Die Today, Live Tomorrow
Chp 8
Concrete Angles
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Sorry it took me so long. I had this chapter done but lost it and had to rewrite. Hope you like it.
Thanks to for all the reviews. Glad to see someone out there has a little entertainment.
The words that are italic are background voices.
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It smelled like a hospital, she didn't even have to open her eyes to know where she was. The crisp feel of the sheet under her was evidence enough. The window was open, She could clearly hear Manhattan's busy city serenade and was graced with a light breeze across her bare arms. Matt stood casually at the window, his hands in his pockets. Elisa's head rolled left, making Beth take notice that her sister had awaken.
"Hey you." She smiled. Beth seated herself on the edge of the bed. Elisa cleared her troat, "Hey" she answered wearily. "How did you get....?"
"Matt picked me up this morning." Beth pointed to where he was. Elisa turned to her partner coming to her bed side.
Beth placed a kiss on Elisa's forehead and got up. "I'm going to call mom and dad before they have a heart attack."
The door shut behind her. Elisa lazily held up her hand to take Matt's. " Welcome back." He said with a light squeeze.
She smiled, rubbing at her throat. "Something to drink?" she entreated. With a few grunts, Matt helped her to sit up then reached behind him to the little plastic pitcher and poured water into a cup. Elisa gladly drank up.
"Can you move down some more?" Matt asked, "Take a look out that window." With the cup still at her mouth she scooted down the length of the bed a bit. Looking over the rim of the cloudy plastic cup, outside to the buildings and bright blue skies. After her eyes adjusted, they set on the two very menacing posed gargoyles frozen on top.
Brooklyn and Broadway. Her mind clicked in with the memories of what happened. She slowly set the cup aside and looked down to her well-bandaged shoulder. Elisa looked up to Matt. "I....I didn't know what to say so I didn't say anything at all." She explained.
Matt sank into the chair next to the bed. "You could have said something. I might have not believed you but at least you told me." He said a little disappointed. "I watched one of those things...."
"Gargoyles." Elisa quickly corrected. " Their gargoyles."
" A gargoyle......" He repeated with skeptic eyes. "Jump off a roof and save you. The rest of them hit the ground and swarm around you I didn't know if they were going to eat you or what?" He argued and pointed out the window.
"Don't be so dramatic." She laughed, making herself dizzy.
"When I got down there, the little one was trying to stop the bleeding." He ranted.
"Lex." She said more to herself
"They have names?" He snorted a " Of course they do," way and continued "The big one that caught you,"
"Goliath!" She half shouted. "Was he ok? Did anyone else see them?"
" No, I was giving you CPR." He tossed his hands in the air and went back over to the window. "They had to drag him away. He did not want to leave you." He told her "as a matter of fact."
Maybe it was the pain killers or the drowsiness, she didn't know why but a heavy warmth surrounded her. She lay back on the bed with a hard sigh.
She turned in his direction. "They talk to you?"
He recalled. " I think they were too shocked."
Her hands flew up to cover her face, but did a poor job of muffling her aggravated huff. Matt starred at the two plotted on the building. "Elisa, How long have they been here in New York?"
"About 4 months I guess."
He looked away from the window toward her. She felt the hesitation and opened her eyes. "Out with it." She said.
He walked over to where his coat lay and pulled out a folder, set it in her lap and went back to the window. She reached down, opened it. Graphic autopsy photos slide down onto the bed sheet. It took only a second for her to get his point. " Matt, They had nothing to do with the Rodriguez case."
" They're aggressive animals, with teeth and claws."
"They're just as much "animal" as you and me."
The door opens for Beth to come in. Elisa quickly gathered the photos and stuffed them in the file. She reached over and handed them back to Matt. " That lead is way off, Partner." She added.
Beth smirked at both of them. " Not even 30 minutes awake and you're working."
"You know me." Elisa smiled. " Mom and Dad coming?"
"They'll be here tomorrow." Beth reached behind her and handed Matt his coat. "Nurse said you have to leave now."
"Yeah yeah." Matt said moving toward Elisa. He got a quick hug then walked over to Beth.
" Family members only." He answered. Beth took a step closer to Matt before hanging his coat over. They looked at each other a second longer then needed before smiling and she moved to let him leave. The door shut and Beth took her seat in the chair next to the bed.
" Elisa?" Beth asked. " Did he tell you I'm coming up and spending the next weekend with him?"
She got no answer and turned to see Elisa fast asleep.
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Cagney sat at the door, tall twitching as the third door lock click open. Elisa slowly walked in followed by Beth. Elisa reached down and picked him up with her good arm. " Hey baby boy." She was greeted with happy purring and snuggles.
Beth dropped the few bags down, flipped the lights on. " Oh, you finished?" She remarked about the apartment. Elisa let Cagney go and begin unstrapping the harness around her arm. " Yeah didn't take long." Beth walked around surveying her sisters home.
It had taken Elisa awhile to get her own address. After losing her brother, their parents held onto the both of them so tightly, they couldn't cause any more hurt by leaving. A shelf coming out from the wall held pictures, nics and such. The last family picture they all took together sat in front of her. No one had the heart or want to take one for last Christmas. The thought of looking at a picture without Derek standing tall behind them was too much of a reminder.
Elisa rummaged through her things for her hair brush. She stood up running it in her hair, turned around to see Beth holding the picture and walked over to her. "He would be so mad at me." Elisa smiled. Beth laughed as sniffled back tears.
"Whenever I did something stupid that got me in trouble I would pray that Mom or Dad would yell at me and not him. He was so protective."
"Yeah." Elisa agreed. " Thanks for staying with me."
" Anything to stop Mom from embarrassing me in front of Matt." Beth put the picture back and walked over into the kitchen. Elisa walked aver to her answering machine pushed the play button. The feminine electronic voice spoke.
Tuesday. 12:10 am...(beep)...... "This is Monica with AT&T I'll call back at a later date."
Sunday. 6:00pm...(beep)...... "Hey baby, It mom. Just wanted to make sure you got home ok, call me back."
Sunday. 6:17pm...(beep)..... "It's mom again. Just wanted to see if you and your sister made it home yet. Call me."
Sunday. 6: 30pm.....(beep)..... "Beth, Elisa call me back.
Sunday 6:40pm....(beep)....."Elisa....."
Elisa pressed the next button, fast forwarding the next 3 messages from her mom.
Sunday 8:10pm....(beep)...... "Speak now?" "Yes" " Ahh,
Elisa,......" "Say who you are, what you want, anything."
Elisa smiled so wide her face hurt. It was Lexington instructing Goliath on how to leave a message on the machine. A low temperamental growl rang out before the phone hung up.
Beth stood in the kitchen filling the kettle. " Who was that?"
Elisa picked up the phone. "I'm calling Mom back."
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Elisa knocked solemnly on the captain's door. She stepped inside and shut the chaos of ringing phones, voices and yells out in the hall. Captain Chazes motioned her to have as seat, as she looked over Elisa's file.
"Maza. It's great to see you up and about but you don't have to be here for another two days."
Elisa laced her fingers and rest her hands on her lap. " Well, Captain the fear of boredom and the paper work stacking up got me out of bed and here." She humored.
Chavez smirked. " Your sister left today I hear." She said, closed the folder and handed it over.
" I'm a big girl Captain, I can manage."
Chavez sat back in her large leather chair with a quaint smile that turned into a soft laugh.
"Go home Maza." Before she could start with the back talk Chavez pointed at the door.
"I'll see you in two days."
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