This chapter is loosly on murder sings the blues. All the bold is from the show and isn't mine. Thanks everyone for the reviews.
On a random note does anyone know the episode where Flack tells Jess she looks good in a vest? I can't find it on google.
Chapter 11:
Long Day
Jess felt the warmth of the sun on her face as it shone through the window. She yawned and stretched as she began to wake from her slumber. Her eyes slowly opened and it took a moment to remember where she was. Her brain finally connected the dots for her. She had been at Don's last night and she never went home.
Jess got up from where she had been sleeping. She looked around, she slept in Don's room. "Awesome" she thought to herself. The aroma of coffee brewing in the next room told her it was time to get up. She walked out of the bedroom to find Don making coffee "morning sleepy head" he smiled at her.
"Did I fall asleep last night?" Jess asked.
"You did. I slept out here on the couch" Don said. He wanted to make sure that she knew he had been a complete gentleman. Never for a moment did she think anything different.
"Don, you could have woke me," Jess said.
"You were too cute to wake" He smirked at her.
Jess blushed "well thanks for letting me crash" she replied
"Coffee?" He asked "than Tillary's?'
"I would love too" Jess said "but I'm going to Jersey today for my mom's birthday and if I'm late I will never hear the end of it. "
He pour the coffee into a travel mug "here" he said "you don't function without it"
Jess laughed "breakfast tomorrow" she said, taking the cup and walking towards the door.
"Breakfast tomorrow" Don agreed
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Jess sat on her father's couch listening to her brother, Andrew, share a memory of their mom. This was tradition, it had taken the Angell family a long time to get here after they lost her. Jess had only been nine when her mother was killed in the line of duty. However, they finally came to the point where they wanted to celebrate her life instead of mourning her death. So every year on her mom's birthday they got together for supper, to tell stories, and be together.
"I love that one," Cliff said after Andrew had finished. The memories and stories didn't change much over the years but they told them anyways.
"The pumpkin" Jess smiled.
"Love the pumpkin" Ryan laughed "the stain is still in the den"
"I loved going to the precinct with mom" Jess said remembering fondly a childhood memory.
The moment she said it she regretted. She could see Christopher's face.
"Let's finish after dessert" Sherry smiled warmly. Sherry had come into their lives a year after her mother's death and had been there ever since. Jess loved Sherry. She was a great step mom and never tried to replace their real mom.
They all agreed it was time to take a break from the stories and headed out of the living room and into the kitchen. The conversation turned to hockey as it always did in the Angell household when a topic needed to be changed.
Jess waited until they were in deep conversation and slipped out the back door unnoticed.
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Jess sat outside on the tire swing that her dad had hung on this tree for her when she was just a little girl. She just needed a moment. She loved Chris, but they did not always see eye to eye especially about her career choice. He had been 19 when their mom died and had plans to join the police academy. After losing her, his plans changed, He always said it was because he didn't want their dad to worry about losing him too. The rest of the boys followed suit choosing careers in fields unrelated to law enforcement. But Jess had wanted to be a cop since she was five years old and her mother took her to the precinct. After losing her mom, it only made her want it more. She wanted to be the one to stop the bad guys from doing that to other families. Chris never accepted her decision.
"Jess" Chris said coming up behind her interrupting her moment. "We are going to mom's grave"
"I'll be right behind you. I have to leave from there. I'm on call tonight and have to be back in the city by 8." Jess said
Chris rolled his eyes, "What" Jess asked standing up and placing her hands on her hips.
"You know what" Chris replied
"Look I'm sorry I mentioned going to the precinct with mom but it's my memories and for me going to the precinct with mom are happy memories. I know you don't feel the same." Jess replied.
"It's not that" Chris said "it's…
"Really we are going have this argument today" Jess sighed
"I just don't know how you could choose to be a cop after what dad went through after losing mom, what we all went through." Chris said
"And we are having this fight" Jess said "Look my life choices are my business. I'm good at what I do. I love my job. I know what I'm doing and I can handle it. Dad and I are good. I'm good with the other musketeers too it's just you that can't accept this"
"I buried my mother because she was a cop, I don't want to bury my little sister too." Chris stated
"Mom died because two kids robbed that store." Jess said "don't blame it on anything else. They fired the bullets, it was their choice that day. As for me, I'm not a rookie anymore and I don't have a death wish. I'm careful. And before you say anything else" she continued in an annoyed tone "You might disagree with my career choice and think I'm causing dad unnecessary stress and blah blah but I know in my heart, Mom is in heaven smiling down on me and she's proud. Proud that I choose to make my own choices even when no one else in this family supported me. That I'm happy and doing what I love, and doing what both mom and dad considered to be the most honorable and noble job. And as for dad, we had our moments when I went to the academy, I know I cause a lot of sleepless nights for him but he's proud of me too. He knows I can handle myself." Jess finished her rant. Christopher had made her so mad and irritated.
