Disclaimer: I don't own George Eads's dog Maverick, I don't own CSI...what else don't I own?
Notes:
This chapter is half betaed by Impulse, and half by wox-77...So, I
dunno if there are any plotholes or whatever, it isn't easy to work
with two betas....Anyway, hope Impulse won't mind, but this third
chapter is dedicated to wox-77....Thanks, sis!
Chapter 3
There were no words to describe Alex's feelings as she struggled with her conscience and feelings. Looking out the window at the full moon, Alex closed her eyes, and did the one thing that had helped her to adulthood being as different as she was - she listened to her heart. And inside, a deep feeling of peace and calmness filled her, steadying her for what was to come, what she had to do.
She moved over to the man she was going to heal, carefully placed her hands over his wound. He was only semi-conscious, and Alex knew he wouldn't remember any of this when he woke up. She ripped up his shirt, exposing the wound, and closed her eyes. The familiar soft white glow filled the room, surrounding the young man, especially bright where he had been shot.
For a moment, Alex's brain felt like it was going to explode, but she shook her head, and prayed for the strength to finish this. Then, it was over, and she looked down at the now-healthy, but still unconscious young man, and started shaking at how close she had come to losing him.
"You'll be okay now, Nick," she whispered.
Then, self-preservation and survival instincts kicked in. She had to get rid of the bloody shirt, or people would start asking questions that she didn't know how to answer. Alex could just see her boss Gil Grissom interrogating her in one of the interrogation rooms at CSI, asking her if she remembered how Nick had a bloody ripped up shirt but no visible wounds, or even a bruise.
What exactly was she going to say to that? 'Well, you see, he was shot, but I healed him. I have these powers, you see…'
Even Grissom would go on instant 'psycho alert'.
Alex got up, shaking, though now because she was exhausted, and needed to rest badly. Tiredly she ripped off the part of the shirt that was bloody, and went downstairs to get rid of it in the neighbor's trash can. Then she went back upstairs, to Nick, and the dying suspect.
Alex fought back the sudden attack of guilt that she hadn't helped him too, but the very idea of using her powers again made her body ache all over in protest. Instead, she took out her cell, and called for back-up. Then, knowing there was nothing more she could do, she went over to Nick, took his hand, and waited, even as the events of the day caught up with her, going off like a bomb in her mind. Alex closed her eyes, and let the blackness take over…
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Alex woke up in a white room that made her wonder at first if maybe she was in heaven. Then her eyes opened fully and she made out her co-worker, Catherine Willows, in a chair beside her bed.
"Cath?" she asked, tiredly. "What – where am I?"
"From what the doctor told me, you're lucky you're not up in the clouds, playing a harp," replied Catherine, smiling at her in relief.
Alex managed to sit up, smiling back, and said, "A harp? I dunno…I think electric guitar would be more my type."
Both women shared a quiet chuckle, and then, as the events of the last night came flooding back, Alex asked, "Where's Nick?"
"He's in the next room," said Catherine. "Warrick paged me earlier when he woke up."
Alex suddenly knew that Cath was here to ask her questions. Time to start lying, she thought wearily.
"What happened?" she asked quietly.
Catherine studied her carefully, then said, "You tell me. I mean, dispatch got your call for back-up, and we arrived on the scene to find you and Nick unconscious and a dead suspect. What happened?"
Alex shrugged helplessly. "I don't know. I can't remember. Did you ask Nick?"
I should be nominated for an award or something, she thought to herself.
"You can't remember?" Catherine repeated, sounding a little like a parrot. "Anything? Not even why you were at the crime scene in the first place?"
Alex screwed up her face a little, like she was struggling to remember. "No…I dunno…maybe I was just in the neighbourhood and dropped by to see how Nick was doing?" She shrugged again. "I'm sorry Cath, I can't remember."
Please buy it, she prayed.
Cath looked uncertain, then she smiled and said, "It's okay, Alex. Hey, maybe Nick will be able to provide more answers."
"I hope so," agreed Alex. "I really am sorry, Catherine."
"Hey, don't worry about it." Catherine patted Alex on the shoulder. "You just rest up, so you can get back to work. I think Hodges misses you back at the lab."
Alex laughed, the image of the rather stuck-up lab tech caring about her or anyone other than himself being truly hilarious to her.
Catherine patted her on the shoulder once more, and Alex watched her leave the room. She sighed. Lying was part of her life, especially since she needed to survive, to keep her differences hidden from the world. Still, it didn't mean she had to like it.
"I'm sorry, Cath," she whispered, looking towards the door her friend had just exited. "I'm so sorry.
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The lab bustled with activity, and Nick wondered how he had never noticed exactly how noisy the place could get before. He had been released from the hospital yesterday, with the doctor's strict orders to get some rest, but had come in to work today anyway. After all, he reasoned, he was fine, except for that itchy feeling in his stomach that refused to go away. Nick was just hoping it would wear off soon.
Catherine had been all over him yesterday, fussing over him, asking him questions, asking what had happened, what Alex had been doing there. The trouble was, Nick couldn't tell her anything, simply because he didn't remember anything.
Well, nothing that made any sense, anyway. He remembered going to the crime scene, collecting evidence in the bathroom, the living room, the bedroom…that was when it started to feel like a really bad dream.
He remembered, vaguely, Alex entering the room, shouting for him to get down, and throwing open the closet…
Throwing open the closet?
Nick sat up. She'd entered the room, and shouted for him to get down, then thrown open the closet, and the perp had slammed into her…but…had Alex known that the perp had been there? It sure seemed like she had…had she known beforehand that the perp was in the closet? Had she?
Nick shook his head slowly to himself. No. He had no proof. No proof whatsoever…Nick knew that the case had been classified as unsolved. Their only suspect was dead, and neither he nor Alex remembered anything.
His mind replayed to him the image of Alex crashing into the bedroom, throwing open the door, and his expression grew troubled. She said she didn't remember anything…
Or did she?
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Right, thanks to those who reviewed, but RK9 needs more feedback to feed her addiction...I'll send Gary Dourdan to all who press the purple button - you can't expect me to send George Eads, he's mine!
Okay, shout-outs:
Impulse5 - Don't call me mean, genius, I was only joking! Of course you don't sound like Brennan, of course you're smarter than him! This from a fellow evil genius, of course.
jbr12476 - Thanks for the review and the compliments. Wish i could give you George, but he's mine...you'll have to settle for Gary or Billy Petersen. As for where I'll go with this fic... well... (evil laugh) Just wait and see...
The Converter - Uh...I'm just a naive little girl from Malaysia who doesn't understand much English...and I'm sorry, but I'm not sure I get what you mean. Could you be more specific? Where was I spiteful? What geeks? What relationship? And I hope you'll continue reading this anyway, maybe I'm a little biased, but...this story's gonna be great!
Forensic Photographer711 - Glad you like it, and hey, cliffhangers mean us authors get to have some fun! (evil grin)
love N/S - As I explained to jbr12476, you can't have George, George is mine. And I'm going to assume you enjoyed this fic since you gave me two wonderful reviews. ;) Thanks, and enjoy the story.
Im Stoked - Hey, watch who you're calling an imp! You're talking to a bona fide evil genius in training! Seriously, glad you're enjoying the fic. Here's more suspense for you in this chapter, have fun reading - see you at the next update I hope! ;) And FYI, it isn't me who decides when the chapter goes up. Talk to my beta reader, without her okay, I'm not allowed to post the next installment.
Amaran Barrantes - This chapter should satisfy you for now, dear, have fun reading it, reviewing it, and then...have fun waiting for the next chapter! Kudos!
