Author's Note:
Hey everyone... I AM SO SORRY for the lack of updates! I was at School, and my computer died. And I damn near lost everything. SO I am in the process of working to put everything back together on my mom's computer... And hoping for a new computer soon! That being said, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE bear with me. I am on break for a while so I promise LOTS of updates, They just might be awhile in coming.
Anytime you need a friend:
Chapter 25:
The next day, Spike woke up to rattling downstairs that seemed to be coming from the kitchen. He padded down the stairs in his boxers to see Callie cooking breakfast. As well as she could with one hand to move heavy things. Spike leaned against the doorway of the stairs and watched her for a few minutes. She had headphones on and was dancing around the kitchen.
Callie was having herself a great time in the kitchen doing her own thing. She was cooking breakfast and listening to music, bobbing her head every few seconds. She had discovered a new song by her favorite group, The Backstreet Boys. She had discovered a passion for their music. She went on the computer and downloaded several of their songs. She was currently listening to the new song "Story of my life" on repeat.
While Spike watched her bounce around the kitchen, she started softly singing out loud along with the song. He caught only a few mere words of the song, but the words that he did catch gave him remarkable insight into his daughter's feelings and how she had been struggling with so many things and made him so thankful that he was able to spend the days with her.
It's hard to be strong
No right seems wrong
And nobody hears what you say
So don't be afraid
Hold on to your faith
I swear to you there will be better days
So, staring at the wall
Feeling ten feet small
It's like the world is on your shoulders
Everybody falls, everybody cries
Everybody feels like a nobody sometimes
You get up again, give it one more try
Everybody's got what it takes on the inside
Spike wiped a couple tears away and sniffled quietly, while sneaking back upstairs to his room before Callie saw him listening to her sing. He didn't want to embarrass her with telling her that he had heard her singing. He went into his room and knelt down beside his bed, bowed his head, was silent for a moment and spoke.
"God, I thank you so much Father for my daughter. I didn't have the years to watch her grow from a baby into a little girl and to the young woman that she is today, but she has shown me that she is an amazing young woman and I thank you so much Father. Amen" When he was done, he stayed there for a moment before rising and going to take a shower.
When he was finished showering, he got dressed quickly in his jeans and a blue button down dress shirt. He grabbed a pair of socks from his dresser noting absently that he had to do laundry soon and padded downstairs to see Callie setting the table for breakfast and talking to Greg. He yawned and announced his presence to them, noticing that Callie had put three plates on the table.
"Good Morning Callie. Hi Boss. What brings you here so early?" He sat down and they served themselves food and started eating. Greg looked a little upset and Spike didn't question him further with Callie sitting there with them so he let it go for the time being and instead told Callie that after she was done eating that she had to go upstairs and get dressed and ready to go to her doctor's appointment.
After a few minutes, Callie did just that, calling over her shoulder that Spike could do up the dishes. After she was gone, Spike refilled his and Greg's coffee before sitting down at the table again to find Greg with a file folder open in front of him. Spike didn't like the look of it, but waited patiently for Greg to clue him in. While he waited, he nibbled on a piece of bacon.
"Spike, we have a small problem. The lineup has been moved up. It is now right after Callie's doctor's appointment. Sanchez's attorney sees having it later in the day as a stalling tactic. We all know that it's a bogus claim, but I think what they are trying to do is get Callie off guard and off her game so that she makes mistakes. Making it a better chance that Sanchez walks." Spike nodded. Greg continued talking after taking a sip of his coffee.
"Another thing that you should know. The lawyer is also saying that Callie needs to undergo a psychiatric evaluation by an independent Psychologist. He wants to be sure that we aren't feeding Callie information to help her, 'railroad' his upstanding client." Spike snorted and stood up. Greg let him pace for a couple minutes before gesturing him to sit.
"Don't worry Spike. I am obviously leaving the decision up to you. But I know the guy that they want her to see. He's a sleaze. No telling what he will bring up to try and rattle her. The lawyer is also saying that he doesn't want you in the room with her when she does the lineup, or when she meets with the psychologist. Like I said, he is trying anything and everything to throw her off her game."Spike snorted again and flopped into his chair.
"Well. No, not going to happen. I will be in the room when she does the lineup. No way in hell am I allowing her to go through it alone. They can try all they want to make me not be there. Not going to happen. She's still a minor. If I can't be in there, someone who will look out for my daughter will be." Greg nodded and put a finger to his lips. Just then Callie clattered down the stairs and put her socks and shoes on.
"Dad, Can we get going soon please? I really want to get this cast off, and get the lineup done later and out of the way. I still don't see why I have to do it. I already told you all everything. I have some things that I really want to do today before you go to work tonight. It's the weekend; I want to go with you to work tonight." Spike frowned.
"Yes. We can get going in a moment. Greg and I were talking Callie. Please don't interrupt. It's not polite and you know it. Go get my jacket and yours and my wallet please. I will meet you in the truck." Callie shrugged and hurried upstairs to do as asked. When she had left, Greg looked at Spike with a smile and clapped him on the shoulder.