"If something happens to you, it will destroy us" Christopher went on. "Dad won't survive it"
"And I'm done having this fight with you" Jess said "you aren't going to make me feel guilty anymore. Accept me for me"
"I try," Chris said "but...
"Jess, Chris" Ryan called from the porch "we're leaving"
"Coming" Jess called "It is better for our relationship if you don't finish that sentence." she warned him and stormed off towards Ryan.
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It had been a long day, mostly emotionally draining. She had just got back to the city when dispatch called, she was needed on one of the trains downtown. A young girl had been found dead on the subway. It had been called in by an anonymous 911 caller. "View it accordingly" she had been warned "possible biological"
"Just want I need" Jess mumbled to herself making her way through the crime scene tape and onto the train.
"You ok, Detective?" Officer Nelson asked
"I'm ok thanks" Jess replied "what do we got"
"Jane Doe" Megan replied "Lindsay and Hawkes have already started processing"
"Thanks," Jess said walking into the train. It wasn't long until Mac made his way through the crime scene and onto the train as well.
"Detective Angell, what have we got?" Mac asked.
"Possible biological maybe chemical agent." Jess replied.
"Linsday, check with the CDC and local ERS. See if there are other reports" Mac instructed
"On it" Linsday replied.
"Oh an Mac, Happy Birthday." Lindsay said
"Yeah sorry you had to come here on your night off, Mac" Jess commented.
"This is definitely new for me." Hawkes said "very strange. All that blood but no external injuries"
"We have an ID on her yet?" Mac asked
"Still checking with missing persons." Jess said
"What about witnesses?' Mac asked
"No reports from commuters, but someone did call 911 about an hour ago." Jess answered
"Who made that call?" Mac asked
"Bobby Vinton" Jess said "Dispatch traced the call back and got this." she hit play on her cell and the music started to play with lyrics "Blue...velvet"
"Keep working on it" Mac said
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Jess sat at her desk, "Ok Lindsay" she said into the phone "give me the number and I'll run with it"
"Hawkes said he would but he seems to be on something else" Linsday said "figure it would be something you could find in seconds"
"No problem" Jess said "I got a possible ID too. Jenny Anders, her parents are on the way to see Peyton to ID our vic."
"Perfect. Let me know if you get anywhere with that number" Lindsey said.
Jess typed the partial number into the computer's search and let it run its search. She got up from her desk and headed towards the kitchen. Her head was killing her and she was on her second day with this case which meant little sleep. The fight with Chris had also left her emotionally drained. She was trying to put it to the back of her mind, she needed to give 100 percent to this case. However, it was difficult to not be affected by it after all she was human.
Don walked over to his desk and sat down. He had just got back from running a lead with Danny. He turned his computer on and got up, he needed coffee. He headed towards the kitchen. "Umm…excuse me Detective Flack" Officer Nelson said walking over towards him.
Megan wasn't sure if she should be talking to Flack and she might be stepping out of line since she was still an uniform. But Detective Angell had always been nice to her and she was concerned about her.
"What's up, Nelson?" Don said
"It's Angell, Sir...she's having a bad day" Nelson said "the scene today was a bad one and I just thought she could use a friend. I'm not trying to cross any lines but I know you two are close.."
"I'll check on her" Don replied "thanks Nelson."
Megan nodded "are you ok?" Don asked "if it was a bad one…"
"I'm fine," Nelson replied. Don nodded and went off to look for Jess. It didn't take him long to find her in the kitchen, sitting at one of the tables drinking her coffee.
"Hey," Don said, sitting next to her.
"Hey" Jess replied "how's the Jordan case?"
"Fine" He replied "How are you?"
"Why do you ask?" Jess asked
"I heard it was a bad one" Don replied "just wanted to check on you"
"I'm fine" Jess replied
"Are you sure because you don't seem your cheery self" Don replied "cases are allowed to bother you, you know. I told you that the first day we met, remember?
"Wear comfortable shoes, talk to Benton, get four hours of sleep, eat, and don't be afraid to let what we see bother me...I remember" Jess replied "seriously, it's not work that is troubling me, its…" she hesitated for a second. She hated admitting when something was upsetting her, made her feel weak and helpless. Neither feelings she was accustomed to feeling.
"You can trust me" Don smiled at her "and you can tell me anything."
"Its really nothing" Jess said "Just a stupid fight was my brother yesterday."
Just then Jess' cell ding indicated that she had a new email. "Let me know if you want to talk," Don told her as he got up to leave. Jess nodded as she looked at the email "Flack" Jess called
"Yea" Don said, turning back around to where she was still sitting.
"I have a problem. The number on my victim just came back to Hawkes' number" Jess said "what do I do?"
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Jess walked down the hallway of the lab looking for Hawkes. Don had told her to speak with Sheldon first "give him a chance to go to Mac" Don had said
They both knew Hawkes had nothing to do with Jenny's death but he must have known her which was a conflict of interest. He could no longer be on the case. Jess wanted to have his back but she knew how Mac felt about being left out of the loop.
"Hawkes," Jess said, walking into reconstruction where he was working alone.
