A teenage girl walked into the CSI station in an 80's cut off t-shirt and ripped jeans. She looked a little out of place among all the suites and ties but walked through them none the less. She pushed her glasses up and looked around. After a few minutes she caught Flacks eye and approached him. "Maggie?" Flack asked furrowing his brow.
"Hey D." Maggie said turning towards him. This time his eye caught his the cast on her arm. When she notice him looking she put it straight out in front of him. "Want to sign my cast?"
"You in trouble Maggie?"
"Yeah, trust me, this cast was just the opening act." Maggie lifted up her shirt slightly and showed him a jagged row of stitches in the middle of a large bruise. "Ever tried to justify this type of damage wit falling down the stairs? It's just not possible." Maggie joked hoping to keep the situation light and get the stern look off of Flacks face. "I just needed to fill you in now so that when you hear it through the grape vine you don't go ballistic."
"I'm about to go ballistic now Maggie." Flacks hands had turned into fists as he tried to contain himself. "I told you…"
"I know what you told me, we don't need to go through it again."
"So you just came down here as a curtsey to me?"
"Yeah," Maggie shrugged giving Flack a hug like she always did. "Plus I've got a favour to ask."
Flack sighed and led Maggie away from the crowd around his desk. "What do you need?"
"One cop to come down to the centre next week and talk to the kids. Please?" Maggie made her eyes as big as she could and made her best puppy dogface. "Please."
"I could probably get Mac and Stella to come with me."
"Great," Maggie smiled.
"I have a condition."
"You always do. What is it?"
"Move in to my place."
"We've been over this before Flack I like where I live."
"Maggie you live in a two bedroom apartment with nine people. I have an extra bedroom I don't know why you won't take me up on it." Flack ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "You've been mugged six times this year and I'm not even going to start with why you've got a broken arm and stitches. Just come live with me you can still work at the centre, I can drop you off everyday before I got to work."
"I think I'll just ask Mac myself." Maggie brushed by Flack and headed off towards Mac's office.
"Maggie," Flack groaned following her. "I'll do it, no conditions. I just worry about you."
"I know, but this is my life."
"Okay," Flack gave in. "When do you need us?"
"Tuesday, five, don't be late."
"We won't." Flack went back into an embrace with Maggie. "And take care of yourself I worry about my little sis."
"I worry about my big brother. I'll see you later, thanks a lot D." Maggie smiled and hugged Flack once more before she left. She smiled trying to reassure him, she knew how much he worried about her.
Flack watch his sister walk out of the station before he headed off to Mac's office. "Hey Mac, Maggie just stopped by, she was wondering if we could go talk to the kids at the centre, the usual don't mess up your life stuff. You up for it?"
"Yes, I'll ask Stella, Danny and Aiden if they want to tag along as well." Mac paused as Flack paced around his office. "Is everything alright?"
"Maggie's got a broken arm and some major stitches and still refuses to move in with me."
"Did she get mugged?"
"I don't know. She is so head strong I don't know what to do with her."
"She is a free sprit. You just got to let her live her life."
"Easy for you to say your sister doesn't live in one of the most dangerous neighbourhoods in the city." Flack shook his head in disbelief that his sister would put herself in harms way. "She lives with eight other people and most of them are guys."
All Mac could do was smile as Flack continued to shoot his mouth off. He felt bad for him because his sister was a really nice kid and even Mac felt as though he should be protecting her as well. She was someone always helping out. She went to community college and ran an after school program, she loved her neighbourhood and the more Flack protested the more she loved it and the more roommates she acquired. "Maggie is a smart girl, she'll be fine."
"I know, I know." Flack nodded and walked out of Mac's office and back out to his job. After working to the end of his shift he decided it would be best to go and check up on his sister. Grabbing his coat and keys he headed out.
"Hey Flack." Flack turned around to see who was calling his name, it was Aiden. "Could you be a pal and give me a ride home? It's really cold out."
"Sure, no prob, I'm actually heading out in your direction."
"Really?"
"Yeah I got to go check up on my sister, she lives out on 16th."
"16th?" Aiden's eye's grew wide she knew that part of town well enough to stay away from it. "Flack no offence but why are you letting your sister live in that kind of neighbourhood, it's dangerous."
