-- CHAPTER SIX: Ides of March – The Unexpected --
Disclaimers: Refer to Chapter One: Breathe
Author's Notes: I've had a rotten day; so to cheer myself up, I decided to update. Thank you very much for the reviews; y'all are just awesome. To my beta, Kelly, thank you for keeping me in line. In addition, to my other equally talented and lovely beta, Steff, I'm so sorry. I apologize to you for posting so soon, but I tried very hard to improve.
Alas, the show must go on; or in this case, please read and review.
~*~
- Five Months Later -
It was the month of March and dark clouds, windy conditions and heavy rain held the city of Las Vegas captive. But the heavy atmospheric conditions did not deter the city's quick pace; instead, the city was more alive than ever. The tourists continued to flock to casinos, the thieves continued to loot, while the law enforcement trailed behind.
~*~
"So, I was thinking, maybe we could put in for some time off and head out for the weekend," Nick suggested to his wife. He took hold of a shopping bag as they exited a small shoe store. It was rare for both he and his wife to go shopping, but the dark weather forced them out of the house and into the mall.
"No!" she simply replied. And before he could protest, she continued. "We've discussed this before; you know how busy the lab gets." She walked towards the elevator, before realizing that Nick had stopped walking behind her.
"Sara, it's just a little break," he protested.
"Nick, I really don't want to argue about this," she said firmly.
These arguments had become constant, especially as of late. It was evident that Sara's miscarriage had taken a toll on their marriage. The lab was often a battlefield for their arguments and coldness; both of them coping in different ways. Sara, like many times before, used work as a coping mechanism. While, Nick worked just as hard in the face of a possible promotion, entailing long hours at the lab and on the field and attending more seminars. Although their schedules were very similar, they both have failed to take a break from work in a long time, barely having the time to share a decent meal. Instead, they had fallen into a routine of work, eating out of Styrofoam boxes and on occasion - sleeping.
"Mommy!" a little voice called. The little blonde haired girl ran towards Sara, who was still facing Nick. The child grabbed hold of Sara's hand and tugged, "Mommy!" Sara paused before speaking another word and looked down at the little girl; she wore a plain green dress that made her eyes more pronounced. Clearly embarrassed at her mistake, the girl smiled under Sara's examination. In return, Sara smiled as well, mirroring a slight gap between their front teeth.
"I'm sorry, but I'm not your mommy," Sara explained as she bent down to meet the girl's height. Her glaring expression softened as she stared into the girl's intense green eyes.
"Are you lost?" Nick questioned, walking over towards the girl and looking around the mall's vicinity.
"Jessica!" a woman's voice echoed throughout the crowed mall. Sara looked up at the woman and was surprised to see an uncanny resemblance to her. The woman's grasp were shopping bags; while her lean figure bore jeans and a white shirt, her hair was dark and her expression full of worry.
"I'm sorry if she bothered you," the woman apologized frantically, also seeing her resemblance to Sara.
"Oh, no problem," Nick smiled. The child, who at this point hid uncomfortably behind her mother, caught Sara's attention. The girl was shyly smiling at Sara; her green eyes fixed on Sara's brown eyes in a trance like state.
"Well, we should probably go," the mother, replied. "Say goodbye to these nice people, Jessica," she asked.
"Bye!" the little girl whispered, moving her gaze away from Sara, and now, broadly smiling at Nick.
"Bye Jessica," Nick waved, as he stood beside his wife's still figure. Sara continued to stare longingly at the child - wondering. "Sara, we should go," said Nick, but Sara didn't move, deciding instead to take hold of Nick's hand.
Together, they both stood - silent.
~*~
Nick and Sara stepped out of the mall and onto the damp sidewalk, just steps away from their parked vehicle. But as they were about to hop in,
'CRASH!'
An explosive twist of angry metal stopped the people on the streets.
They looked up momentarily to see a silver sedan stranded in the middle of the intersection and a crowd forming around the scene. Sara was quick to turn and run towards the scene, with Nick right behind her.
