Chapter 10
Disclaimer: I do not own CSI
A/N: slight violence in this chapter, a lot of anger and angst from Krystal
David Hodges watched as his tough-as-nails, beautiful, smart niece went downhill. After the death of her Marcy Green, whom she found out, was her half-sister, she changed practically overnight. She started to back-talk David and Wendy, skipped school and began to rebel even more. Although she was only ten, and attitudes to change in ten year olds, David and Wendy were very shocked to see Krystal's enormous change.
Wendy, was woken up by a very loud conversation between David and Krystal. David was running late for his shift and Krystal was mouthing off to him. Jonathan and his tutor were completely oblivious to this as they were in Jonathan's room working on the newest math computer program David has purchased for their tutoring sessions.
"Krystal, stop, I don't have time for this. You are NOT going to any dance at the high school tonight! You are ten years old. I don't care if all your friends are going you are not. It is only Wednesday night and you have homework to do and school tomorrow. That is final."
"Do you two realize how loud you are?" Wendy said rubbing her eyes.
"He's being unreasonable Wendy!" Krystal said crossing her arms and pouting.
"What is the issue?" Wendy asked. She didn't know the details.
"She wants to go to a high school dance. It is a Wednesday night and she has school."
"But all my friends are going! Do you realize what they're going to say to me tomorrow at school if I don't show?"
David stood his ground. "You are not going and that is final."
Krystal looked at him defiantly. "You are not my father. I am going whether you like it or not!" she said and slammed out of the house.
David checked his watch. "I'll go after her. You call the lab tell them I'm going to be late."
Wendy nodded as he went after his niece.
Meanwhile at the lab…………..
"Where is Hodges? He was supposed to be her an hour ago! We have a ton of trace to be analyzed right away!" Nick complained.
"Call him on his cell Nick, stop whining!" Catherine told him.
Nick muttered under his breath.
Judy, the receptionist, just then showed up in Catherine's office with a message. "Ms. Willows, Wendy Simms just called with a message from David Hodges, she says that David is going to be late tonight. There is an issue regarding the niece."
Catherine smiled at her. "Thank you for the message Judy, can you please let Nick, Greg and Sara know too. Hodges has been under so much stress lately, we should cut him a break.
Judy nodded and went to tell the others. That didn't sit well with Nick. He exploded into a tirade. Catherine, hearing his tirade walked down the hall to where Nick and the others were, in the DNA lab. (they had been talking to the swing DNA tech)
"Nick, my office NOW" Catherine told him. To the others she just nodded.
"Nick are you asking for a suspension?" she asked.
"No. Of course not."
"Then why are you acting like a fool and yelling at Judy and your co-workers?"
"I don't think what Hodges is doing is right. He is just sluffing off on his work and it's going to be piling up and we are going to be behind because of him."
Catherine rubbed her temples. "Nick, you've been a CSI for a very long time. Hodges has been a trace tech for a very long time, but a surrogate dad he has not. He has taken custody of his very sensitive niece and nephew. His niece just suffered a horrible trauma and is rebelling. We, his friends and colleagues need to give him a break. Despite his attitude, David Hodges is a good person!" she said. "Now you go and apologize to Judy and the others and maybe ask the swing trace tech to stay on until David arrives. But ask him nice or he won't."
Nick, humbled, went and apologized to Judy and the others and asked the swing trace tech to stay on until David arrived. The trace tech told Nick he could stay on for a maximum of two more hours then he needed to get home to his wife and family. Nick said that would be a fine compromise.
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Meanwhile, David Hodges had caught up with Krystal.
"Stop it please stop it!" she cried when Hodges had hold of her and was trying to talk to her.
"Get your paws off her you pervert!" said a voice.
Hodges turned to chastise the person who said that, but it turned out to be a little old lady.
"Ma'am this is my niece, please butt out of this." He said kindly but firmly.
"I said get your paws off that innocent child!" the woman said and hit him on the head with her purse, making him let go of Krystal.
"Go to the police station kid, and get yourself checked out!" the lady said.
Shaking his head, not wanting to continue the conversation he just walked away.
Krystal had disappeared and David searched all over the neighbourhood and could not find her.
He called the lab who patched him through to Catherine.
"Catherine Willows" she said.
"Hi Catherine it's Hodges, um I won't be in tonight, there is an issue with Krystal." He said.
"What happened? Why can't you come in? The swing tech can't cover for your entire shift."
"Krystal is rebelling big time. Um, I think I'm going to need the contact name at Butterfield."
Catherine gave a laugh. "Ah – I understand. You are at a crossroad like I was with Lindsay"
"Yes something like that, only Krystal is younger than Lindsay was."
"Not by much Hodges, not by much. Ok. I will find that contact name and call you back. Do you need Brass or anyone to help find Krystal?"
"I have an idea where she is. The high school her sister and brother go to is having a dance and for some reason invited the elementary school. I have no idea why. I just want my sweet Krystal back."
"She has been through some serious trauma David. Have you given some thought to getting her counseling?"
"Yes, but I doubt she will go. She has become very defiant lately."
"I gotta go, there's chaos reining here in the lab. " Catherine said as she heard some kerfuffle outside her office.
Catherine got off the phone and looked out to see what the situation was. A tall man, who looked a lot like Hodges was standing at reception yelling at Judy.
"Excuse me sir, what seems to be the problem."
"I want to speak to David Hodges NOW."
"He is not in tonight. Who are you?"
"I am his brother Andrew."
"I-I thought you were arrested for the arson and murder of two people?"
He smirked at her. "Bailed out by my Muffy" he said.
"Why do you want to see David?"
"None of your business." He replied.
"Mr. Hodges, you must stop acting so hostile. Why do you need to see your brother."
"He was spotted harassing my daughter, holding on to her and when she said 'no' luckily some passerby hit him on the head with her purse."
Catherine couldn't believe that David would do such a thing. "Where is Krystal now?"
"Where she belongs, back home with me and Muffy."
"You need to bring her to the station now sir, you do not have custody of Krystal."
"Jonathan is in our care too. Muffy removed him from the home a short time ago. We are going to undo all the brainwashing you did to our children. Jonathan is going back into the regular school."
Wendy came in out of breath, her clothes slightly torn. She looked at Andrew standing there at reception and collapsed into a chair.
"Wendy? A-are you ok?"
She looked at Catherine. "Do I look ok?"
Catherine directed a look at Andrew Hodges. "Either you call Muffy and tell her to bring Krystal and Jonathan to the station or I will have Captain Brass and his policemen storm the house and bring them in."
Andrew stood face to face. "No"
Brass, who just happened to be in the area separated Andrew from Catherine. "My men are now on the way to your house. They are storming it as I stand here. You are in a lot of trouble buddy."
"My brother was the one who was touching my daughter!"
The police brought Muffy and the two children into CSI. The children sat at reception while Andrew and Muffy were brought to PD.
Catherine got on the phone with Hodges.
"The children are fine David, they are here at PD. They look shaken and a little catatonic, especially Jonathan, but we will have someone speak to them about what happened."
"I'm on my way. Is Wendy there by any chance? She just left her work clothes in such a disarray, and the door to the house unlocked. That is not like Wendy."
"David she's here, but… just come in and see for yourself." Catherine told him gently.