"You have your hands full with that one. Independent and opinionated, but gentle. Tell her what we talked about, so she's not walking in blind. She deserves to know that her credibility is being called into question by them. That way she can contain her reaction when confronted with it at the station. And if she wants to come to the station, that's fine with me. I don't mind and you know that." Greg said his goodbyes and left. Spike and Callie left a few minutes later.
On the way, Callie chatted about classes and projects and the fact that Clark asked her out on a date the next night. Spike could tell that Callie really cared about Clark a lot and he was secretly glad that she wasn't a hermit hiding out in her room in fear of guys. She had come so very far since he met her that first day on the ledge. He listened intently to what she was saying as she was talking about getting a jump on college classes.
"Callie. The line up got moved to this morning right after your dr. appointment. Are you up to doing it so soon? Because if you aren't, I will let Greg know and he will do what he can to push it back. Also I know that you won't like this idea, but his attorney is pushing for you to have a psychological evaluation with an independent psychologist. His attorney wants to be sure that you are mentally incompetent to accuse Sanchez so the identification won't stick in front of a judge." Callie laughed.
"That's fine. Let him. I don't care anymore. They won't find anything worth using. I have nothing to hide. Yeah I am up to the lineup. The sooner it is over, the better. I want to get this cast off first, and then deal with the idiot. Is that ok Dad? Everything I say, and the identifying Mr. Sanchez will stick in front of a judge. I have every reason to believe that." Spike nodded enthusiastically, making her laugh out loud. They talked the rest of the way to the hospital.
When they got there, Callie was ushered in almost immediately. They cut the cast off and cracked it open. Callie was fascinated by the cracking open of the cast. The doctor sent her back for x-rays, which came back immediately. Callie tried moving her fingers a little at a time, and was a little upset when she couldn't move them. Spike explained that was because she hadn't moved them for some time. They needed time to come back online and move.
The doctor was waiting for them when the nurse wheeled her back into the room. Callie could tell by the look on his face that she was getting another cast. She mentally rolled her eyes and smiled at the doctor, who smiled back. She hopped back on the table, with Spike's help and waited. Spike sat in the visitor's chair, listening to the doctor trying to explain something to an intern before turning back to them after the intern hurried off.
"Well Callie, Mr. Scarlatti- Sorry, Spike. It is nice to see you both again. How has the wrist been Callie?" Callie explained the pain that she had been having off and on, the near constant swelling that she had noticed in the past week. She also mentioned the items that she had been trying to lift and the frustration at not being able to work out. The doctor listened and made notes in her chart. When she was finished talking, he looked at her.
"Well. I have good news and bad news. The good news is that your wrist is healing nicely. In a couple months you should be able to start working out on a limited basis. I don't recommend doing any contact moves for at least another six months. The bad news is that I am not comfortable with you not having something protecting that wrist. So you are getting another cast." He cut Callie off before she could protest too much.
"But there is some more good news. I am giving you a brace to wear, that you can take off at night to sleep and when you bathe. Anytime you are up and around, you are to wear it. I want you to also spend 10 minutes a day trying to flex and work your wrist. Only ten minutes. No more." Callie nodded and smiled at the doctor before hopping off of the bed.
The doctor put the new brace on and sent Callie and Spike on their way after giving them some care instructions and a prescription for more pain pills. They drove over to the police station where the line up would be held. When they got there, Seth was waiting for them at the entrance. Spike threw his arm around him and give him a quick hug. Callie waited for them.
"Seth! What on earth are you doing here? Who called you? Actually, you know something, it doesn't really matter right now. Am I ever glad to see you. I really need your help with this stupid lineup." They walked as they talked. Callie had already wandered up the stairs ahead of them and had sat down on a bench waiting.
"Ed called me Spike. Said that Callie has to identify someone that hurt her and that you were not being allowed in the room with her while she does so. I was also told that they are trying to get her to meet with some shrink. They seem to have a real grudge against and hard on for you. Can you think of anyone that would want to separate the two of you?"
"The only people that I can think of that have ever made trouble for me would be her grandparents on her mothers side. Eileen and Marcus. You know that they took me to court. We have a fair relationship, but far from perfect. I have not heard from them in awhile. Seems a little strange actually now that you think about it. They came to me awhile back, wanting visitation, and I have only heard from them once since the night they took us to dinner."
They walked in and spotted Callie chattering away with Greg, who was there strictly to observe the lineup and the meeting with the Psychologist. They stopped and talked for a few minutes to explain how a lineup worked before letting the desk sergeant know that they were ready. Before they entered the room, Callie tugged on Spike's sleeve and whispered in his ear.
"Well Dad. Let's get this over with. I have places that I would really rather be right now. If I don't want to answer a question that the shrink asks me, I can refuse to answer right? I mean I know that uncle Greg will be in there, but I don't want to answer embarressing questions. Is that ok?" Spike nodded and nudged her into the room so they could get the interview over with.