AUTHORS NOTE: So much for one a day, as per bloody usual, but here I am with the next update and seeing as everyone in the house is working and I've done my homework I'm going to settle with CSI: NY because I can't watch Criminal Minds without the sister and write some chapters!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters you recognise!


[Draw on the Ground with Chalk]


Their latest case had been a tough one.

A paedophile ring where children were being kidnapped from their parents and if the children struggled or made too much noise they'd be murdered. The first young girl, only twelve years old, had been dumped over the bridge and her body had been found by a jogger the next morning. A suicide gone wrong they'd all thought until Duncan had noticed the branding mark at the nape of her neck, just hidden by her hair. The brand of a paedophile ring that the Glaswegian sex crimes unit had been after for a long time but now with their first death, homicide was dragged in to help.

Now, five and a half days later as well as five bodies, the case had been solved and the bastards were locked away in a cell while the bullpen were filled with children just sitting on the floor with their knees dragged up to their chest as they let their tears of relief fall. However it was now an endless mission to find parents or social workers for the children that remained.

Sitting down at his desk, Robbie rifled through his drawers before hunting out a jumbo box of chalk. "Do I even want to know why that is there?" Jackie asked as she came into the bullpen carrying two bags from the nearest market, stepping over the children carefully as she made her way to their desk. She then smiled. "The list," she said knowingly before watching as Robbie stood up and whistled so that silence settled over the bullpen.

"Children," he said carefully winking at Jackie, "follow me." The kids all scrambled to their feet, the older ones helping the younger ones, before following out the three older detectives because obviously both Stuart and Jackie wanted to witness this sight.

Outside on the streets, the children decorated the pavement with the colourful chalk. For some, it would be the first colour they'd seen in months and Robbie smiled as he heard the tentative laughter become stronger and more confident. Kneeling down next to a small ginger girl, he drew a smiley face with a yellow piece of chalk and smiled as she leant over and used a red chalk to draw a hat on the sun. He then saw Jackie leaning against the wall and walked over to her.

"You're meant to be joining in the fun too," he pointed out before taking hold of her hand and dragging her to a large space where he drew a large hopscotch board that went all the way up to the thirty. He grinned at her and she shook her head.

"Oh no, I won't be able to do that in my shoes." She laughed pointing down at the useless stiletto heels and Robbie just laughed before calling over his little ginger friend. Handing her a stone that he'd picked up, he asked her to throw it for him so that he could show the kids that had gathered around him how to play. Once they witnessed the game, all the children took a turn at having a go and it wasn't long before they were all cheering for Jackie to have a go.

"Now you wouldn't want to..." Robbie started but she just yanked the stone off him and handed it to one of the children to throw it for her before she slipped off her high heels and skipped all the way down to thirty before coming back up and stopping at seven to pick up the rock. The children cheered and Robbie smiled as she came to one and flashed him a smug look. "You're wonderful, woman." He teased before picking up the ginger girl and putting her on his back. "Let's do this one together, partner." Jackie threw the stone before wrapping her arms around the nearest child's shoulders.

Who would have thought the Summer Project, yes the team had started referring to it as if it had capital letters, would help children that had never experienced fun? She couldn't smile. It seemed Jamie's project was going to be exciting to share with his class.

TO BE CONTINUED...