Left Undone

Chapter 15 An Ending and a Beginning

Riley sat in the window seat of the airplane as it began to taxi out on to the runway. Her eyes felt heavy with grief as she thought about Timothy. She held against hope that she was dreaming this. He couldn't be dead. He just couldn't. She watched silently as the plane began to drift upwards, the ground slowly giving way to blue skies. She wiped her eyes, and smiled lightly. There were no bad memories with Timothy, only good ones. And those are the ones that she would carry with her to her new home.

" Ms. West?"

" Um, yes, Johnson," Riley answered as she turned to him , offering a smile.

"I'm sorry about your friend and his mother. Were you close to him?"

" Closer than you'll ever know. Have any idea where we are going?"

" Well, we are connecting in Denver, but agent Speedle told me not to tell you until the plane was in the air."

" We've accomplished that, Johnson. So spill, where am I headed off to?"

Johnson grinned slightly as he pulled out a brochure and handed it to her, " Have you ever been there?"

Riley looked at the brochure and sighed, a faint smile crossed her lips as she thought about a conversation that she and Donnie had when she was staying in Syracuse.

" If there is anywhere you'd rather be, where would you go?"

" San Diego, California."

"Wow, you certainly had that one ready. Why San Diego?"

"I dunno, I just think that it would be a nice place to live. From the pictures I've seen, it looks beautiful."

"Who knows one day, you just might make it there..."

" I'll believe it when I see it, Donnie..."

" He was right," Riley said almost in a whisper.

"What?"

Riley looked at him and shrugged, " Oh it's nothing, so San Diego huh?"

" I think you will like it . Your uncle was flown there earlier today and he should be getting settled in at the hospital there."

" Would it be possible for me to see him when we land?"

"That could be your first step, if you want it to be," Johnson replied.

Riley nodded her head as she turned to gaze out at the brilliant blue sky saying, " I would like that."

She had nothing but memories left in Miami, and she closed her eyes committing them to her heart.

TSJ

When Horatio arrived at the morgue, he found the doors closed and locked. Never had he experienced anything of this nature and it was confounding him. The feeling of worthlessness covered him as he stood quietly outside the doors, praying that no one would see him there. He had lost a part of his family today, and it stung just as bad as it did two years ago, possibly even worse. Again, he was unable to help them. Again he had failed them. He was lost in his thoughts as someone approached him. Looking up , he saw that it was Eric. He wore an expression of pure pain, his eyes having that hollowed effect and sadness had draped itself around him.

" H, there's no talk about where this animal might be," Eric said as he cleared his throat roughly. " He's disappeared."

" No one's that good," Horatio replied as he continued to hold his head down. He didn't want to see the sadness etched on Eric's face again, for fear that it would make his grief surface more than he wanted it to. " We are going to find this punk, and he's going to stand trial for murdering a police officer."

Eric glanced at the morgue doors and dropped his demeanor even more. He couldn't believe that behind those doors, lain the bodies of his dear friends. Trying to shake it off, he turned back to Horatio and asked, " No word yet from Alexx?"

" No , and we won't. Sackheim gave her strict instructions to give him the findings of the autopsies."

" You're joking, right? We won't get to know what happened to Calleigh and Timothy? That's bullshit and you know it Horatio," Eric said as his voice rose.

"It is what it is, Eric. He has followed all procedures and protocols. We are out of the loop on this one."

" Dammit, this isn't right H! They were our friends, our family. We have a right to know," Eric said as he saw the door to the morgue openAlexx stepped outside the door, with a solemn look about her. Instantly, Eric's harsh demeanor had vanished and it was replaced by silence.

" They are on their way to the funeral home, Horatio," Alexx reported as he stood up expectantly.

" Wh- What? We can't see them?"

"No, they have already taken them. I'm sorry, Horatio. My hands were tied."

Horatio gazed at her with understanding. She was only doing her job, but she was the one who had seen them last.

