Title: Movin' On
Author: HAPPYBUNNY13 & co-author by VanishedMoon
Rating: PG
Spoilers: None
Disclaimer: We do not own them still……still.
Summary: Hazel moves to Chicago and helps out Gary. (Changed summary still sux, but better than old one.)
Note: I basically just fixed the old one. Hope it's a little better.
Movin' On
"Life is what happens while you are making other plans."
"We have a new case here," said Anderson. Hazel and Nikki were sitting in the chairs in front of Anderson's desk. "We're trying to catch the ringleader of a drug-ring on the East Coast. You guys think you're up to it?" He was only saying that because Hazel had just gotten back from a four week vacation. Her mood was no better than it was when she left.
"I'm up to it," said Nikki.
That's great," said Anderson, "but I was directing that more toward Hazel." He looked at her. "Well?"
Hazel didn't say anything. She had been debating with herself all day and she still wasn't sure what she was going to do. She let out a sigh and remained silent.
"Well, Hazel?" Anderson said again.
Hazel stood up slowly and said quietly to the point where Nikki and Anderson were both straining to hear her.
"What?" asked Anderson when her mouth had stopped moving.
"I said," said Hazel lifting her head and looking him straight in the eye, "It's been a pleasure working with both you and Nikki, but I really don't think I can do this anymore. Consider this my two weeks notice." She walked toward the door, but stopped when Anderson called her name.
"But we need you to work on this case," Anderson pleaded. Nikki was sitting there quietly in shock.
"I can't," said Hazel as she grabbed the doorknob. "I quit." She opened the door and walked out.
? ? ?
Hazel walked into her apartment and dropped her bag on the kitchen table. It had been two months since she had quit the FBI and the only job she had been able to get was a waitress. Wadsworth looked up at her looked up at her as she walked into the small living room. "I know you've heard this every night for the past two months, but I will say it once again Wadsworth, I hate my job. My feet hurt, my back aches, I have a pounding headache from all the little brats who keep screaming all day long," said Hazel, "and I can't get the fried meat smell out of my clothes." She collapsed onto the couch and the dog climbed up there with her. "Do I deserve this?" she asked the dog. He only gave her a blank stare. "You're right," she said, "I don''t deserve this."
She looked at her coffee table and saw her Magic Eight Ball sitting there. She grabbed it and shook it. "Should I quit my job?" she asked it. "'That would be a yes,'" she read off the blue triangle. "Fine. Should I move?" She shook the novelty item again and saw the same response. "Should I move back to my parents' house?" She shook it and read the answer. "'Follow your heart.' Yeah, my heart says to ask about another town and never ask that again." She went through a list of towns she had visited while working for the FBI, but the only answers she ever got was 'Ask again later' or 'My sources point to No.'
"What about Chicago?" Hazel finally asked it. "You got anything against Chicago?" She shook the item "'No.' Fine. Should I move to Chicago?" She shook the eight ball again. "'That would be a yes.'" She set the Eight Ball down on the coffee table and stared up at the ceiling. "Am I really gonna change my life all because what a Magic Eight Ball, that my seven-year-old nephew got me by the way, says." She looked at Wadsworth and he barked. "I definitely don't have better ideas."
? ? ?
"So you're seriously gonna move?" Nikki asked her as she handed her another box to put into the trailer.
"You think I packed all my stuff into the trailer for fun?" asked Hazel.
"Well, I don't know," replied Nikki. "You're kind of weird sometimes."
"There is nothing here for me in Washington," said Hazel. "The only job I could get was as a waitress and I hated it. I'm going to move and I'm going to get a fresh start."
"You're moving to Chicago," said Nikki. "You've worked with the police there. That doesn't make sense. Why are you doing this?"
Hazel stopped loading the trailer for a minute and said quietly, "You're going to laugh at this and call me crazy, but I asked a Magic Eight Ball what I should do."
"You can't be serious," said Nikki staring at her.
