Thank you to every one who read and everyone who reviewed, i really do appreciate it !! anyways.. I'm getting off topic XD here is chapter three of the fic, and the turning point - where things really start to build up! hope you all enjoy it! disclaimer : like i've said before, I do not own life, or its characters. I'm a fangirl, whose too in love with the characters to let it go XD damn you NBC *waves fist* ____________________________________________________________________________________
Its like.... sunshine on a cloudy day XD ...... although unfortunately I live in Australia, and its summer here at the moment so we get too many sunny days ... *sighs* so many that you begin to hate sunny days. I miss the cold already! Tooooo hot *fans self*
FIVE TIMES DANI REESE WANTED TO SAY 'I LOVE YOU'
Chapter three
Not enough time.
It had been two months since the orange grove and things had pretty much gotten back to normal...almost. After her second attempt at telling her partner her feelings she had come to the conclusion that it would have been a mistake. They were partners – and that was how they'd stay.
While things were almost the same as they had been, they were closer now, their friendship or whatever you'd call it was on a whole new level – something that she couldn't really put a name to. It wasn't romantic but it wasn't platonic either. Whatever it was, Dani didn't want to ruin it by saying the words. The words – they were just stupid words that were thrown around all the time without any meaning behind them – but how was she supposed to express the meaning behind the words? She just didn't know how anymore. She didn't even know for sure if he felt that way about her. Every time she wanted to reach over grab him by his suit jacket and pull him in, she'd convince herself that he didn't feel that way – it dulled the fiery ache she felt in the pit of her guts, like throwing a bucket of cold water on someone who was very horny. But then came those moments where she would catch glimpses of him looking at her. It normally happened when they were sitting in the car, she'd see him staring from the corner of her eyes and sometimes it happened when they were sitting at their desks. She'd be leaning over her paperwork, face screwed up in concentration – and that concentration would just fly right out the window when she felt the familiar feeling of his burning gaze. Her eyes would flicker up to meet his. In these moments, there were never any words spoken between them – there never needed to be. She never thought it would be possible to have a conversation with someone without saying anything – especially with someone like Charlie Crews, who never seemed to stop talking. It was these moments where she thought about how easy it would be to simply lean forward and press her lips to his.
One thing that had definitely changed however was her relationship with Tidwell – which selfishly she had still prolonged. She cared about him – yes, but she also knew that she didn't feel about him the way she should have. If she had any chance of calling herself a good person she should have ended their relationship. It wasn't fair to him, he who was clearly more invested in the relationship than she was. But as the weeks had gone by, she had begun to think that on some level he already knew.
In the beginning – when she had been in the hospital, he had been oblivious to the tension that had been in the room - too focused on her and the fact that she was safe. But as the weeks went by and she found herself pulling away from him, she'd often seen the sad expression in his eyes. He'd wrap his arms around her waist, and as subtly as she could, she'd move away – not bothering to look back to see the disappointment in his eyes again. Sometimes he'd open his mouth as if to say something – but then close it again – always leaving things unsaid – just as she was with Crews. It was ridiculous this whole thing – her, Tidwell and Crews – it was the type of thing you'd always see on television – and here it was playing out in front of her like some kind of soap opera.
It was a warm day; the sun was beating down heavily, lighting up the car they were parked in and warming her skin. Dani pushed her sunglasses higher on her nose and wiped the sweat from her brow, cringing slightly as she found her hair was plastered to her face. They were on a 'stake out' – although it wasn't really a stake out as she had said a number of times to the man sitting beside her.
They were simply waiting outside a small gas station on a humid afternoon for a man named Jeff Stanton to come out. As normal as a name such as 'Jeff Stanton' sounded – Crews was convinced he had something to do with the murder case they were working on.
