I can hardly believe this. I mean, it feels like Dani just died… and like that wasn't bad enough now Peter's gone, too. This is totally nuts. I keep expecting Megan to bound through the door with some weird thing for me to test, with Peter right there too. I can't believe he's really dead. I mean, it just seems like it's not possible.
Sighing, Ethan pushed his chair back from the lab desk with one hand and, without looking, carelessly dropped a glass slide down with the other. It missed the desk surface and shattered on the floor. Ethan sat up straight, his eyes big as saucers, and glanced down at the shattered fragments. Curtis was across the room at the lab computer and whipped around when he heard the tinkling sound of the slide breaking.
"What did you jus' do?"
"I, I dropped the slide, it just slipped out of my hands, I didn't mean to do it. I'll get a broom and clean it up, okay?" Ethan got up and carefully stepped around the glass. Curtis sighed and shook his head.
"Listen; I know this ain't been easy. I know… it's hard to just do what you need to do when all you can think about is…" He blinked, and swallowed hard. "Y'know what I'm sayin'."
Ethan nodded, and stared at the floor glumly.
"Yeah."
"Don't be hard on yourself. Time's the only thing that can help any of us, anyhow. Just time." As Ethan turned towards the door, he blinked and took a deep breath.
Time. That's it. Only time. At least Curtis is still here. Did I really just think that?
Ethan saw Detective Baker stride out of the elevator.
"Morning, detective," he called, doing his best to sound cheerful.
"Ethan, where are Kate and Megan?" Sam demanded.
Maybe I should just stop saying hi to people. Fine.
"Uh, Dr. Hunt left like thirty minutes ago, and I think Dr. Murphy's in her office. Wh…"
"Ethan…" said Sam, looking up into the young doctor's face pensively, "I'm going to give it to you straight. I won't be doing cases with you guys anymore."
"What?" Ethan's expression changed to one of dismay. He was not expecting this news.
"Why? I mean… why?"
"I'm moving. Not right away, but real soon I'll be living in Baltimore. I'll be helping a friend with a program for helping troubled youth, mostly street kids. Anyway, I just got my plans finalized over the weekend, and I'm gonna catch a plane to Baltimore to check out my new place in about… twenty minutes. So anyway… that's partly why I need to talk to Dr. Murphy."
Ethan's mouth hung open in disbelief. He caught himself, and shook his head, throwing his hands in the air.
"Okay… that's just great. Everybody's leaving. Fine. Maybe I should quit, too. Maybe I should just… throw myself off the balcony. Maybe…"
"Ethan! Stop." The young doctor stopped at the sound of the detective's gentle but firm command, and turned to face her. She was watching him with kind eyes.
"Don't talk like that, alright? You need to be here. Understand?" Ethan nodded numbly.
"Yeah. I know."
Sam sighed and glanced around.
"Well… guess I'll tell Dr. Brumfield, and then Dr. Murphy."
Kate was shocked to hear Sam's news. She was not only a valuable asset to her cases; she was also a friend.
"Well… I'm sorry to hear that you're leaving us. But I'm sure that your friend will appreciate your work in Baltimore."
"Thanks. There's a couple of new detectives moving into the station; maybe one of them will fill my place. Well, anyhow, I need to be on my way. I've got to catch a plane in twenty minutes. I'll be in Baltimore for a couple days to look at some apartments, and I hope to be completely moved by the middle of next week or sooner. It's only two hours away from here, so it shouldn't take too long." Kate studied her desk for a few seconds before replying.
"Best of luck to you."
"Thanks, doctor."
After exchanging a polite farewell, Sam strode to the elevator. As she went, she glanced around at the ME's office for one last time. The elevator dinged, and the doors opened. Sam stepped into the elevator, leaving the ME's office, and many memories, behind.