"I am," said Hazel. "I had no idea what I should do, so I just asked it. I figured I didn't have any better ideas, so why not?"
"I'll tell you why not," said Nikki, "because it was a Magic Eight Ball. You know those things are based on chance."
"I know," said Hazel, "but I really don't care. Once I find an apartment and get settled in I'll give you a call. So in about seven years you can expect to hear from me."
A light blue car pulled up and Tom got out of it. "So you're really moving?" he said as he walked over to the trailer.
"For God's sake!" shouted Hazel. "Yes, I'm moving. Hence all the boxes with my stuff inside, my truck filled with boxes, and the U-Haul trailer. Yes, for the last time, I'm moving."
"Sorry," said Tom. "I just couldn't believe it. It was bad enough when you quit the FBI, but now you're just leaving. Really hard to believe."
"Well," said Hazel angrily, "believe it." She put the last box into the trailer and pulled down the door of the trailer. She took a deep breath and said, "I'm going to miss you guys. You helped me keep my sanity for the past few years."
Tom smiled and gave Hazel a hug. "I'm gonna miss you too," he said. Tom gave her a kiss on the cheek and then let go.
"No matter if you wanted it to happen or not," said Nikki. "We're now friends. I want you to remember that."
Hazel smiled and gave Nikki a hug. "I hope you get a new partner and I hope they are impulsive, annoying, and impatient. You two would get along."
"I don't know," said Nikki. "I've been hanging around you so much I think a partner like that would annoy me."
Hazel let go of her and said, "Exactly." She walked back to her apartment and came back down a moment later with Wadsworth at the end of a leash. She opened the passenger's side door and the dog jumped up onto the seat.
"There's no turning back now," said Hazel.
"Goodbye, Hazel," said Nikki quietly.
"See ya," said Tom.
"Goodbye," said Hazel. She climbed into the truck and started up the engine. Hazel let out a sigh and then drove off.
? ? ?
Gary woke to the normal sound of the meow of the cat and the thump of the newspaper. "Go away!" Gary muttered from under the covers. The cat meowed again and Gary sighed. He crawled out of bed and stumbled over to the door. Gary opened the door and saw the cat staring up at him from it's usual spot on top of the paper. It meowed at Gary once again and then trotted into the apartment.
"Good morning to you, too," mumbled Gary as he picked up the paper. He started to flip through it in search of the things he had to do that day.
? ? ?
Hazel heard the alarm clock ringing and sighed. She pulled her pillow over her head and refused to move. She was mentally counting down the seconds until Wadsworth was going to come bounding into the room and onto her bed.
"Five, four, three, two, one," Hazel said to herself. She felt the huge dog's weight drop onto the bed.
Hazel sighed again and reached out to turn off the alarm clock. She slowly sat up and stared at the dog. "I don't want to go to work today." The dog gave her a blank stare and then jumped down off the bed.
Hazel climbed out of bed and walked down the hall to the kitchen. She started to make herself a cup of coffee when the date on the calender caught her eye. It had been starred several times and written in big letters where the words, "DAY OFF."
"Wadsworth!" Hazel shouted through the small apartment. The dog came trotting into the kitchen with a piece of paper hanging from his mouth. "I don't have to go to work today," she said to the animal. "What's that you got there?"
Hazel took the paper from the dog and read the now blurred words. "'Things to do on Day Off.' I thought I threw this away." She skimmed down the long list and the last one she read aloud to Wadsworth. "'Walk dog. You added that, didn't you?" The dog stared at her for a moment and then went over and sat by his food dish.
"Fine," said Hazel. "We'll both need a good breakfast if we want to even try and get this list done."
? ? ?
Gary walked into the office of McGinty's and saw Marissa sitting at her desk.
"Morning, Marissa," said Gary.
"Morning, Gary," replied Marissa. She paused for a moment and then said, "Don't take this the wrong way or anything, but you don't sound too great."
"I don't feel too great," muttered Gary. Then louder he said. "I have to get going. A guy is supposed to get crushed by a falling scaffolding at eight."