"This is Nick Stokes, CSI. We need emergency assistance at the corner of Spring Mountain Road and South Las Vegas Boulevard, outside the Fashion Show Mall. We have a 401. Send emergency assistance immediately," he ordered over the phone. He ran on the slick road and weaved around the crowd - following Sara's path. After squeezing his way through the crowd, he stopped, breathless and shocked by the sight ahead of him.
A mass mesh of metal was all that was left of the sedan's front end. Metal debris and glass littered the intersection, a smashed headlight only meters away. The crowd just watched in silence, shocked, unable, and too afraid to help.
"Nick!" he heard Sara's voice call. "We need an ambulance!"
It forced him out of his musing while he looked around, but his wife was out of sight. "Sara!" he called with concern. He rounded the car and found her crouched by the driver's side. Both of them stared at the body that slumped over the steering wheel. The woman was unmoving, her clothes covered in blood. Sara was careful as to check for the woman's wounds.
"Mommy!" a girl's voice called from the back of the car. Horrified, both Nick and Sara froze as they looked to see a little girl in the back seat. Nick then took a step back and pulled open the door, he stopped.
"Is my mommy okay?" the little girl asked, as Sara stood behind Nick, motionless.
"Hi Jessica, my name is Nick. Do you remember me?" The girl nodded. "It's okay, we'll get you all cleaned up," he said quietly.
"Are you hurt?" Sara asked impatiently from behind her husband, but she noticed a small cut on the girl's forehead. The girl didn't reply, instead she reached out to Nick and he then pulled the little girl out of the seat, stood up and handed the child to Sara.
The gathered crowd stood still, while the street seemed eerily silent.
~*~
She continued to stare at the scene, seeing past the various emergency workers and the tangled metal in the center of the once busy street. Bright lights surrounding her, as the glow of the signs and flashing emergency lights streaked the night. She heard garbled sounds of radios, police officers, and anxious EMTS in the background. Slowly, she felt time almost crawl into suspension; a feeling that she could - in all the years she has been on the job - never shake. Like a blanket, the cold feeling of time slowly fleeting covered her, watching a person at their worst.
Sara blinked and looked over at the child sitting beside her. The girl had sustained a cut on the forehead, minor considering the accident's magnitude. The girl's mother was still trapped in the car, with firefighters and EMTs desperately working to free her from the wreckage. Sara could only hope that the mother would come out of this all right. Upon the rescue workers' arrival, Sara took Jessica away from the frantic rescue efforts and the crushed metal; together, they sat in the Tahoe. Jessica was under the care of an EMT, quiet sobs escaping her lips, and wincing at the burning sensation of the antibacterial cream.
"Is my mommy okay?" the girl asked, turning head to look at Sara. The EMT also looked at Sara.
"Well, uh, we'll have to see. But right now, we have to take care of that cut on your forehead," Sara answered plainly. The girl cracked half a smile, seemingly content with the answer. "Can you stay with her for a second?" Sara requested, looking at the EMT.
"Sure," the woman replied.
"I'll be right back, ok, Jessica?" Sara told the child. The girl nodded.
Sara then got out of the Tahoe and walked towards the intersection. She entered the scene, but was welcome with a horrible sight. Her heart halted briefly, they were now trying to revive the mother – with the crushed door sawed in sizable sections. Off in the distance, she saw a familiar face, and she felt relief wash over her.
"Sara! How is she?" Nick asked. His face smudged with dirt, and it was apparent that he had sustained a cut on his forearm.
"Um, she's in car," Sara waved, and pointed towards the parked car's direction. "Nick you have to get that cleaned up," Sara pointed.
"I'm fine." He insisted. "Are you alright?" he asked. Sara nodded as she motioned for a medic to look at Nick's arm.
"They find anything useful?" she asked.
"A busted headlight, some paint transfer and a ton of glass," Nick replied.
"You need any help?" She asked, brushing his forehead.
