Part 4 – Sofia's P.O.V - (175 west Vegas)

"Curtis…would you either answer the thing, or shut it off"

I'm sat in the passenger seat of the car, my right foot rested on the dash as the cell clipped onto my belt once again rang out. I looked at the caller ID even though I knew just who it was, just to be sure it wasn't work related. Then I looked back over the busy Vegas Street that we were parked on taking a mouthful of the hot coffee. All shift, ever since I'd walked out of Sara's apartment I've been thinking about everything – that just led me to become angrier. "Can't cut it off … it could be work" I explained simply to the guy that was riding with me today. A younger officer, uniformed – nice enough – I'd been on a few shifts with the guy now and he was easy to get on with, and someone you could trust would have your back.

"Then answer it…" He shot back taking a bite out of the hot dog he'd just brought. I just turned, looking at him as if he was crazy – "…who ever it is can't been this bad" he continued. "Your cell's been ringing since we left the station…"

I cut him off with my glare and I saw him shrug his shoulders. "Listen, keep your ear listening to the scanner and block out the ringing of my cell okay?" I shot. Turning again and leaning against the window of the car. All I could think about was everything that had happened – I just couldn't understand why she'd acted how she did. "Just change the subject" I growled finally.

"Fine…" He mumbled. I did feel a little bad seen as he was taking the worst of my anger. "You know… the guys are going out after shift … fancy coming?"

I looked to him, "What?"

"You know Curtis, beer, joking, laughs, and no criminals, time off. I thought you may like to come seen as your avoiding whoever's on the phone."

"Well, tell the guys I said thanks but… I have plans – don't think I can break them either." Yeah, plans – you know what they really are. To pick up some beer, and vodka and then to head back to my place and drink away everything – I just want to try and forget for one night that I'm so deeply in love with the brunette CSI that I'm putting myself through hell over and over again. Maybe this is the last time I can walk through the fire – I don't know anymore.

"Hot date planned?" He asked with a smirk.

"Just cause I'm getting more action than you, don't get all upset on me Richards" I smirked, again taking a mouthful from the coffee. He took another bite of the hot dog and the onions and sauce that he'd piled on began to slide off. "Jesus, its seven in the morning and your firing that down your neck – your diet needs looking at" I explained.

"Hey, I work night shift, it's dinner time for me now!" He argued back – "Not all off us can live off coffee and a mint all day"

"You know what…just because I don't shovel food down my neck all shift don't mean I don't eat. I just don't eat crap like that at seven in the morning."

"Well how about you let me take you for a real breakfast – beer, a game of pool and fifty on the winner?"

I smirk and look across at him, realizing that I may not be the only one that is having problems with the girlfriend. "Okay…that is the fifth time this shift alone, you've tried to get me out after with you and I sure as hell know it isn't because you want to sleep with me, date me or enter into thrilling conversation over breakfast or beer. So come on…what's going on with the girlfriend?"

"What makes you think…"

"Cut the crap… I saw you turn your phone off back at the gas station…"I smirked, "You forget an anniversary?" I offered.

He just looked up at me, "Nope…" He had finished the hot dog and now whipped his mouth with the paper tissue around it – then offered me an answer, "The in-laws are around. Her mother and father just got in from New York last night before I headed out. I was only there half hour, but even before we got back from the airport her father had let me know how I wasn't good enough for their baby girl."

"Lucky you" I felt his pain, I really did. Then something hit me – "Haven't you been going out with her for three years now?"

He nodded, "Yeah, they still haven't accepted me into the family." He just shook his head and I felt a little sorry for the guy, but you wouldn't guess with the way I'm laughing. I just lent my head on my hand that was propped against the window. He just sighed and then opened the door gathering up all the crap that he had eaten, stepping out he headed off towards the bin that wasn't too far down the street.

Now sat in an empty car, I felt my phone go off against my side – this time a text message – about the fifth one this shift – to go with the hundreds of calls. I may not answer the calls or be replying to the texts but I've been reading them. Lifting it from my side and flipping it open I didn't even need to discover who it was from – it was Sara.

