A/N: Welp, this is it, the final chapter. I think I started this fic around Thanksgiving, 2009 so it's a huge relief to finally finish it. I don't think I'm done with Brass just yet but I'm not sure when I'll get around to finishing the other fic that's been a work in progress even longer than this one.
I'd like to thank everyone who stuck with the story and most especially, I want to thank those of you who took time to leave a review. Once again, I'm very tardy personally thanking some of you but just know I appreciate it very much! It was great to know that there are still some Brass fans out there.
Jim sat on the edge of his bed and stared at the closed door for what seemed like forever. He'd been summoned from the comfort of his recliner for some still unknown reason and in the background he could tell he'd just missed either a fight or a goal in the game he'd been watching. Puffing out his cheeks as he expelled a deep breath, he was pondering the idea of going back to the game when the door finally opened, revealing Annie in a little black dress and a pair of black patent Ember platform pumps that made her already long legs seem even longer.
"Too much?" she said in response to Jim's gaping stare.
Slowly he shook his head. "Just enough. Anything more and I'll have competition. You look…amazing." As he spoke, he realized that this was the first time he'd ever seen her really dressed up – and not in an undercover prostitute kind of way.
She turned around and pulled back her long hair, finally revealing the reason for his existence. "Zip me up, please?"
Getting up, he gladly did as she asked.
"I think the heels might be a little over the top but I'm not sure when I'll ever get the chance to wear them again." They'd spent most of the previous day out and about in Las Vegas, hitting the Forum Shops at Caesars as well as the Liberace Museum, which Annie found to be surprisingly entertaining. Tonight, she was going to the Celine Dion concert at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace with Catherine Willows.
"Ideally, I don't think you should leave the house looking like that, not without me anyway, but given that most of the audience will either be women or gay men, I think you should wear them." He rested his hands on her shoulders and nuzzled her neck.
Shaking her head and laughing, she said, "There is something very wrong with that statement but I'll go with yes, I should wear them."
"What time is Catherine supposed to pick you up?"
"She should be here any minute." She turned in his arms so that she was facing him. "So don't start something you can't finish."
The chime of the doorbell announced Catherine's arrival.
"All right, I can take a hint," he said, planting a quick kiss on Annie's lips. "It's all your fault, you know. If you didn't look so damn hot in that dress..."
Swatting him on the ass as he started to walk away, she said, "Go answer the door, please."
"Yes, ma'am," he said, giving his butt a wiggle before disappearing down the hallway. As the doorbell chimed again, Jim called out loudly, "Annie, honey, your date's here," then opened to door to a scowling Catherine Willows looking gorgeous in black trousers and low cut silk blouse in a pattern that reminded him of snakeskin.
"I heard that," she said, pelting him in the gut with her clutch as she stepped inside.
"Ow! Hey, I'm injured, remember?"
"You'll live." Catherine came into the living room and looked around. "Not the first time I've been to your house but I think it's the first time I've been inside. You have a nice place."
"Surprised?"
Catherine smiled warmly. "I'm sure it has benefitted greatly from having Annie around."
Hooking his thumbs in his pockets, he looked down at his sock-clad feet. "Yeah, definitely. I'm going to miss her when she leaves in a couple of days."
"Not sticking around for your birthday?"
"Nah, she has to be at work on the second so she's heading back New Year's Day." Jim followed Catherine's gaze to the picture sitting on the end table next to the sofa and silently cursed himself for leaving it out.
"Cute baby," she said, picking up the frame. "Is this Ellie?"
Jim shook his head. "Uh, no." He wanted to tell her that it was a picture of his son but he couldn't bring himself to say the words, mostly because he didn't want all the questions that would follow. Luckily, Catherine didn't ask.
"Ah, I remember when Lindsey was that tiny. Almost makes me want another one." She set the frame down. "Almost."
Jim raised his eyebrows. "Yeah."
"Oh, did Sam call you?"
"No, why?" For a moment he worried that something had happened to Rosie.
"The aunt finally showed up. Apparently, she had car trouble on the drive down from Reno. Sam said the girl was very excited to see her and she was equally excited to see the girl."
"That's great news." Jim forced a smile for Catherine's benefit but he wasn't sure she was buying it. Hearing footsteps down the hallway, he was relieved to see Annie. "Catherine was just telling me that Rosie's aunt finally arrived."
"Oh, yeah?" Annie looked from Jim to Catherine and then back to Jim and in a very brief moment he saw a flash of the very same disappointment he'd felt. "That's a relief."
"Hey, before I forget." Catherine reached into her clutch. "Annie, you were asking about Jim and Sexy Kitty? I found this." She handed her a 3x5 picture of Jim walking next to a big, blue cat in a leopard print bikini.