A few days prior, a fifteen year old boy was found dead. Supposedly he had gotten caught up in a drug ring. He had worked part time at the gas station they were currently looking at and according to one of his friends- was working with the owner who happened to be working for a man named Jeff Stanton. In the beginning Jeff Stanton had seemed like a normal enough guy – he had a wife, two kids, a white picket fence, a golden retriever – the whole package. Dani had been sceptical, and had said as much to her partner – telling him that men like Jeff Stanton were not drug lords but after talking with him, Crews had been adamant that the guy knew something. 'No one is that twitchy if they no nothing.' he'd said, before adding 'no one knows nothing' for good measure. So here they were, following the man in question all the way to gas station in question.
"Okay... so he went to the gas station. It's a gas station Crews...Where people buy gas. It could just be coincidence" she'd said.
But he'd sat there, still and calm, watching the gas station with narrowed eyes and said "Nothing is a coincidence"
she'd rolled her eyes "yeah, everything is connected, I know".
She had thought it could have been a coincidence, but Jeff Stanton had been in that gas station for a long time – long enough that she was pretty damn sure it had nothing to do with buying gas.
"He's taking a long time to buy gas" he muttered, breaking her out of her thoughts.
Dani looked to him, instinctively grabbing her gun from her holster – watching as Crews did the same.
As they were walking towards the gas station, a loud gunshot broke through the air. It was like a loud clap of thunder on an otherwise silent night. It shot both of them into action; they ran forth into the gas station, their guns drawn and ready. In the back of Dani's mind she had expected to see Jeff Stanton there with his gun drawn, the body of the owner – Mikhail Vermont, crumpled on the floor. What they were faced with shocked her. The first thing she saw, lying on the floor, was Jeff Stanton. He was wearing a white polo shirt, only now the white was stained red, a dark hole in his chest. His eyes were wide and vacant – a look of shock masking his face. Her eyes travelled up and met the terrified face of Gabriel Hastings – it was the friend of the kid they'd found.
His face was a pale white, and his cheeks were wet with tears, though the gun was still drawn, his hands were trembling so much that he looked as though he could barely grip it properly. In the corner, wearing a shocked expression was Mikhail Vermont, his arms up in surrender, despite the fact that the gun wasn't even pointed at him.
Crews, with his gun pointing at Gabriel, took a tentative step forward. "Gabriel..." he said calmly "Drop the gun".
Dani's heart skipped a beat when Gabriel moved to point the gun directly at Crews. "He killed Jake!" He let out with a sob.
Crews nodded "I know, I know he did... but he's gone now Gabriel, you can drop the gun now."
Gabriel's eyes widened as they flickered to the body on the floor, "I-I k-killed him".
A choking noise ripped from his throat – pained and frightened. Dani knew this was just a kid, but he was pained and frightened and that made him all the more dangerous. His shaking hands were still wrapped around a gun – a gun that was pointed at Crews.
"Drop the gun or I'll shoot" she bit out as forcefully as she could despite the slight tremor in her own voice.
"It w-wasn't Jakes fault!" he sobbed. "Stanton – he was paying him for selling the drugs. B-but they took his bag,k-kids at school –the drugs" he whimpered, it was pitiful and Dani, as hard as she was, felt a small twinge in her heart "Stanton killed him. It wasn't his fault!"
As usual, Crews was doing something dangerous – stupid, in order to help this kid. He took a step forward, which only made the kid tighten his grip on the gun. Dani felt her heart beating ferociously against her rib cage – she could hear the blood pumping in her ears, and she nearly cursed Crews out loud when she saw him lift his hand towards the boy, to the hand holding the gun.
"Give me the gun Gabriel" he added softly "Stanton killed Jake, but he's gone now, you can let them go"
Gabriel was so jumpy that when Crews went to grab the gun out of his hands, he jumped back, making sure the gun was still pointed on him
"Stay away!" he screamed "stay away...." he repeated, his voice so small, it reminded Dani of a child.
Crews took a step back; giving Gabriel room, "its okay, its okay"
"I had to do it.... I had to. He would have killed me...I knew what he did. He would have killed me!" he repeated.