"Bye," said Marissa. She heard the office door open then close and the same with the outer door. Marissa sighed and went back to work.
? ? ?
Hazel looked at the list again and crossed off another thing. "Okay," Hazel said to herself, "the next thing on the list is 'Get groceries.' Yeah. I can afford that." She laughed to herself and walked back toward her truck.
? ? ?
Gary ran down the sidewalk toward the scaffolding. A construction worker was standing underneath it sorting through his tools.
"Hey," Gary said. He paused and quickly looked at the name in the paper. "Scott Davis."
The worker turned and looked at Gary. "What?" he asked.
"Come here," said Gary.
"Why?" asked the worker.
"Just come here," replied Gary.
The worker shrugged and walked over to Gary. Just as he was out from under it, the scaffolding collapsed.
The man turned around and looked at the scaffolding. "Thanks," said Gary. He put the paper back into his pocket and walked away.
? ? ?
Hazel carried the two bags of groceries to her truck and put them in the passengers side seat. She pulled out the list and crossed another thing off of it. "Four things down, four hundred to go." She put the list away and got into the truck.
? ? ?
Gary looked at the article and sighed. "'Woman Killed by Speeding Car.'" It didn't give a name. All it said was that a woman was killed after being struck by a car. She had been chasing after her dog when a car ran a red light and hit her. She was killed instantly.
Gary looked at his watch and scanned the sidewalk for a woman walking a dog. He saw the woman the article was talking about, but when he saw who it was, he stood there shocked.
"Hazel!?" he finally said.
The woman turned toward Gary and the dog ripped the leash from hand and took off across the street.
"Wadsworth," muttered Hazel in a frustrated tone. She was about to go after the animal when Gary shouted something else. "Hazel, don't move!"
Hazel stopped and turned toward Gary. The car that ran the red-light went speeding by. Wadsworth was on the other side of the street barking at a cat in an apartment window.
Gary ran to where Hazel was standing and asked, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," replied Hazel. She looked a little pale, but other than that she looked okay.
"What are you doing here?" asked Gary.
"Well, I was walking my dog," replied Hazel simply.
"No," said Gary. "What are you doing in Chicago?"
"Oh," said Hazel. "That's a long story." She turned away from Gary and shouted at Wadsworth. The dog came back across the street and sat down next to Hazel.
"Are you working on another case?" asked Gary.
"That's where the long story comes in," said Hazel. "Look, I don't have a lot of time to talk right now. I'll stop by McGinty's later." She grabbed the dog's leash and started to walk again. Gary was about to walk away, too when Hazel called his name.
"Yeah," he said as he turned around.
"You don't look too good," said Hazel. "You should try and get some rest." She waved good-bye as the dog pulled her down the street.
? ? ?
Hazel walked into McGinty's around ten and looked around for Gary. She had wanted to get there earlier, but the list had taken longer to finish than she expected.
Hazel saw Marissa sitting at the bar and walked over to her.
"Hello, Marissa," said Hazel. "It's Hazel."
"What are you doing here, Agent Hazel?" asked Marissa.
"Not 'agent' anymore," said Hazel. "I quit the FBI."
"Can you do that?" asked Marissa.
"I guess," said Hazel "They can't make you work for them."
"So what are you doing in Chicago?" asked Marissa.
"Believe it or not," said Hazel. "I live here now."
"Really?" said Marissa. "Since when?"
"I got here about a month or so ago," replied Hazel. "I've been working a lot. I would have stopped by sooner, but I haven't had a lot of time. I probably wouldn't have come by today if Hobson hadn't um... saved me."
"What happened?" asked Marissa.
"I almost got hit by a car," replied Hazel.
"How?" Marissa asked Hazel.
"My dog got away from me," replied Hazel. "Is Hobson here?"
"Yeah. He's in the office. I'll get him for you," Marissa walked towards the office.