Annie took one look at the picture and promptly burst out laughing. "Honey, I will never doubt anything you ever tell me about this city."
"I told you, you can't make this shit up." Leaning in for a kiss from Annie, he said, "You two behave."
"Don't wait up," Catherine said, tossing back her hair as she followed Annie out the front door.
-xxx-
It was after midnight when Catherine dropped Annie off at Jim's and although the lights were out in the house, he'd left the porch light on for her. Using her key, she quietly opened the front door, cringing at the very loud creak. The television in the living room was still on and as she expected, Jim was sacked out in the recliner, the melted bags of peas and corn against his ribs. Lifting the wet bags by the corners, water dripping onto the floor, Annie carried them to the kitchen and tossed them into the trash. Taking the box from the Walgreens bag she'd brought with her, she removed the brand new ice pack, and stuck it in the freezer.
"Hey," he said, dragging the palm of his hand over his eye. "I didn't hear you come in."
Annie came over and sat on the arm of the chair, slowly toeing off one shoe and then the other. "You were down for the count."
"How was the concert?"
"Fabulous! Thank you again, Jimmy. And thanks for giving up your ticket to Catherine. I'm not sure it would have been your thing, you know, since you're not a woman or a gay man."
"Good point." Patting her leg, she took the hint and got up so he could lower the footrest.
"What did you do all evening?"
"Nothing much." The look and smile he gave her told her there was more he wasn't saying but she was too tired to pursue it. "How bout I help you out of that dress?"
"How bout I help you out of those jeans?"
"Seems fair." Getting up from the chair, he switched off the television and followed her down the hall.
-xxx-
He was leaning against the kitchen counter, nursing a cup of coffee when Annie strolled into the room wearing an oversized t-shirt, her hair tangled on one side. Stifling a smile, he said, "Morning sunshine."
"How long have you been up?" Not waiting for an answer, she accepted the mug he held out for her and quickly filled her own cup.
"Long enough to make coffee." He moved over to the refrigerator and grabbed the milk.
"Thanks."
"Feel like having breakfast out this morning? I was thinking we might take a ride."
"A ride?"
"A ride. Come with me." He took her by the hand and led her out the side door.
"Jimmy, I'm not really dressed for the neighbors."
"We'll be in the garage. Besides, you're dressed."
"Barely," she muttered unhappily as he motioned for her to go through the side entrance of the warm garage.
"A ride," Jim repeated, following her inside.
"Do you have a license to operate this thing?" Arms crossed over her chest, Annie was referring to the black Harley Davidson Softail Fatboy sitting in the middle of the rather pristine space.
"What, are you a traffic cop now? Had a Ducati for a while when I first came to Vegas. Got my certification then. Want to see my license, officer?"
"I believe you. Why'd you get rid of the Ducati?"
"It got rid of itself." Running his hand along his right hip, he cringed at the memory.
It amazed him how high her left eyebrow could go. "Should I ask what happened?"
"Let's just say I swerved to avoid some debris in the road. The bike did not."
"Well, you're in one piece so I guess that tells me all I need to know. You sure you want to try this again?"
"I didn't develop of fear of motorcycles. I bought this one a few years ago but haven't ridden it in a while."
"What made you decide to break it out now?"
He shrugged. "I don't know. I saw a commercial," he wasn't going to go into any more details than that considering he'd been at the Blue Rail when he saw the commercial. "Until a few years ago I used to ride up to Red Rock Canyon every chance I had to clear my head. After all the shit that has happened, I thought it might be good to do it again."
"Are you sure you want company for this little excursion? Sounds like it's meant to be a lone wolf kind of thing."
"Sweetheart, there's nothing I want more than to have you along. I thought it might be nice to show you there's more to Vegas than all the glitz and glitter of the Strip." He hitched a thumb over his left shoulder. "I bought you a helmet and you can borrow a jacket. We can stop at Frank's, grab a bite to eat, and then head up to Red Rock, Mount Charleston, Cathedral Rock, and Bonanza Peak."
"Give me time to get ready?"
"Be ready to roll in half an hour? And dress warm. It'll be cold up there."
She met him in the garage thirty-five minutes later dressed in a pair of jeans and tugging on a jacket over an old Las Vegas Wranglers sweatshirt, making him smile.
"I hope you don't mind if I borrow this," she said, referring to the sweatshirt.
His smile widened. "I may never wash it again." He was only half joking. Jim Brass would never admit it but he really was a sentimental guy.
As she settled onto the seat behind him and adjusted her helmet, she said, "Promise you'll steer clear of road debris."