"Nah, it's under control. Warrick just finished taking photos and Catherine's checking surveillance," he answered, pointing at the traffic camera mounted atop the traffic lights. "And Brass is talking to witnesses in the crowd," he continued.
"The mother?" Sara asked, with her voice above a whisper.
But Nick didn't reply, he simply looked past Sara and frowned. Sara followed his gaze and saw a stretcher whisking a still body away, saddened paramedics putting away their equipment. The matter of saving a life had now turned into the business of death. Nick stood still, in a state of shock and unable to move, it was not until he felt Sara's arms wrap around his waist that his tense posture began to relax.
"Nick, what are we going to do with her?" Sara asked.
"Honey, you know what's going to happen," Nick replied sympathetically. "I called Nancy; she's already on her way down. We have to wait for her family; but tonight, children's services."
Nancy was a social worker who Sara came to know through the many child abuse cases she had worked on.
"I know, but she just lost everything, and oh God, who's going to tell her?" Sara replied. She pulled away from Nick and looked at him. "I can't believe you already made the call; Nick, she can't stay in a shelter for the night," Sara defended.
He stared into Sara's pleading eyes, "Sara, no-" Nick began.
"Please," she pleaded, biting her bottom lip.
"Sara-" he began. 'Please,' she mouthed. And with a little pause, "fine, just for the night," he decided. 'How does she do that?' He thought.
"Thank you," Sara replied sweetly, kissing Nick on the cheek.
"And you better find Nancy and sort this out," Nick called out, but Sara was already running back towards the Tahoe.
~*~
"I want my mommy!" Jessica cried out. She jumped out of the Tahoe and headed towards the scene.
"Whoa! Hey kiddo, where are you going?" Sara asked as she bumped into Jessica. The girl had a frantic desire to continue running; but she picked up the weeping girl and looked her over.
"I want my mommy!" the girl screamed. Her cheeks were crimson, and her tense facial features were aggravating her newly treated forehead. Sara cowered at the child's request.
"Calm down Jessica - breathe," Sara whispered. She looked up, saw a middle-aged woman stepping down from the Tahoe, and frowned upon realizing who it was. "Hi Nancy," she greeted.
"I'm sorry," the woman began, trying to take the distraught child from Sara.
"I want to see my mommy!" she cried out once more. She wiggled out of Sara's arms and fought hard against Nancy's grasp. Finally, she broke free and began running towards the intersection.
"Jessica!" Sara called out.
~*~
Nick turned his attention away from a detective when he heard Jessica's hysterical pleading. He looked on curiously while she fought hard to break away from Sara and Nancy, her cries intensifying. "Excuse me," he interrupted the man.
Running, running, running.
Jessica ran, her cries more audible, her feet pounding against the damp street. She was running directly towards Nick's direction, gasping for air - crying. But before she could run any further, Nick swept the child off the ground and pulled her close. She buried her face in Nick's broad shoulders, her cries now muffled.
"Hey, hey, shh," Nick calmed, stroking the child's wispy blonde hair.
"I-want-my-mommy," she requested, her voice more relaxed.
"Shh, it's okay," he said as he rubbed the child's back to calm her breathing. He continued to hold the child in his arms, allowing his heartbeat to relax the intense pounding of Jessica's heart. Sara and Nancy watched – speechless. He listened for her quiet sobs before walking towards the nearest sidewalk. He placed her on his lap and inspected her face, he attempted to fix strands of hair that stuck to her sweaty neck, but she managed to wiggle way from such attention. "Hey Jessica, I know you're sad," he started. She remained silent.
As he continued to talk, she turned her attention on the ring that Nick wore on his middle finger and started involuntarily playing with it. She began rotating it around his finger, now oblivious from Nick's words.