It felt like everything was moving in slow motion – like something out of a movie. Even before it happened – before the sound echoed through the gas station, before she saw her partner fall to the ground, she knew what was going to happen, and yet she was frozen to the spot. The gun went off in Gabriel's hands, hitting Crews right in the chest. Her head spun around – as she watched Crew's gun fall from his hands, as he looked down to see the wound on his chest. It was like re-living a nightmare – the worst kind of déjà vu.
"I-I didn't mean to... I didn't mean to... I'm sorry....Oh god" Gabriel cried as he backed away from the scene. Dani made eye contact with him for about a second before he turned and disappeared through the back.
Crews had crumpled to the floor. Her own gun fell from her hands, and in what must only have been seconds, she was on her knees by his side.
He was still conscious, but the bullet must have nicked his lung – again, for his breath was choked and his hands clutched at his chest. "R-reese" he choked out.
She placed her hands on the wound, shivering at the sickening feeling of warm blood oozing through her fingers.
"Its okay" she said, but her voice came out in nothing more than a whisper – she couldn't believe she was doing this again. "It's okay" she repeated.
She swung around to look at the frozen form of Mikhail Vermont "Call an ambulance, now!" she ordered. When she turned back to look at Crews, his face was a sickening shade of white – which made her stomach churn uncomfortably, it only got worse when she saw the growing pool of blood around his wound, and on the floor beneath his body.
There was a small smile on his lips – but where normally it would have been that calm-Charlie Crews smile, it was pained as he trembled and struggled to breathe.
"I don't know about you..." he managed to wheeze out, "But I'm having a serious case of déjà vu"
Dani felt a small laugh exit her mouth, but it was fake – empty. "Just hold on" she whispered, staring into his wide eyes.
He reached for her hand, as though he was clinging onto her warmth – her life. He groaned in pain, squeezing her hand tight. His eyes started to roll into the back of his head and she felt cold panic race through her veins. She leaned forward placing her hands on his cheeks "Hey....Crews. Stay with me" she ordered.
She watched as he tried to open his eyes and saw his crumpled expression as he fought the incoming darkness. "Just breathe" she whispered.
His eyes met hers, and a strange calmness washed over him. Despite the pain, a serene smile appeared on his lips, as he heard his own words coming out of her mouth.
"I'm sorry Dani" he choked out, "there's not enough time"
She was sure the look on her face was fierce, angry almost- but the tears in her eyes, no doubt gave her away. "Shut up" she ordered "you have lots of time. We have lots of time"
The words were coming out of her own mouth and yet to her horror she found that she didn't truly believe them. So when the tight grip he had on her hand began to loosen and his eyes began to flutter shut, she let out a loud shuddering breath and leant forward, pressing her lips to his. They weren't warm like they should have been, they were dry and cracked. She whimpered into his mouth when she didn't feel him kiss her back. She moved away from his mouth, brushing her lips against his jaw, his cheek and finally reaching his ear. "Charlie..." she whispered, and she faintly heard a shuddering intake of breath. "Don't leave me" she squeezed her eyes shut. The words were already forming on her lips – and this time she wasn't going to change her mind. – One moment and its gone forever – lost.
Before the words came out of her mouth however, they were no longer alone – there were people surrounding them. She felt them gently move her out of the way, she saw them talk in voices and words that she could hear but couldn't understand. They moved around in sync with each other, before they lifted him onto a stretcher and wheeled him into the ambulance. All the while she stood there, shaking, with Charlie Crew's blood all over her hands.
She felt a hand on her shoulder and a faint voice "You can ride in the ambulance if you want"
She nodded distantly before being lead into the ambulance. She watched as they worked to keep him alive all the way to the hospital – the nearly uttered words echoing in her head and on her tongue.
I love you ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ aaaand we are finished :) you know what to do people. it really does make me happy XD
and also, by the way.
HAPPY NEW YEARS EVERYONE, I WISH THE BEST FOR THE COMING YEAR - 2010 IS HERE!