Swinging his leg over, he fastened his helmet and then fired up the big bike. "The debris was the back fender of the car in front of me. Flew off and hit my front tire and down I went. It was a fluke accident."
"Well, that makes me feel better."
-xxx-
Every city had a cop hangout and Frank's was the place that served all of Las Vegas' finest. Nearly every detective and CSI who wandered into the place and spotted Jim either came by to say hello or offered up a friendly wave. However, only one or two of the uniformed officers acknowledged Jim, something that still bothered him. It would take longer than just a month to earn their trust again. He only hoped it wasn't while on a call, when they were supposed to have his back. He'd been through that before in New Jersey. He'd broken the blue code of silence back then, challenging the long-standing tradition of looking the other way. But no matter how dirty Mike O'Toole was, a cop never turned on one of his brothers. And they were never going to let him forget that.
Sitting in a booth with a view of the door, Jim watched two Marines in full uniform walk into the restaurant. Locking eyes with both men, he gave a slight head nod, receiving the same in return.
Turning in her seat to see what he was looking at, Annie saw the men. "Do you know them?"
"Not really. I'm pretty sure they're from the recruiting station across the street. I've seen them in here a few times."
"How come you never talk about your time in the Marines?"
"There's a lot I don't want to remember about my time in the Marines." He sat back as the waitress appeared to refill his mug and then leaned forward, quietly stirring a packet of sugar into his coffee. Staring into the steaming black liquid, he realized it was a part of his life that Annie had never been privy to but maybe it was time he talked about it. Swallowing hard, he spoke softly. "The one thing that will always stay with me is the day I left. I took off on a plane filled with guys like me, just out of boot camp. We were laughing, joking, talking shit about how we were going to kick their asses. When we landed in DaNang, they were loading what seemed like an endless line of body bags onto the plane next to us. You could have heard a pin drop on our plane. It was the tail-end of the war but we still understood the enormity of it. And a lot of those guys, they went home just like that: in body bags. I don't know how I didn't." He looked up through his eyebrows, waiting for Annie to say something but she didn't. She was letting him talk and he appreciated it.
"When I came home, I was in a dark place. I saw some pretty horrific things. I had anger issues. People were scared to be around me. They didn't know how I would react and honestly, I didn't know either. Nancy, she stuck with me. I was like an abused dog, cornered and ready to fight anyone who came near. I don't know, maybe she liked me better that way." He shrugged and took a sip of his coffee. "All the time I spent in Southeast Asia and do you know what I thought about – besides getting laid? I thought about having a family. But Nancy wanted to wait. She wanted us to get settled first. So I decided to follow my uncle and my brother into law enforcement. I was a natural for it too. I'd already been through basic training with the Marines so going through the academy was nothing. I kept wondering when the right time would be – to start a family - and then one day I come home and she tells me she's pregnant. I was so happy until I did the math. I think I always knew Ellie wasn't mine but you know, there's always this part that doesn't believe, doesn't want to believe, the truth. And then, after a fight, she told me." He slowly let his gaze drift from the table to her. "I'm not sure why I told you all that except I thought you should know." He emphasized the statement with a raise of his eyebrows.
Reaching across the table, Annie slid her hand into his. "I'm glad you did."
"When I went to see Rosie the other day, I left there with this idea that maybe, if her aunt didn't show up, we could, you know, adopt her. But then Catherine told me and well, it was just a crazy thought anyway."
Annie let go of his hand. "It wasn't a crazy thought, Jimmy."
"What?" He'd been hesitant to confess that little truth so her response surprised him.
The waitress appeared at their table with a plate of eggs, bacon, toast, and hash browns for Jim and waffles for Annie.
"Well, it was a crazy idea but it was a crazy idea that I had too." She shrugged. "Actually, I had the thought more than once so maybe I'm crazier than you?"
-xxx-
Leaving Frank's, Jim took highway 95 out of Las Vegas and then turned west onto highway 157. His plan had been to ride up to Red Rock Canyon first but he decided to save it for the trip back so they could enjoy the view of the city at dusk.
As they zipped along the two-lane highway, the road surrounded on either side by creosote, bursage, shadscale scrub, and hopsage, the snow-capped peak of Mount Charleston loomed on the horizon. Jim wasn't really a guy who harmonized with nature but he wasn't so oblivious that he didn't appreciate the diversity of the Mojave Desert. Up here, away from all the glass and neon, he could pretend the realities of his life were gone, even if only briefly. It was New Year's Eve. Tomorrow was a new day of a new year - a new beginning and he'd be spending it with Annie. He had the opportunity to end the year on a high note and that's just what he intended to do. Unless of course she didn't agree.