Feeling the friction around his finger and Jessica's eyes avoiding his, he then realized that she was not paying attention. "Tell you what, why don't you hold on to this for me?" Nick suggested, he then quickly took the silver band off his finger and placed it around her small thumb. It was visible to big for her, but she stuck her thumb up and looked at Nick. He grinned, thankful that the child had finally responded to his efforts. He saw such the pure innocence in her eyes; and innocence now tainted by tonight's harsh reality. It upset him, knowing that this life-changing event had scarred such an innocent child and he was afraid for her.
~*~
The bed was warm, a small nightlight illuminating a small corner of the room. The room was silent with the moonlight glowing through the thin curtains. Sara tucked the sleeping child into bed, and now, she was just staring at her - observing her. Jessica protested leaving the scene, the shock overwhelming her body. Her shrill cries came and gone throughout the evening, until finally, her body gave in to sheer exhaustion. It was a challenge to get her to leave the Tahoe, nor to release her grip around Nick; which forced Nancy to allow her stay with Nick and Sara.
Sara knelt by the bedside and continued inspecting Jessica, who slept on a small pillow with her body curled up under the blanket. The idea of a child losing a mother pained her, especially at such a young age. Similarly, looking at such a young child made Sara to think back to her miscarriage, her unborn child and the 'what ifs.' She thought about how differently it could have been if she had given birth, how different their lives would have been.
Her unresolved emotions flooded back, tears ready to fall. In turn, with haste, she turned away and walked out of the room. She let out a soft snivel, until today, Sara's continued to blame herself, convinced that her stubborn nature was the cause for much of her current problems. She also felt that Nick resented her for not taking care of herself, she felt him slipping away, along with their marriage crumbling. He was a patient man, but this had definitely begun to hurt their relationship.
Tired and with mascara-encrusted eyes, she walked down the hall and into her room. She changed into her pajamas, brushed her teeth, washed her face, and quickly jumped into bed.
It was cold.
~*~
It was early in the morning when Sara heard some movement in the kitchen, she checked and saw that Nick had come home, but was now up. She then jumped out of bed, walked lazily into bathroom and brushed her teeth.
'God Sara, you look like crap,' she commented at her appearance. She then marched towards the kitchen and saw that Jessica was also awake.
"Hi, I was just coming to get you," Nick smiled, "we made blueberry pancakes."
Despite last night's sad occurrences, Nick tried to keep an upbeat manner, attempting to cheer up the heartbroken child. To him, it seemed that pancakes were the best remedy.
"Good morning Jessica," Sara greeted, while looking nervously at Nick. Jessica sat in the chair, quiet and subdued as picking through the stack of pancakes in her plate. Sara just watched her curiously.
"Hey Jess, want some fruit?" Nick interrupted.
Jessica looked up to decline the offer, but instead, she let out a soft chuckle. Sara too looked up to understand Jessica's sudden change in expression. Jessica was smiling - the visible gap between her two front teeth showing; Sara smiled as well when she looked at Nick. He smiled widely at them, exposing the orange wedge in his mouth.
"Matching!" Nick chuckled, swallowing the fruit while he handed Sara a cup of coffee.
"Clown. You're just jealous that you don't have a smile like ours," Sara commented, reaching for a pancake.
"Oh, I'm sorry, did you want some pancakes?" he asked, swiping the plate away with a smirk.
*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*
A/N – Yes, it was an abrupt ending, but hey, it did include pancakes. Don't worry; there are better things to explore later. Hehe.
The corner of Spring Mountain Road and South Las Vegas Blvd is an actual intersection and the Fashion Show Mall is a mall in the middle of Las Vegas too. I am not advertising the location, but I am citing it as an actual location. P.S. I don't own any of it; it'd be cool if I did though.
Historical tidbit: The title, 'Ides of March' is reference to Julius Caesar's assassination on March 15, 44 BCE. As well as Shakespeare's famous line from 'Julius Caesar' – "Beware the ides of March." It goes deeper than that, but I'll let you look it up.