'How long are you planning on ignoring me! We need to talk about what happened. I was wrong, and I'm sorry! Just let me explain. Call me. SX'

I growled lowly – why was it she was so god damn able to piss me off, yet all I want to do is go to her, and forgive her and act like it had never happened. But it did happen, she'd hurt me this morning. I pushed my phone back on my belt knowing that it would ring again soon – but not caring because I wasn't going to answer. I was too hurt to act like everything was alright – I'd put everything out there for her and she just through it back at me. I'm getting it pulled out of me at work now because they think I've got something going with the brunette CSI. All because I saved the sister from getting a kicking in - Okay, so they're right! It's not the point. Its different for me, if I'm out-ed, as an officer - my life will be hell. I have enough trouble trying to be accepted by the guys as it is without this. Sure it won't be happy days for her either – it'll be hard. Doesn't she understand that! No one knows that I'm gay apart from Sara and her sister, and my mother who still won't accept it. Still talks of a nice guy she knows and what not… but to be honest what ever I am or I do I'll never please her.

Shift was taking its toll on me, I lent my head into my hand and closed my eyes, pushing my glasses over them to block out the sun. There were only a few quiet moments before I hared the door of the car pull open. "You know what; I'm an officer… not a god damn directions and information desk for tourists"

Here we go. I open my eyes and look at him – "What happened to helping people, and working for the community?" I asked with a smirk.

"Yeah help the community – not direct them to the nearest all you can eat restaurants and entertainment venues. He clipped his belt on – just as the radio kicked in. "175 west Vegas – I repeat – 1 7 5 west Vegas. Anyone respond?" I looked to my side only to receive a nod and I pulled up the radio.

"Control, this is V754 ETA 5 minuets. Over"

"Received 54 – sending back up! Over" Control cut dead at that point and the car pulled out onto the Vegas streets with the sirens blaring. Well, he was happy because he wasn't heading home to the in-laws any time soon and I was happy because I wasn't heading home to deal with Sara – I could pretend for the next hour that she wasn't pissed with me. That none of my problems existed. We've been called to a domestic disturbance in West Vegas – so right now that's all I could think about.

Stepping form the car, I instantly realized why we'd need back up. A frantic young woman, who I presumed had called it in, came rushing over to us – I pushed my glasses up from my eye and rested them on my head. "Please… please…help…he's gone crazy…."

"Ma'am…calm down… tell me what happening?"

"I hared gun shots… there's a baby in there." She pleaded now gripping onto me. At the sound of baby, and gun shots in the same sentence we both reacted. I pushed the woman back and told her firmly.

"Stay here…and wait for back up to arrive and tell them what you told me. Exactly – tell them two officers have gone in!"

She nodded though the fear and concern. "Save her…"

"I'll do my best!" I explain. I hear Smith is radioing it behind me – I turn and look at him. Then with a nod we both proceed up the steps. It's a huge house, in an affluent area of Vegas. We get called to endless disturbances here but this is one of my first, on this side of Vegas that gun shots have been sounded.

"Curtis… should we wait for back up?" Smith asks.

I shake my head, "We don't have time. Just cover me, and watch yourself" I try too look through a window but see nothing. The curtains are all drawn shut. "Shit…" I can hear shouting and raised voices and what sounds like furniture been thrown. "Okay…" I whisper. "No point in knocking… lets go around the back!"

As we proceed around the side of the house the cries of a baby echo out. This pushes me into cop mode. I rush around to the back door happy that they trust their neighbors enough to leave it open. I push my way in and then look back at Smith to make sure he's there. I should announce I'm here – scream out to them but that may make things worse. Instead I manage to move my way through the mess that was the kitchen – as we get to the doorway of the kitchen I notice the stairs to my left and the shouting coming from the room to my right. I turn to smith – "Go get the kid!"

"Curtis…"

"Look, we need to get the kid, get him out of here … if this kicks off we can't let the kid be here." I point to the room over from the stairs where the kid is crying from. "Give it to the neighbor and get the hell back in here!" I'm senior office, he's no more than a kid – I can't push him into the shit and I get the kid. I'd never forgive myself.

Its then as Smith moved his way slowly across the room with the child I hared the guy scream from the room – "I'LL KILL YOU ALL…I'LL KILL YOU BEFORE YOU LEAVE ME!"

I moved in, no looking slowly around the corner and holding out my gun. The scene before me was awful – he was blood cover – not his own however, it was hers. She was beaten and bruised on the floor – he had a gun held on her as he stood towered above. That was until I shouted out, and the gun turned to face me.

"LVPD… PUT DOWN THE GUN AND STEP BACK!"

Now the barrel was pointed at me, and the woman was weeping on the floor. "Get the hell out of my house!" He demanded, "Or I'll kill you both"