They pulled off at the Spring Mountains Visitor Center, where they both hit their respective restrooms and then stretched their legs by taking a walk around the grounds. The sun was bright and warm, the air was crisp and cool, and when the breeze blew, the smell of pine mingled with the campfires from the nearby campgrounds.
"It's nice up here." Annie accepted the bottle of water that Jim had tucked into a saddlebag.
"Yeah, especially this time of the year when the place isn't overrun with locals trying to escape the heat."
"Is this under your jurisdiction?"
"We passed a police station on the way up here. Usually just a couple of uniforms work out of it. Anything that requires a detective and CSI, they call us."
"Really?"
"Yeah, as a matter of fact, we were up here earlier this year," he pointed with his water bottle, "at that campground we passed a few minutes ago. Guy killed his wife. Tried to claim he mistook her for a bear but there aren't any bears around here."
"I hesitate to ask if that was at all plausible."
Jim scrunched up his face. "Kinda."
"Do you ever come up here to camp?"
"Nah, but I should. I haven't been camping since I was a kid. Might be nice." He took another swig of water. "Would you go?"
"I would. Believe it or not, I camped a lot when I was a kid. We used to go up to this lake in upstate New York. They had cabins but we had to do the whole tent thing. My dad was a purist."
"Good for your dad. Ready to hit the road?"
"Not literally but yes."
A few miles further they pulled off the highway and onto a scenic overlook that provided a view of Cathedral Rock through the Ponderosa pines and white firs.
The wind blew Annie's hair into her face, causing her to briefly turn away. "It really is a little hard to believe that we're still in the Mojave Desert and Las Vegas is only about a half hour away."
"Yeah, when I first moved to Vegas, it was a lot more isolated up here. Now they're clearing land to build more houses. As a matter of fact, guy I work with has a place up here. I think it's off that road back there." Running his hand over his pocket, feeling the sweat on his palm, he reached into one of the saddlebags and took out a small, tan box. He hadn't really planned to do this now but they were alone on the stretch of road, surrounding by snow-capped mountains, and somehow it just seemed right. Taking a deep breath, he held out his hand and said, "This is for you."
Giving him an inquisitive look, she took the small box and slowly opened it exposing a tarnished silver Claddagh ring.
"It belonged to my mom and before that, it was my grandmother's. If I'd had a sister, it would have gone to her but my mom gave it to me to give to Ellie one day. Thing is, I think Ellie would just sell it for drug money so I kept it. I want you to have it."
"Jimmy, this was your mom's. You should keep it."
Shaking his head, he said, "No, I really want you to have it. I mean, unless you don't want it." He'd walked into so many tense situations over the span of his life; faced down crazed men shooting at him. But this, this made his mouth dry and his heart pound in his chest.
"I want it. I want it very much."
Feeling relieved, he smiled. "I'll let you decide how to wear it."
"What do you mean?"
"Right hand heart pointing up, you're in a relationship. Left hand heart pointing down, you're engaged."
"Jimmy, there's nothing I want more but we're at an impasse, aren't we? We both want the same thing but in the end, neither one of us is willing to make the sacrifices necessary to make it happen."
"I've given this a whole lot of thought the last few days and I want to make this distance thing work. I know it won't be easy. Everything you said about me needing someone to lean on is right. I know I messed things up in the past." Looking down, he stubbed the toe of his boot into the dirt and rock. "I could have had it all," he said, bringing his gaze up to hers. "I could have had you. I may not be the smartest guy out there but I do know a few truths. I know that I love you, that I am in love with you, and I know that you make me very happy. I also know that I'm not going to make the same mistake this time and I'll wait for as long as it takes." He didn't realize she was crying until he saw the tear after tear run down her cheek and onto the ground.
Taking the ring from the box, she held it out. "Why don't we take it slowly for now," she said, slipping it onto her right ring finger, heart pointing up. The ring was loose but not loose enough that it would fly off her finger.
Silently, he took her right hand in his and then leaned in and kissed her, deeply and passionately. And when the kiss finally ended, when they stood together in a warm embrace by the side of Kyle Canyon Road, Jim Brass realized for the first time in as long as he could remember, that he truly was a happy man.
Five Months Later
Three little words.
She was used to her phone ringing early in the morning or late at night. Sometimes he'd call just to say I love you before the start of a long shift or I miss you before heading to bed. Sometimes she'd purposely let his call go to voicemail just so she could listen to the sound of his voice over and over.
The phone number on her caller ID was unfamiliar but since it had been a Las Vegas area code, she had answered, fully expecting to hear Jim's voice.
"Annie, it's Gil Grissom."
Three little words.
"Jim's been shot."
The End