Liked it? Or was it a disgrace? Review and tell me if and why you like/hate it; because it does help me write something that you would hopefully prefer/enjoy reading. - oceanwave
Disclaimers: Refer to Chapter One: Breathe
Author's Notes: I've had a rotten day; so to cheer myself up, I decided to update. Thank you very much for the reviews; y'all are just awesome. To my beta, Kelly, thank you for keeping me in line. In addition, to my other equally talented and lovely beta, Steff, I'm so sorry. I apologize to you for posting so soon, but I tried very hard to improve.
Alas, the show must go on; or in this case, please read and review.
~*~
- Five Months Later -
It was the month of March and dark clouds, windy conditions and heavy rain held the city of Las Vegas captive. But the heavy atmospheric conditions did not deter the city's quick pace; instead, the city was more alive than ever. The tourists continued to flock to casinos, the thieves continued to loot, while the law enforcement trailed behind.
~*~
"So, I was thinking, maybe we could put in for some time off and head out for the weekend," Nick suggested to his wife. He took hold of a shopping bag as they exited a small shoe store. It was rare for both he and his wife to go shopping, but the dark weather forced them out of the house and into the mall.
"No!" she simply replied. And before he could protest, she continued. "We've discussed this before; you know how busy the lab gets." She walked towards the elevator, before realizing that Nick had stopped walking behind her.
"Sara, it's just a little break," he protested.
"Nick, I really don't want to argue about this," she said firmly.
These arguments had become constant, especially as of late. It was evident that Sara's miscarriage had taken a toll on their marriage. The lab was often a battlefield for their arguments and coldness; both of them coping in different ways. Sara, like many times before, used work as a coping mechanism. While, Nick worked just as hard in the face of a possible promotion, entailing long hours at the lab and on the field and attending more seminars. Although their schedules were very similar, they both have failed to take a break from work in a long time, barely having the time to share a decent meal. Instead, they had fallen into a routine of work, eating out of Styrofoam boxes and on occasion - sleeping.
"Mommy!" a little voice called. The little blonde haired girl ran towards Sara, who was still facing Nick. The child grabbed hold of Sara's hand and tugged, "Mommy!" Sara paused before speaking another word and looked down at the little girl; she wore a plain green dress that made her eyes more pronounced. Clearly embarrassed at her mistake, the girl smiled under Sara's examination. In return, Sara smiled as well, mirroring a slight gap between their front teeth.
"I'm sorry, but I'm not your mommy," Sara explained as she bent down to meet the girl's height. Her glaring expression softened as she stared into the girl's intense green eyes.
"Are you lost?" Nick questioned, walking over towards the girl and looking around the mall's vicinity.
"Jessica!" a woman's voice echoed throughout the crowed mall. Sara looked up at the woman and was surprised to see an uncanny resemblance to her. The woman's grasp were shopping bags; while her lean figure bore jeans and a white shirt, her hair was dark and her expression full of worry.
"I'm sorry if she bothered you," the woman apologized frantically, also seeing her resemblance to Sara.
"Oh, no problem," Nick smiled. The child, who at this point hid uncomfortably behind her mother, caught Sara's attention. The girl was shyly smiling at Sara; her green eyes fixed on Sara's brown eyes in a trance like state.
"Well, we should probably go," the mother, replied. "Say goodbye to these nice people, Jessica," she asked.
"Bye!" the little girl whispered, moving her gaze away from Sara, and now, broadly smiling at Nick.
"Bye Jessica," Nick waved, as he stood beside his wife's still figure. Sara continued to stare longingly at the child - wondering. "Sara, we should go," said Nick, but Sara didn't move, deciding instead to take hold of Nick's hand.
Together, they both stood - silent.
~*~
Nick and Sara stepped out of the mall and onto the damp sidewalk, just steps away from their parked vehicle. But as they were about to hop in,
'CRASH!'
An explosive twist of angry metal stopped the people on the streets.
They looked up momentarily to see a silver sedan stranded in the middle of the intersection and a crowd forming around the scene. Sara was quick to turn and run towards the scene, with Nick right behind her.
