. "Thank you ma'am for your help." the couple shut the door. "Of course she had to be colour blind! Just my firkin luck!"

Norman had spent about 2 hours in that building, as much as this pissed him off this was finally his first case in a long time. So like a true Boston blood he 'followed through' with his goal. He started interviewing a family man from room 92 when out of the corner of his eye he saw a female figure enter a room down the hall. By the time he looked he only caught a glimpse of the door shutting. He quickly thanked and excused himself from the man, then rushed to the door. Room 94. Norman paused before he knocked. *this might be her!* he wanted to soak up whatever hope there was that this was the woman with the right traits. "Knock knock." His nerves were on edge right away. The seconds felt like hours. Silence behind the door. Norman's hope began to fade until a quick scrape of metal let out its blunt sound. A pale face with scattered freckles along the nose appeared in the open slit of the door way. *Freckles that's a good sign, red heads have freckles, right?* the view of her face expanded as the door opened. The girl had a soft face outlined by her long straight strawberry blonde hair. She had light pink lips, freckles that scattered her nose and dispersed throughout her face. Her blue eyes studied Norman and her eyebrows scowled in confusion. "Um... Can I help you? ...Sir?" Norman didn't realize he was staring. "Oh yes! Hello I'm detective Norman Jayden, can I have few words with you?" he flustered his speech. *Whoa what's wrong with me? Is it the fact that I've said this so many times or that I finally found her?* "Uh okay?" her lips rolled in in confusion. The ginger opened the door all the way allowing Norman to step in. It was a small green apartment with a blue couch and other necessities placed in apartments. The colours seemed to surprise Norman. So blunt and... Not neutral. Normans gaze went back to the female. She had her earth toned green coat still on with a uniform kilt and knee high black socks and shoes. *Hmm a school uniform?* "Do you want some tea... Mr. ...Jayden?" she had to remember his last name. "Ah yes thank you." Norman stopped looking at her before she caught him. *She's a pretty girl but don't get caught up with her, gotta stay focused at the task at hand.* Norman sat in a blue cushioned chair facing the couch.

In the kitchen was the girl making two teas. Frantically thinking: *Why the fuck is a cop here? Maybe something happened with the neighbors?* She boiled the water. *He said he was a detective? But I didn't even see his badge? Fuck! Did I just let a stranger in? What if he's not a cop? What if he's a rapist! Shit!* The paranoid girl brought two teas in the room and handed one to Norman who smiled a thank you. She sat down and set her tea on the coffee table. "Sorry what's your name, I forgot to ask." Norman stupidly said. She clenched something in her pocket. "My name is Jessica... Can I see your badge Mr. Jayden?" the red head made her move. He flashed his badge to her giving her a good look and waiting for her approval. "Ok thanks." she removed her hand from her pocket and picked up her tea to sip it. Norman went on to explain the case and that she might be the next victim. "Thank you Mr. Jayden but I think I'll be fine" Jessica stated, her strength a little insulted. "Miss, you're in danger of being a victim of his crime, with your permission the ACU can surveillance your apartment and keep you saf-" "IM FINE…Mr. Jayden." Jessica cut off the end of his sentence. Insulted, she stood up. Norman could see her cheeks go red with anger and he knew it was time to leave her alone. For now. "Ok... Here's my number if you need help." he put a piece of paper on the coffee table. *I really don't want to leave her alone, she's my only lead, and she looks like she would need protection.* Norman put aside his male protection instincts and left her apartment. "Thank you Mr. Jayden for understanding." she shut the door. *God... Typical man, always saving the distressed chick* as much as she hated the thought of being saved by a white knight she deeply secretly wanted to.

Norman spent the night actually sleeping for once. For some reason his mind was occupied with something else. *A blunt little fire cracker that Jessica is, too god damn caught up in thinking she can defend herself. I'll do a report on her tomorrow then maybe she'll change her mind and let us surveillance her.*

"How's that case goin Norman?" Norman peeled his eyes off the screen of the computer. "It's goin good thanks." Derek didn't acknowledge or care. Norman's eyes went back to the computer screen. "Jessica Marie Teppel, age 21, female, graduated high school...almost all A's... Currently educated at Scolvard University... Hmm smart girl..." Norman studied the girl's profile, finding himself more than intrigued he stopped. "Well... She fits the victim's description..." he wanted to read more but felt as if he was invading her privacy. *So what she's just a client... C'mon Norman read the rest...* not only did he feel he was invading her privacy he felt like an old pervert. He was 36 and she was only 21. "I know the basics of her and that's all I need." Norman finished his work by profiling and analyzing the killer.

He looked into his bathroom mirror looking at his pale skin, feeling up his old scar on his cheek with his fingers. He started brushing his teeth only to discover the taste of blood. He looked back into the mirror to meet the pale faced man but this time with a streak of blood coming from his nose. The tooth brush dropped from his mouth and his hands trembled to wipe the blood from his upper lip. *Shit... no no no...* Norman's vision blurred in and out, from his apartment to a rocky waterfall cliff. He stumbled his way to the shower and turned it on, unaware he was in his clothes. The water hit his face and clothed body as he slumped down on the floor. *Why did it happen tonight... This is a bad one... It hurts worse this time...* Norman spent the night going in and out of consciousness and worlds.

/It starts out slow but dont worry i have more and it gets good/