Recovery

Diagnosis Murder

Steve Sloan/Mark Sloan

Family/Hurt Comfort

Spoilers: Retribution Parts One and Two

A Sloan relative pays the family a visit, plus a foul beaked bird makes an appearance.

Disclaimer: I don't own Diagnosis Murder

A/N: This is my first Diagnosis Murder fanfiction story, please go easy on me!

A/N2: I know I am going to catch some hell for being mean to parrots in this chapter. I have nothing against parrots. They are beautiful birds and quite smart. NO SHADE THROWING!

A/N3: I apologize for the delay in this chapter. My mother fell victim to a scam and the computer was destroyed. I had a very similar version of this chapter written in progress at the time of the scam. I lost some files as well as the original Chapter 9 and a Diagnosis Murder/Cold Case crossover story I was developing. We got a new computer and it's working fine.

A Relative and Her Parrot

Carol had exited the bathroom wearing a robe and her hair wrapped in a towel. She dressed up in a pair of jeans, t-shirt and a pair of comfortable beige ballet flats. She put her dried hair up in a slightly messy pony tail. She walked to the kitchen to prepare a quick breakfast. Her plans were to continue giving support to her still hospitalized brother while he was still in therapy and to visit her still unjustly incarcerated father.

She almost jumped when she heard the doorbell ring and some of her coffee spilled on the table. She quickly grabbed a paper towel and wiped the spilt drink. She slowly approached the door and before she could see who interrupted her breakfast, she heard some weird conversation coming from the other side of the door.

"Squawk shit!" a voice sounding like a parrot exclaimed. "Take me to that fucking punk's place! Squawk!"

"Carlotta, shut that foul beak of yours," a woman said sharply. "Do I have wash it out with soap when I get inside my brother's house?"

Carol opened the door and saw an elderly woman and a birdcage that held a very colorful parrot.

"Aunt Dora, what you doing here?" Carol asked.

"Carol, I should ask the same of you," Dora Sloan replied. "I thought you were in Portland, Oregon working in that clinic."

"I have been here for a few months and I have a leave of absence for as long as I need. Come in and take that parrot with you."

"What is going on here?"

"Put that bird somewhere and have a seat on one of the couches. I need to talk to you about some bad things that happened. Also, I would like to know why I couldn't reach you all these months."

Dora place the birdcage on an empty table. She then joined her niece in sitting on a couch.

"Where are your father and brother?" Dora asked.

"Tell me why you were MIA all this time first," Carol calmly responded.

"Okay, I was travelling around the world the past few months. I had been to places that I couldn't access phone service. I had just got back to the States two days ago and just picked Carlotta up from a family that agreed to care for her while I was gone. Now you tell me what happened to my brother and nephew, your father and brother. Are they alive, dead or gone into witness protection?"

Carol took a few calming breaths before telling her aunt what happened to Mark and Steve.

"This is kind of a long and complex story," Carol explained. "If you are confused about something or you want me to take a breather, feel free to stop me."

"Okay," Dora heavily sighed. "Just tell me what happened."

"It all started morning before Steve was scheduled to testify in court about an investigation into some mob activity. He went undercover for this investigation and helped collect evidence. The chief of police had taken him and a colleague for an early morning steak dinner at a restaurant to celebrate. As they were eating and talking, a masked busboy takes a server hostage and all hell breaks loose. Steve and his colleagues tried to protect the workers and patrons from this maniac. Steve tried to shoot at that person to subdue him or her, but he was shot three times in the chest and abdomen."

"Is he dead or alive?"

"At first, it was touch and go. He was rushed to Community General where he underwent emergency surgery and spent some time at the ICU in a coma. He woke up from his coma and has spent the past few months recovering and rehabilitating. He has gone from getting around in a wheelchair to a walker. The next step is walking with a cane and finally unassisted."

"What about my brother, your father? You still haven't told me what is happening with him! I need, want and deserve some answers, Carol!"

"What has happened with Daddy is somewhat complicated and evokes anger. If I talk with an angry tone in my voice, it isn't towards you. I am only expressing my frustration with everything that's happened."

"I understand. Just tell me what I may or may not want to hear!"

"Like I told you before about what happened with Steve, at first he was touch and go after his emergency surgery. He was in a coma. Daddy, worried about Steve's fate, was extremely distracted with worry. He refused to leave the hospital until Steve would wake up. It was until his colleagues convinced him to go home and they stay with Steve that he finally did. With a lack of sleep can lead to a lack of good judgment. Daddy signed what he thought was form confirming a package delivery. It turned out that whoever gave him that form to sign was no courier, but a person who wanted his signature to forge on some documents. He also threw away a shirt that he accidentally put an uncapped pen in its pocket. Somehow, for some bizarre reason, the ink stains could have been mistaken for blood."

"How could ink be mistaken for blood?"

"I guess they have some way or method. Maybe, somebody took Daddy's shirt from the garbage and somehow added someone else's blood to that shirt. I guess the lack of sleep and worry that his badly injured son will never wake up clouded his good judgment. There were other dirty tricks that at least one scumbag used to take advantage of a distracted man. These slimy stunts had been used to frame an innocent man for two murders."

"Carol, did my kid brother actually kill two people?"

"Aunt Dora, you know that Daddy wouldn't hurt a proverbial fly. He was so distracted by Steve being in a coma and lack of sleep compromising his judgment, that he walked into a trap. A mob boss had been poisoned and a young woman who helped Steve get some information connected to his investigation was stabbed to death. He was arrested and charged with two homicides. He was convicted and sentenced to death. He now sits on death row, the date of his pending execution is unknown. I just wish Steve would just speed up his recovery and get back to work. He needs to help right this horrible injustice."

"I had just got back from my trip. After what you told me, I wish he would get back to normal."

"Squawk, fuck those scumbags," Carlotta shouted. "Take me back to that punk's place! Squawk!"

"Carlotta, how would you like to drink some dishwashing liquid?" Dora asked. "You are begging for it!"

"Aunt Dora, where did you take that parrot of your that made her sound so saucy?" Carol asked.

"I have a neighbor who agreed to take care of her for the few months I was out of the country. What she failed to tell me is that she had two teenage boys still living at home. She also has two daughters who are away in college. These two boys decided to have some fun with Carlotta. Nothing cruel, like plucking her tail feathers. They wanted to teach her how to curse. I came to pick her up and those two punks were laughing while their mother was apologizing profusely for her sons' idiocy."

"What happens the next time you have to travel overseas for a lengthy time? Who will take care of Carlotta and not be a bad influence on her?"

"I was thinking to have family take her in while I am out, but they have to be willing to put up with her."

"You probably would have to consider other factor in that option. I am not sure how we would react or deal with such an honored responsibility."

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there. I would like to see your dad and Steve. What are the visiting hours for the hospital and the prison?"

"I was about to head to the hospital to see Steve before you came in to the house. You are more than welcome to join me. As for the prison, we could go later in the day, if not, tomorrow."

TBC