"This is Nick Stokes, CSI. We need emergency assistance at the corner of Spring Mountain Road and South Las Vegas Boulevard, outside the Fashion Show Mall. We have a 401. Send emergency assistance immediately," he ordered over the phone. He ran on the slick road and weaved around the crowd - following Sara's path. After squeezing his way through the crowd, he stopped, breathless and shocked by the sight ahead of him.
A mass mesh of metal was all that was left of the sedan's front end. Metal debris and glass littered the intersection, a smashed headlight only meters away. The crowd just watched in silence, shocked, unable, and too afraid to help.
"Nick!" he heard Sara's voice call. "We need an ambulance!"
It forced him out of his musing while he looked around, but his wife was out of sight. "Sara!" he called with concern. He rounded the car and found her crouched by the driver's side. Both of them stared at the body that slumped over the steering wheel. The woman was unmoving, her clothes covered in blood. Sara was careful as to check for the woman's wounds.
"Mommy!" a girl's voice called from the back of the car. Horrified, both Nick and Sara froze as they looked to see a little girl in the back seat. Nick then took a step back and pulled open the door, he stopped.
"Is my mommy okay?" the little girl asked, as Sara stood behind Nick, motionless.
"Hi Jessica, my name is Nick. Do you remember me?" The girl nodded. "It's okay, we'll get you all cleaned up," he said quietly.
"Are you hurt?" Sara asked impatiently from behind her husband, but she noticed a small cut on the girl's forehead. The girl didn't reply, instead she reached out to Nick and he then pulled the little girl out of the seat, stood up and handed the child to Sara.
The gathered crowd stood still, while the street seemed eerily silent.
~*~
She continued to stare at the scene, seeing past the various emergency workers and the tangled metal in the center of the once busy street. Bright lights surrounding her, as the glow of the signs and flashing emergency lights streaked the night. She heard garbled sounds of radios, police officers, and anxious EMTS in the background. Slowly, she felt time almost crawl into suspension; a feeling that she could - in all the years she has been on the job - never shake. Like a blanket, the cold feeling of time slowly fleeting covered her, watching a person at their worst.
Sara blinked and looked over at the child sitting beside her. The girl had sustained a cut on the forehead, minor considering the accident's magnitude. The girl's mother was still trapped in the car, with firefighters and EMTs desperately working to free her from the wreckage. Sara could only hope that the mother would come out of this all right. Upon the rescue workers' arrival, Sara took Jessica away from the frantic rescue efforts and the crushed metal; together, they sat in the Tahoe. Jessica was under the care of an EMT, quiet sobs escaping her lips, and wincing at the burning sensation of the antibacterial cream.
"Is my mommy okay?" the girl asked, turning head to look at Sara. The EMT also looked at Sara.
"Well, uh, we'll have to see. But right now, we have to take care of that cut on your forehead," Sara answered plainly. The girl cracked half a smile, seemingly content with the answer. "Can you stay with her for a second?" Sara requested, looking at the EMT.
"Sure," the woman replied.
"I'll be right back, ok, Jessica?" Sara told the child. The girl nodded.
Sara then got out of the Tahoe and walked towards the intersection. She entered the scene, but was welcome with a horrible sight. Her heart halted briefly, they were now trying to revive the mother – with the crushed door sawed in sizable sections. Off in the distance, she saw a familiar face, and she felt relief wash over her.
"Sara! How is she?" Nick asked. His face smudged with dirt, and it was apparent that he had sustained a cut on his forearm.
"Um, she's in car," Sara waved, and pointed towards the parked car's direction. "Nick you have to get that cleaned up," Sara pointed.
"I'm fine." He insisted. "Are you alright?" he asked. Sara nodded as she motioned for a medic to look at Nick's arm.
"They find anything useful?" she asked.
"A busted headlight, some paint transfer and a ton of glass," Nick replied.
"You need any help?" She asked, brushing his forehead.
