~~ Chapter One: Butterfly ~~
(Inspired by a song by the one, the only…the loony, *cough*…Mariah Carey)
Kennedy stared, disconcerted, at the ground in front of her. This girl, this dead, mutilated girl, could have been her a couple of years ago. It could be her any day of her life. Every day, when she came to work, Kennedy would realize, more and more, how precious life really was. She rested her tear-stricken face in her hands and just stood in that spot thinking about that fact. All of a sudden, a comforting hand touched her shoulder, and a comforting voice filled her ears.
"Kennedy?" Nick asked, placing his hand on her shoulder, and flashing that classic Nick Stokes grin her way. "Are you ok?" he asked, secretly knowing the answer to that question. Whenever Kennedy Grissom (up until a week ago, she was Kennedy Patterson, but she changed her last name to comply with the fact that she finally found out who her real father was) got that look on her face, something was seriously wrong. And he was going to find what it was, even if it killed him.
Kennedy looked up from her hand, and flashed Nick a friendly smile. "Yeah, I'll be ok, thanks…" she knew deep down that he could see right through her. He'd always had that ability. That was one of the things that attracted Kennedy to him so. She looked at him, and she couldn't do anything but smile. Even though he was ripping her apart inside, she couldn't help but smile at those deep brown eyes.
"You are such a bad liar, you know that, right?" he asked, staring her down with those brown eyes that pierced through everything, and saw the truth in Kennedy's mind. "Tell me, Kennedy, what's the matter?"
How could he do that? How could he always dig into the depths of her soul, and find whatever it was that was getting to her? God, she hated it. But, she loved it, because she loved him. Nick Stokes was her driving force, and her reason for breathing, but she couldn't let that cloud her way of life, because he didn't want to be more than friends. "Just thinking about how things never turn out like you plan them to," she lied again, apparently more convincingly this time. "Have you ever noticed that?"
Nick nodded, and looked at the spot on the ground that Kennedy had been staring at. "But, how can you get all that from a spot on the ground?" he asked, playing the humor card. That was another thing that she loved about him…his incessant ability to make her laugh. "I mean, I love the deep state of mind, and all, but that spot on the ground is rather dismal…"
Kennedy laughed, and pushed some hair behind her ear. "I'm my father's daughter, that should be enough for you!" she stuck her tongue out at her friend. Her friend? Her friend. She repeated that to herself. Nick was her friend, and nothing more. But it took all she had inside her not to just reach up and kiss him right then and there. "So, did you get the scoop from Cath, or do I have to explain everything to you, as usual?" she asked, joking with Nick. "Are you Mr. Clueless today?" she grinned a little, looking up to see the expression on Nick's face.
Nick scoffed and pushed Kennedy gently. "You are so mean! For your info, Miss Clueless," he curled his lip at her. "Cath explained it all to me, and so did your dad on my way here, so take that and put it in your Christmas stocking!"
"My Christmas stocking?" Kennedy raised an eyebrow. "Was that a random comment from the ever amusing Book of Nicholas Stokes?" she asked, sticking her tongue out. "Or, was that just some statement you picked up from Greg?" she laughed.
"The latter," Nick explained, laughing along with Kennedy. "You know I get all my weirdness from that guy!" he smiled angelically at her. "Because, me? No, I'm not a weird guy!"
Kennedy snorted out a laugh. "RIGHT!" she scoffed, and then started laughing uncontrollably. "And I'm the Queen of Japan!" she put her hands on her hips, and shifted her weight from one foot to the other.
"Japan has a Queen?" Nick asked. He really knew the answer…he just wanted to get Kennedy going. "Your majesty!" he gasped, as he bowed down on one knee in front of Kennedy.
"I could get used to this!" she smiled wide, and watched Nick go to kiss her feet. "Yes, Japan has a Queen! And her name is Queen Kennedy Grissom!"
Nick stood back up, and pushed Kennedy again. They always acted like high-school kids around each other, and to them, it was refreshing to have someone to act childish around. Unfortunately, their fun had to be interrupted. Catherine approached them, and grinned a little. "Nicky, Kennedy," she began. "One of you has to take this back to Greg," she explained to them, holding up a bagged, bloody swab and a bagged strand of hair. "And the other can come with me to question the vic's boyfriend."
Nick knew that it would probably be better if he went with Catherine to question the boyfriend. If Kennedy went with her, they'd be investigating another case, and the perp would be 'Queen Kennedy.' He looked at Kennedy, and then back to Catherine. "I'll go with you, Cath. You can take that back to Greg."
Kennedy took the baggies, and flashed Nick a thankful look. "Call me if you find anything out, ok?" she asked, leaving the room.
As she walked to her car, she started to think again. The only way she would ever get over Nick was if she started dating again. She had to ask someone out. The first single man she saw, which would more than likely be either Greg or Warrick. Maybe one of those two was her soul mate. But then again, maybe it was Nick, and she was just deluding herself, even thinking that she could get over him. Either way, she loved Nick Stokes, and there was nothing she could do but to get over him.
~~
When you love someone so deeply, they become your life
It's easy to succumb to overwhelming fears inside.
Blindly I imaged I could keep you under glass.
Now I understand to hold you I must open my hands and watch you rise.
Spread your wings and prepare to fly, for you have become a butterfly.
Fly abandonedly into the sun.
If you should return to me; we truly were meant to be.
So spread your wings and fly, butterfly.
~~ 'Butterfly' – Mariah Carey ~~