Hazel sat down at the bar and waited. She order a drink and looked around. Hazel saw Gary and said, "Sorry I had to run off this afternoon, but I had a lot I needed to get done today."
"Marissa said that you live here now," said Gary.
"She's telling the truth," said Hazel. "Got here about a month ago."
"And you're definitely not here on a case?" said Gary.
"It would be really hard for me to be here on a case since I don't work for the FBI anymore," replied Hazel.
Gary raised an eyebrow.
"I thought you liked you job, though," Gary said as he sat down next to her. "Why'd you quit?"
" I dunno," Hazel shrugged. "I just hated what I did."
"You helped people," said Gary.
"That's not the part I hated," said Hazel. "It's complicated."
"So, what do you do now?" Gary asked changing the subject.
"Huh?" Hazel snapped out of her daze.
"You new job," said Gary.
"I'm a waitress," replied Hazel, "but today I went around getting applications for better jobs I"m qualified for."
"How many did you get/" asked Gary.
"Two," murmured Hazel.
"That's all?" said Gary.
"There's not much I'm qualified for," said Hazel.
"So what did you pick up?" asked Gary.
"I can't remember," answered Hazel. Gary looked at her. "They weren't that exciting."
Gary and Hazel talked for awhile longer and then she looked at her watch. "I have to get going," she said as she stood up. Hazel payed for her drink and left the bar.
"Can you believe she's a waitress?" Gary asked Marissa as she walked over to sit by him.
"Who?" asked Marissa.
"Hazel," replied Gary.
"Hazel, a waitress?" said Marissa. "You're kidding."
"Nope," he said taking a sip of his drink.
? ? ?
Hazel walked into her apartment and tossed her keys onto her counter. Wadsworth looked up at from his spot on the couch, but quickly went back to sleep.
She pressed the button on her answering machine and listened to her only message.
"Hazel, this is Erma Erickson," said the voice. Hazel perked up when she heard the name of her boss. "I'm sorry to have tell you this through a message, but we have to do some cutbacks here and we're going to have to let you go. Once again, I'm sorry. Bye." Hazel turned and stared at the machine.
"Great! What the hell am I supposed to do now?" She shouted at the machine. As if on cue, Wadsworth trotted over with the leash in his mouth and stared at Hazel with hopeful eyes.
"It is 11:00 at night," Hazel said to the dog. He continued to stare at her. "You almost got me killed today. If Hobson hadn't been there, I would be a pancake on the road." Wadsworth looked at the door and then back at Hazel.
"Fine," said Hazel in a frustrated tone. She took the leash out of his mouth, hooked it to his collar, and walked out of the apartment.
? ? ?
Gary collapsed into his bed and looked at the clock. He still didn't fell too well, but he thought a good night's sleep would help.
? ? ?
Hazel crawled into her bed and closed her eyes. She felt Wadsworth by her side and sighed. "My life revolves around a dog," Hazel muttered to herself. "That's sad."
? ? ?
Gary walked down the sidewalk carrying the paper. His head was stuffed up and he felt worse than yesterday. He scanned the article again and sighed. He saw the man walk out of the store.
"Mr. Eubanks?" Gary said as the man walked past him.
"Yes?" said the man giving Gary a funny look.
"Did you take you heart medication this morning?" asked Gary.
"What?" asked the man. "Who are you?"
"I work for your doctor," replied Gary. "Now, did you take your heart medication today?"
The man thought for a moment and then said, "I don't think I did. Thank you." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pill bottle.
"You're welcome," said Gary. He turned around too fast and his vision blurred. Gary quickly found a bench and sat down with his head in his hands. Gary heard footsteps and looked up. He saw a blurred figured, but heard a familiar voice.
"You don't look too good," the figure said.
"Huh?" Gary's head cleared and he saw Hazel standing in front of him. "Oh, it's you."
"Oh, thanks," said Hazel.
"Sorry, it's this cold," said Gary. "What are you doing here?"
"Job hunting. And you?" she asked.