"Nah, it's under control. Warrick just finished taking photos and Catherine's checking surveillance," he answered, pointing at the traffic camera mounted atop the traffic lights. "And Brass is talking to witnesses in the crowd," he continued.
"The mother?" Sara asked, with her voice above a whisper.
But Nick didn't reply, he simply looked past Sara and frowned. Sara followed his gaze and saw a stretcher whisking a still body away, saddened paramedics putting away their equipment. The matter of saving a life had now turned into the business of death. Nick stood still, in a state of shock and unable to move, it was not until he felt Sara's arms wrap around his waist that his tense posture began to relax.
"Nick, what are we going to do with her?" Sara asked.
"Honey, you know what's going to happen," Nick replied sympathetically. "I called Nancy; she's already on her way down. We have to wait for her family; but tonight, children's services."
Nancy was a social worker who Sara came to know through the many child abuse cases she had worked on.
"I know, but she just lost everything, and oh God, who's going to tell her?" Sara replied. She pulled away from Nick and looked at him. "I can't believe you already made the call; Nick, she can't stay in a shelter for the night," Sara defended.
He stared into Sara's pleading eyes, "Sara, no-" Nick began.
"Please," she pleaded, biting her bottom lip.
"Sara-" he began. 'Please,' she mouthed. And with a little pause, "fine, just for the night," he decided. 'How does she do that?' He thought.
"Thank you," Sara replied sweetly, kissing Nick on the cheek.
"And you better find Nancy and sort this out," Nick called out, but Sara was already running back towards the Tahoe.
~*~
"I want my mommy!" Jessica cried out. She jumped out of the Tahoe and headed towards the scene.
"Whoa! Hey kiddo, where are you going?" Sara asked as she bumped into Jessica. The girl had a frantic desire to continue running; but she picked up the weeping girl and looked her over.
"I want my mommy!" the girl screamed. Her cheeks were crimson, and her tense facial features were aggravating her newly treated forehead. Sara cowered at the child's request.
"Calm down Jessica - breathe," Sara whispered. She looked up, saw a middle-aged woman stepping down from the Tahoe, and frowned upon realizing who it was. "Hi Nancy," she greeted.
"I'm sorry," the woman began, trying to take the distraught child from Sara.
"I want to see my mommy!" she cried out once more. She wiggled out of Sara's arms and fought hard against Nancy's grasp. Finally, she broke free and began running towards the intersection.
"Jessica!" Sara called out.
~*~
Nick turned his attention away from a detective when he heard Jessica's hysterical pleading. He looked on curiously while she fought hard to break away from Sara and Nancy, her cries intensifying. "Excuse me," he interrupted the man.
Running, running, running.
Jessica ran, her cries more audible, her feet pounding against the damp street. She was running directly towards Nick's direction, gasping for air - crying. But before she could run any further, Nick swept the child off the ground and pulled her close. She buried her face in Nick's broad shoulders, her cries now muffled.
"Hey, hey, shh," Nick calmed, stroking the child's wispy blonde hair.
"I-want-my-mommy," she requested, her voice more relaxed.
"Shh, it's okay," he said as he rubbed the child's back to calm her breathing. He continued to hold the child in his arms, allowing his heartbeat to relax the intense pounding of Jessica's heart. Sara and Nancy watched – speechless. He listened for her quiet sobs before walking towards the nearest sidewalk. He placed her on his lap and inspected her face, he attempted to fix strands of hair that stuck to her sweaty neck, but she managed to wiggle way from such attention. "Hey Jessica, I know you're sad," he started. She remained silent.
As he continued to talk, she turned her attention on the ring that Nick wore on his middle finger and started involuntarily playing with it. She began rotating it around his finger, now oblivious from Nick's words.
