Sorry it has been a while, EnJOy!
Kowalski, Rico, and Private walked into their apartment softly. They went down the hallway and into the living room to think, only to jump in complete surprise.
"Skipper!" Kowalski hissed "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be at the hospital!"
Skipper looked out of the window, his mind racing with thoughts about the case. "The hospital can wait, at least until they find out I'm gone."
"You mean you didn't even get permission to leave!" Kowalski tried to push his anger down "Skipper, we know you want to work on the case, but you are hurt, burned pretty badly!"
Private tried to calm the situation "we'd tell you of any updates-"
Skipper sighed and interrupted him "I know you would." He turned around sharply, revealing a small burn on his chin. The burn was barely noticeable compared to the ones hidden underneath his sleeves where he was mainly hit. "But my pain is not that bad, I'll heal and live, but right now what really matters is bringing a family to justice."
Kowalski breathed in deeply, knowing that fighting wasn't going to stop Skipper's stubbornness. "Okay, fine. But if anything else happens promise me you'll-"
"Yeah, yeah" Skipper said rolling his eyes and looked out of the window. It was dark out, soft rain pattered on the window. The day passed by quickly after the fire and Skipper was mad that he wasted a full day AND the interview with the Marter's.
He heard shuffling as Rico and Private went off to get ready for bed, Kowalski sat on the couch, wanting to calm the heat with Skipper and tell him of the interview.
"So...I'm guessing you want to know about the interview…" an awkward silence aroused as Skipper didn't respond. Kowalski cleared his throat "do you?"
"Hm?" Skipper tilted his head "Oh, yeah, course go ahead" he sat down on the couch rubbing his forehead slightly.
Kowalski, not wanting to stir up another argument, pretended not to notice. "Well," he started "when we walked in there it looked like a normal house, nothing strange seemed to going on...we tried to look for signs of the drinking but...we couldn't find anything. We asked them the usual questions about if she was up to anything, acting strange or paranoid, had any enemies. They said no."
"You sure it wasn't because they were her parents and were trying to make her look good?" Skipper asked.
"No, seemed like they meant it. Plus, that is what everyone else has been saying. We asked them about her friend, uh, Julie."
"And?"
"Alicia's father scoffed, started talking badly about her. Started to talk about how she was one of those that 'point at your faults'."
"You think he was talking about the drinking?"
"Probably, but we found no sight of any of that anywhere, not even drinks with alcohol in the kitchen."
"Well, they were expecting you guys, probably wanted to clean the place up...maybe even the father too, after all maybe when he wasn't presentable he was drunk."
"I think those burns have somehow caused you to think clearer."
"Well then maybe I should get burned more often." They both chuckled a bit.
Kowalski looked at him carefully "I hope you don't mind that we invited her over."
"When?"
"Tonight."
"Tonight?" Skipper looked at him strangely.
"Well, her apartment is burned down, where is she and Tina supposed to stay?"
"What about Matilda?"
"Well, we talked to them after we visited you and they said that Matilda was supposed to leave that night but after the fire she wanted to stay longer. Of course, though, there was no where to stay. Marlene finally convinced Matilda to go home and then while you were at the hospital we let them stay here. Tina didn't want to be alone though so they both just slept in your bed…"
"How come none of their stuff is here?"
"Their building was on fire, Skipper, what do you expect?"
"Does the killer have to do with the fire?"
"What? No. It was their neighbors...they need to be a lot more careful when handling a cigarette."
"Oh" Skipper simply said "how are Matilda and Tina?"
"They're good, slightly burned, nothing terrible...like yours."
"That's good" Skipper said awkwardly, he secretly hoped that Marlene would knock on the door to end the conversation.
"Why did you do it?" Kowalski asked quietly, hoping it wouldn't bother Skipper.
"Would you have done it?"
"After some logical thinking possibly and-"
"There is a difference between us two, I go with my gut."
Kowalski looked at him skeptically "and did your gut say 'run into the flames with no protection?'"
"Well, when you say it like that-"
"Skipper, you didn't even know if they were still alive or if you would've have come out with them or not."
"It wasn't about me though, it was about them."
"Sometimes you selflessness bothers me." Skipper slightly chuckled. Kowalski smiled "I think that you laughed more now then you have for years."
"It...It's probably just the burns" Skipper said taken aback "pro-probably making me woozy."
"Mmmmm, no, I don't think so."
Skipper looked at him a bit sharply "Then what do you think it is? The rain?"
A soft knock echoed into the living room and Kowalski grinned.
"I think that just answered your question."
Before Skipper could ask him what he meant by that, or think about it, Kowalski left to go open the door.
Skipper heard them come into the hallway and stood up.
"I'm sorry I'm late" Marlene said "Tina and I were-"
Kowalski interrupted, "it's fine, you're going through a lot at the moment, really, it is fine. Well, I best be going to bed, I'll see you in the morning." Marlene nodded and Kowalski turned around, secretly winking at Skipper before he went down the hallway. Skipper warmed up, not knowing if it was because of the burns or the fact that he realized what Kowalski was implying.
Marlene turned to Skipper and guilt flashed across her face, she turned to Tina and crouched down.
"Sweetheart, how about you go to the bathroom before going to bed, and brush your teeth okay?"
Tina smiled and nodded before heading to the bathroom.
When she disappeared, Marlene turned to Skipper "I'm so-"
Skipper put his hand up, "no apologies please" he said "I did this out of my own free will."
Marlene bit her lip "I know but you didn't have to-"
"But I did, and Tina and Matilda are okay, that is what matters."
"Can I atleast say thank you?"
"You just did."
Marlene laughed quietly "that's not what I meant."
"I know, it's a good thing you came while I was awake."
"Oh? Why?"
"I was wondering who's toothbrush that was."
Marlene laughed again "yeah, we are going to need a lot of new...everything practically."
"Well if you need help, let us know."
Marlene shook her head "you've already helped way too much, I'm having trouble keeping up with how much I owe you."
"How many times do I have to tell you, you don't owe me anything, it is my job."
"A lot."
"Ah, so I've noticed."
Marlene smiled as Tina came out in her new pajamas.
"Now you go ahead and try to sleep while I go to the bathroom, okay?"
Tina yawned "I think it'll be...easy."
"I can sleep on the couch, you can both sleep in my room if you want" Skipper said.
"Oh, no" Marlene said "those burns are pretty bad, you should sleep in your bed instead of a couch. Huh, I'm surprised they even let you out of the hospital."
Skipper fake laughed "haha, yeah, when they...let me go."
Marlene looked at him weirdly before going to the bathroom. She closed the door and closed her eyes.
Goodness gracious she said blushing. Matilda telling her about how he might understand her pain ran through her head as she got ready. He really does she thought he really, really does.
When she finished and opened the door she heard soft giggling, which she recognized as Tina's. She walked quietly to the living room to find Skipper telling her a story to help her sleep. Something in Marlene calmed down, a sense of peace and happiness.
Skipper woke up in his bed feeling dizzy, he got out and swallowed some headache medicine he put next to his bed.
He blinked several times in hope that everything would focus a bit more. He then looked at the bed, seeing a woman and her child laying there, some sort of tension in the woman's sleep, which was supposed to be peaceful like her child's. He wanted to go pet her hair and tell her things were fine, that the fire was nothing…
The officer shook his head and swallowed another pill.
So? What do you think is going to happen next? Tell me what you though of this chapter. Again, sorry it has been a while. PLeAse REviEw!