"Saving an old man, stopping a robbery, and," Gary checked the paper, "making sure a girl doesn't get kidnaped."
"Rough day. Gotta go. See ya," Hazel shouted as she walked down the sidewalk.
"Where are you headed?" asked Gary.
"I told you," said Hazel. "Job hunting. Wadsworth and I gotta eat."
"What about your job as a waitress?" asked Gary.
"Cutbacks," replied Hazel. "They had to let me go."
"Sorry," replied Gary.
"Wasn't your fault," said Hazel.
Gary shrugged his shoulders and stood up. He stumbled a few feet, but quickly caught his balance.
"You ever think about taking a day off?" asked Hazel.
"Can't," replied Gary. "Who would take care of the paper?"
Hazel sighed and walked over to Gary. "You are in no condition to be running around today. I want you to give me the paper. I will finish up what's in there."
"No," said Gary. "It's my responsibility. Besides, I'm fine."
"Yeah, right," said Hazel. "Look, Hobson, I was in the FBI six years and grew up seven brothers. You don't think I can get that paper from you."
Gary looked at Hazel and saw she wasn't going to back down. He reluctantly handed over the paper.
"Thank you," said Hazel. "Now go get some rest, Hobson. I'll bring the paper back later." She walked away before Gary could respond.
Gary sighed and started back home.
? ? ?
Hazel waited at the back of the store. She was looking for the man who was going to rob the small convenience store. The article never said who did it, but Hazel was good as spotting criminals.
She saw a nervous looking young man enter the store and decided that he was the robber.
The man started toward the register and Hazel started toward the man. She reached the man just before he got to the register. "You don't wanna do that," she said as she led him back outside.
He looked at Hazel wide-eyed and said, "But I need money."
"You think you're the only person with money problems," said Hazel. "I just lost my job."
"Really?" said the guy looking at Hazel.
Hazel sighed and reached into her pocket. She handed the man twenty dollar bill. "Here," she said. "Get yourself a haircut and a new shirt and find yourself a job.
The man took the money and looked back at the store. Hazel took a quick glance at the paper and saw the robbery story was gone. The man looked once more at Hazel and then walked away.
"I hope the rest of these things don't cost me," Hazel muttered. "I don't have a lot of money on me."
Hazel pulled out the paper and looked at the next thing.
? ? ?
Gary walked into McGinty's.
"What's wrong, Gary?" Marissa asked him as he leaned on the wall.
"Nothing, I'm fine," replied Gary.
"You're lying to me. Now tell me what's bugging you," Marissa said slightly annoyed with Gary.
"Hazel has the paper," he mumbled embarrassed.
"What?" Marissa nearly shouted.
"Hazel has the paper," Gary repeated.
"Why?" asked Marissa.
"She kind of convinced me to let her take care of it for the day," said Gary, "and I'm going to bed."
"So you're not 'fine,'" said Marissa, "are you?"
"No," murmured Gary. "I'm going to sleep." He walked out of the bar and up to his apartment. He collapsed onto his bed and fell asleep almost instantly.
? ? ?
Hazel saw a man getting ready to cross the street. "Hey, Mr.-," Hazel checked the paper, "Labe!" The man looked at her and Hazel saw the semi pass. "Never-mind," Hazel looked at the paper and the accident was gone.
? ? ?
"Can you help me? I lost my dog," said a man.
"Uh....no," said a girl about twelve. She backed away.
"Please help me," the man pleaded.
"I said no!" said the girl. "I'll-I'll scream!" She turned to run, but the man grabbed her. Suddenly, the girl felt the grip loosen. She saw the guy fall to the ground and a woman holding a broken bottle.
"You okay?" she asked the girl.
The girl nodded quietly. "How did you find me?" she asked.
"I was around," replied the woman.
"Thanks," said te girl.
"You're welcome," replied the woman. She pulled out her cellphone and called the young girl's parents. The woman waited until the girl's parents picked her up and the police were gone before she left.
? ? ?