"Trust me I have dragged her kicking and screaming to my apartment and she always goes running back to her shit hole. The best I can do is stop by every once in a while and flash my badge making sure every low life scum around there knows not to mess with my little sis."
"Does it work?" Aiden asked getting into the passenger side of Flack's car and putting on her seatbelt on.
"I like to think it does but her broken arm says otherwise."
"That's rough." Aiden paused for a moment as they pulled out of the parking lot but began talking again when an idea hit her. "You want an extra badge with you?"
"You want to tag along?"
"Yeah I'd like to meet your sister, see where you come from. If that's alright with you."
"Sure I could use the company and I can drop you off on my way back up town." Flack smiled knowing that he now had some support. He wasn't afraid of the neighbourhood but having someone to go with just made him feel better for some reason. He reached Maggie's building and parked his car. "I hope you've got your gun with you," he commented before getting out. They walked into the building, which looked as though it should be condemned, and made their way up the stair. Flack knocked on the door on the second floor and waited patiently for it to open.
"Hey Donald Duck," a friendly, smiling teenage boy said opening up the door. "You haven't been around for a while, we'd figured we'd be seeing you soon though, ever since Maggie got herself into more trouble."
"I can't be everywhere at once Kenny, you got to look after my girl," Flack said shaking the boys hand. "This is my friend Aiden," he introduced as they walked into the apartment.
"Friend? Damn D you got fine taste in…"
"Kenny is my sister here?" Flack cut off making she Aiden didn't get the kind of comment that Kenny usually gave to a piece of tail.
"Yeah she's in her room sleeping," Kenny said pointing to the door at the end of the hallway. "She's been a little down lately, she'll be glad you stopped by."
Aiden followed Flack through the apartment. To her it seemed more like a youth hostel in Europe than an apartment. There were people everywhere. The living room contained four teenagers playing video games. In the kitchen there were three people cooking and she was sure that behind the closed doors there were more people to be found. It was clean but filled with moving activity that she couldn't seem to keep straight, so she just kept close to Flack following him into a very neat bedroom filled with three sets of bunk beds. On the bottom bunk of one of the beds lay a teenage girl reading a book. "Hey D," she greeted putting the book aside and sitting up. "I figured you'd be coming by to check up on me."
"You know me too well," Flack said kissing Maggie on her forehead and sitting down next to her. "Maggie this is my friend Aiden, Aiden this little skinny twig is my sister Maggie."
"Nice to meet you," Maggie said with a smile as she brushed a few pieces of stray brown hair out of her face. "D you didn't have to come all the way out here to check up on me. Everyone here is taking good care of me."
"Where were they when this happened?" Flack asked his voice angered.
"My roommates are not my bodyguards."
Flack shook his head; no matter how hard he tried he would never win with his sister's. "I saw some new people out there. What happened to Nadia and Cecile? Do you have any girl roommate left?"
"Nadia moved back in with her parents and Cecile went to Canada, some clean living thing she has gotten into, I don't really know." Maggie paused to take a breath and smiled. "Okay, come on I will introduce you to the new guys." Maggie pulled herself up out of bed and dragged Flack by the hand out into the living room. Okay, Aiden this is; Corin, Gregory, Leo, Malcolm, Nathaniel, Oliver, and Kenny. Guy this is my brothers friend Aiden. And D this is Nym and Peter. Nym, Peter this is my brother Donald."
"Nice to meet you," several people chimed out.
"Alright D, now you know everyone, are you sticking around for dinner or is this just a quick visit?"
"Quick visit, I've got to get Aiden home, but why don't you come for dinner on Sunday?"
"Sunday?" Maggie raised an eyebrow to her brother. "The ever fun Flack family Sunday dinner?"
"Maggie, please?" Flack said half asking, half pleading with his little sister.
"I'll think about it," Maggie said giving Flack a hug. "Nice to meet you Aiden."
"You too," Aiden Managed to get out before Flack pushed her out the door and led her down to the car. "Flack there was like nine guys in there!"
"Don't remind me." Flack sighed as he unlocked his car. "Trust me, if I could change her mind about that place I would. She refuses to leave, says it's her life and she can do what she wants."
"So what does she do?"
"Works at a community centre, she is going to community college to get her teaching degree. She has vision of a better world which is how she justifies living where she does, she's all about helping people."
"So are you," Aiden said as they began to drive.
"Yes but I've got insurance at my job."
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