Feeling the friction around his finger and Jessica's eyes avoiding his, he then realized that she was not paying attention. "Tell you what, why don't you hold on to this for me?" Nick suggested, he then quickly took the silver band off his finger and placed it around her small thumb. It was visible to big for her, but she stuck her thumb up and looked at Nick. He grinned, thankful that the child had finally responded to his efforts. He saw such the pure innocence in her eyes; and innocence now tainted by tonight's harsh reality. It upset him, knowing that this life-changing event had scarred such an innocent child and he was afraid for her.
~*~
The bed was warm, a small nightlight illuminating a small corner of the room. The room was silent with the moonlight glowing through the thin curtains. Sara tucked the sleeping child into bed, and now, she was just staring at her - observing her. Jessica protested leaving the scene, the shock overwhelming her body. Her shrill cries came and gone throughout the evening, until finally, her body gave in to sheer exhaustion. It was a challenge to get her to leave the Tahoe, nor to release her grip around Nick; which forced Nancy to allow her stay with Nick and Sara.
Sara knelt by the bedside and continued inspecting Jessica, who slept on a small pillow with her body curled up under the blanket. The idea of a child losing a mother pained her, especially at such a young age. Similarly, looking at such a young child made Sara to think back to her miscarriage, her unborn child and the 'what ifs.' She thought about how differently it could have been if she had given birth, how different their lives would have been.
Her unresolved emotions flooded back, tears ready to fall. In turn, with haste, she turned away and walked out of the room. She let out a soft snivel, until today, Sara's continued to blame herself, convinced that her stubborn nature was the cause for much of her current problems. She also felt that Nick resented her for not taking care of herself, she felt him slipping away, along with their marriage crumbling. He was a patient man, but this had definitely begun to hurt their relationship.
Tired and with mascara-encrusted eyes, she walked down the hall and into her room. She changed into her pajamas, brushed her teeth, washed her face, and quickly jumped into bed.
It was cold.
~*~
It was early in the morning when Sara heard some movement in the kitchen, she checked and saw that Nick had come home, but was now up. She then jumped out of bed, walked lazily into bathroom and brushed her teeth.
'God Sara, you look like crap,' she commented at her appearance. She then marched towards the kitchen and saw that Jessica was also awake.
"Hi, I was just coming to get you," Nick smiled, "we made blueberry pancakes."
Despite last night's sad occurrences, Nick tried to keep an upbeat manner, attempting to cheer up the heartbroken child. To him, it seemed that pancakes were the best remedy.
"Good morning Jessica," Sara greeted, while looking nervously at Nick. Jessica sat in the chair, quiet and subdued as picking through the stack of pancakes in her plate. Sara just watched her curiously.
"Hey Jess, want some fruit?" Nick interrupted.
Jessica looked up to decline the offer, but instead, she let out a soft chuckle. Sara too looked up to understand Jessica's sudden change in expression. Jessica was smiling - the visible gap between her two front teeth showing; Sara smiled as well when she looked at Nick. He smiled widely at them, exposing the orange wedge in his mouth.
"Matching!" Nick chuckled, swallowing the fruit while he handed Sara a cup of coffee.
"Clown. You're just jealous that you don't have a smile like ours," Sara commented, reaching for a pancake.
"Oh, I'm sorry, did you want some pancakes?" he asked, swiping the plate away with a smirk.
*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*
A/N – Yes, it was an abrupt ending, but hey, it did include pancakes. Don't worry; there are better things to explore later. Hehe.
The corner of Spring Mountain Road and South Las Vegas Blvd is an actual intersection and the Fashion Show Mall is a mall in the middle of Las Vegas too. I am not advertising the location, but I am citing it as an actual location. P.S. I don't own any of it; it'd be cool if I did though.
Historical tidbit: The title, 'Ides of March' is reference to Julius Caesar's assassination on March 15, 44 BCE. As well as Shakespeare's famous line from 'Julius Caesar' – "Beware the ides of March." It goes deeper than that, but I'll let you look it up.
Liked it? Or was it a disgrace? Review and tell me if and why you like/hate it; because it does help me write something that you would hopefully prefer/enjoy reading. - oceanwave