Gary kept trying to fall asleep but he couldn't. "I still can't believe I gave the paper to Hazel," Gary said to the cat. The cat just meowed and stretched.
"Do you even care?" he asked the animal. Gary sighed and tried to go back to sleep.
? ? ?
"One more thing," said Hazel as she read the newspaper. "'Man Electrocuted.' This thing saves the best for last." Hazel sighed and tucked the paper under her arm. She walked back toward her truck and got inside. She started up the truck and headed toward the radio station.
? ? ?
Hazel stopped her truck and got out. She ran into the into the radio station down a long hall.
She ran past the receptionist's desk causing the man sitting behind the desk to stand up. "You can't go back there!" he shouted at her.
"It's an emergency!" Hazel shouted back. She ran down the hall and into the recording area.
"Who the hell are you?" asked a man sitting in a desk chair.
"Hazel," replied Hazel quickly. She saw the radio DJ the article mentioned and said, "You have to turn the power in there off."
"We can't do that," said the guy in the chair. "We're on the air."
Hazel grabbed the man by the shoulders and said, "You have to turn the power off now!"
"No," the man said bluntly.
Hazel let go of the man and ran into the room. She grabbed the back of the DJ's chair and pulled him away from the console just as there was a crackling sound from it. The chair fell over knocking both the DJ and Hazel to the floor. They saw smoke rising from the console.
"Are you okay?" Hazel asked the DJ as they stood up.
"I think," replied the DJ blankly. "I got shocked a little."
"Is everyone alright?" asked the man from the other room.
"I'm okay," replied DJ.
"I'm peachy," said Hazel.
"How did you know?" asked the man pointing to the console.
"I'm psychic," answered Hazel sarcastically. She walked out of the room and into the hallway.
"Wait!" shouted the man.
"What?' asked Hazel in an irritated tone. She turned and faced the man.
"I like you," said the man.
"Are you trying to ask me out?" asked Hazel giving the man a weird look.
"No," said the man. "The DJ in there is just filling in, our other DJ quit. Would you like to be on the radio?"
"Are you offering me a job?" asked Hazel.
"Yes," said the man. "Do you want it?"
"Yeah," said Hazel in disbelief.
"I'm Bob Nelson," said the man as he stuck his hand out.
Hazel shook his hand and said "I'm Hazel."
"You start tomorrow," said Bob.
"What time do you want me in here?" asked Hazel smiling.
"Ten o' clock," said Bob. "We'll show you the ropes. You go on air at four."
"Thanks," Hazel said as Bob walked away.
"No problem," said Bob.
She left the radio station and walked down the sidewalk. "I'm employed again. This is great!" She looked through the paper one more time to make sure she had nothing more to do and then headed to McGinty's.
? ? ?
Gary sat at the bar nervously glancing at the clock every few seconds.
"Where is she?" Gary asked himself.
"Where is who?" asked Marissa as she sat down next to Gary.
"Hazel! She said she's be here?" Gary stared at the door. Someone burst in just as Gary turned his head.
"Hobson!" Hazel shouted. "I got a job!"
"How?" he asked.
"I saved somebody at a radio station," answered Hazel, "and some guy offered me a job."
"So what are you going to do?" Gary stared at her.
"I'm going to be a radio DJ," she said.
Gary bit his lip trying not to laugh. "You, a DJ? Yeah right!"
"Believe it," said Hazel. "And if you don't, listen to the radio tomorrow at four."
"So you didn't have any trouble?" asked Gary.
"Not too much," replied Hazel. "Wait, I thought I told you to get some rest today."
Marissa laughed when Hazel said that. "I did, but the cat kept staring at me, and I was worried that you'd have some trouble with the paper but," Gary smiled, "I guess you didn't. One more thing, will you please call me Gary?" Gary sneezed.
"Damn it, Hob-Gary! Get some sleep!"
"I will, I will," Gary muttered grabbing a tissue.
"You better," Hazel said as she walked out of McGinty's.
The End
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? This is basically me just going back and fixing this story.