"Got something, Angell," Hawkes said looking up from the evidence he was going through.
"Yea, i've been working on the number that was on Jenny's body" Angell replied trying to be discreet.
"It's not what you think" Sheldon replied
"I think you need to talk Mac" Jess said simply "if you know the victim, you can't work the case. You know that."
"Look I met Jenny for a moment," Hawkes said "it's nothing."
Jess sighed "you need to come clean with Mac" she said again "I really want to have your back on this one, I don't want to rat you out. But he knows Lindsay asked me to work the number. He's going to find out and it's better coming from you."
Neither got a chance to say any more because they were interrupted by Mac storming in. "Why didn't you tell me you knew Jenny Anders?" Mac asked
Sheldon looked at Jess "I didn't tell him" Jess said
"You knew?" Mac questioned
"Angell just came in to convince me to come to you" Sheldon replied "and it wasn't relevant"
"I decide what's relevant to a case" Mac yelled "you knew the victim, you didn't say anything about it, why?"
"Mac, I met her a couple of months ago at a club." Sheldon said "I wasn't even sure it was her until I saw my phone number on the receipt Peyton found on the body."
"Your number is on the body. That's evidence. You know that, Sheldon." Mac shouted "You put all our work in jeopardy. You know the victim. You have knowledge of a case. You are responsible for pulling yourself off that case. "
"Mac, I knew Jenny Anders for maybe an hour" Sheldon tied to explain "I was just trying to help"
"An hour is all the time a defense attorney needs. This lab does not make compromises. We do not take shortcuts. We follow the evidence. Science is our integrity." Mac continued and then looked at Jess "and I'm kept in the loop at all times. You find something out, you bring it to me. Do not ever go behind my back with evidence again."
Jess could only nod "you are off the case, Sheldon" Mac said
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"How much trouble did you get into?" Don asked as he walked out of the kitchen and into the living room. Both cases had wrapped up. It was late but they had decided to continue their marathon anyways.
"I finished the case" Jess said "I expected to be called into O'Bryan's office but I don't think Mac told him."
Don sat next to her and passed her a beer. "Mac is really ethical especially when it comes to evidence which is why he was so pissed at Sheldon. But he has his peoples' backs too. He has a good balance."
Jess nodded and let her head fall back onto the couch. She was so tired, "talk to me" Don said "something is bothering you"
"Its nothing" Jess replied
"I think I know you better than that" Don said "I know something is bugging you."
Jess sighed, "When I left here yesterday, I said I was going to my mom's birthday, what I didn't say is my mom died when I was a kid" Jess said "we choose to celebrate her life, instead of mourning the loss. Took us a long time to get to that point but it's better."
"I'm so sorry, Jess," Don said. He wrapped his arms around her. He didn't care if it was inappropriate he just wanted to comfort her.
Jess let head rest on Don's chest. It was warm and she felt safe. She didn't care if it was inappropriate, she really needed the support. "She was a cop." Jess went on "she picked me up that day from school. It was after work and we were on the way home. There was this corner store a few blocks from where we live, she stopped because we needed milk. She walked into a robbery in progress. She pulled her gun and yelled, "police, drop your weapon" and they shot her. It gets worse, dad responded to the call not knowing it was his wife. She died in his arms. I watch the entire thing. I was supposed to be in the car but I had gotten out. I watched my mother die."
Don just hugged her tighter. He didn't know what else to say. "I've never told anyone that. Everyone including my dad thinks I was in the car" Jess admitted
"Jess, I'm so sorry" Don said
"All that was hard but I've been able to put it behind me. My dad remarried, my stepmom is awesome. I miss my mom every day but she's still with me. I have a lot of great memories of her and I was loved so much by her that it's still with me. Yesterday really was meant to be a celebration. But Chris can't put it behind him. And he disapproves of me being a cop. Losing mom, nearly destroyed all of us. And it was hard on dad losing her like that. Chris thinks me putting myself on the line of duty is selfish because if anything were to happen to me, it would destroy my father and the boys. It's why he didn't become a cop. He didn't want dad to worry. So we fought yesterday and it got to me because of what the day meant. The past couple of days and this case have been hard" Jess finished explaining
Don didn't say anything. Words weren't needed; he just held her for a long time. He held on tight and never wanted to let her go. He just wanted to protect her. Although he didn't need to, she could take care of herself, he knew that. Jess finally broke the embrace "thanks," she said "I feel better now. I should probably head home"
"You should stay" Don said "Abby is at Josh's you said. I don't want you to go back to an empty apartment. I'll sleep out here and you crash in my bed."
Jess let herself fall back into his arms. She was never one to show emotions or need a guy to protect her. But with Don, she just felt safe and that was a good feeling.
"I can't let you sleep on the couch again. You've worked a double too" Jess said "we can sleep in the bed, nothing is going to happen. I'm too vulnerable and I can kick your ass"
Don laughed "come on" he said, pulling her up and walking towards the bedroom. "And you cannot kick my ass."