" How was it?" he asked quietly. He knew the answer to this question before it even escaped his lips, he knew that it had have been awful, especially for Alexx. She had been the closest to them.

" You know I can't discuss this with you, Horatio. But I will let you know that they didn't suffer. They bled out rather quickly."

Horatio nodded and replied softly, " Understood. Did the Feds make the funeral arrangements as well?"

" Surprisingly, no they didn't. It has been left up to us," Alexx said as she dropped her gaze. She looked at the ground, feeling a sense of emptiness. " I was thinking that I would take care of it. That is if you didn't mind."

" No, no Alexx. I'm sure that you will do what's right," he replied as he turned to face Eric. He then turned back to Alexx and tried to smile, but not quite pulling it off. " Excuse me, Alexx."

Alexx and Eric watched as Horatio walked to the elevator and waited patiently for the lift to arrive, never lifting his head. It was a sad day for them all.

TSJ

Tim couldn't help but think about Calleigh and Timothy as they sat on the curb, waiting. The images of them lying in the wreckage of the SUV haunted him and gave him more tenacity to get this guy. He nervously tapped his fingers on the window, eliciting stares from his brother.

" Tim would you knock it off, please."

" Oh, excuse me Donnie. Am I bothering you?" Tim asked his words dripping with heavy sarcasm. " I could've sworn that my family was in that SUV."

Donnie glared at him and shook his head. If there was one thing that he couldn't stand , it was his brother's yo- yo temper. One moment he was content ,the next, he was ready to blow. The situation had intensified his mood swings and Donnie was finding it hard to maintain his composure.

" I was just saying, Tim. Just lay off of the nervous ticks . You know it drives me up the wall when you do that."

" You're serious aren't you? You've got to be kidding me."

" What? This is a highly stressful situation. I'd rather if I could think in peace," Donnie retorted as he continued to look at his older brother.

" Tell me about it. A hit man just murdered my wife and son, and now we are waiting for him to come back. Which I think is a stupid idea."

" Well Einstein what would you have done?"

" Did they teach you nothing in the academy? Oh, I forgot, you are FBI..."

" Oh, that's cute Tim. Really. I'm serious though, what would you have done?"

"Well, if I just iced a cop and her kid, do you think that he would stay in Miami?"

" You're thinking that he's gone back to New Jersey?"

" Yep, and he's been in the air for almost two hours now," Tim said as he cast his glance up to the darkened house.

" Well I don't think so. We are not dealing with the smartest one in the bunch. Fifty says that he comes back here."

" Fifty? How about make it a hundred, and bragging rights?" Tim asked as his attitude had changed.

" You're on, big brother," Donnie said as he shook Tim's hand. They had a rough a time of it for a while, being that Tim was thirteen years older than him, but through out the years, they had managed to find common ground, it being law enforcement. Donnie had joined the FBI right out of college. He had always looked up to his big brother, but when he saw first hand at what Tim was doing with his life, Donnie had decided that it was worth a chance. He had wanted to find a way to help people, especially after growing up in the type of home he had. He figured that helping was in his DNA and he had both his mother and brother to thank for that. He was rewarded in his work and he hadn't regretted a single choice he had made.

"So, you really think that he's going to come back?" Tim asked incredulously.

" Just wait."

Tim sat back in his chair and continued to watch the house. As the hours had passed, he thought about the new life that he would have to assume after this, and he thought once more about the home that he was going to have to leave. Miami had been his solace when he needed it and it would always hold a special place in his heart.

Coming out of his deep thoughts, he saw a pair of headlights as they shined up into the driveway, and watched as a thin, lanky boy stepped out of the electric blue Honda. Tim reached into his pocket and took out his wallet, handing his brother a crisp one hundred dollar bill.

Donnie laughed slightly as he took the bill and tucked into his own pocket, " Nice doin' business with you , Timmy."

" Yeah, yeah, you were right, so now what do we do?"

" Want to go ask him some questions?" Donnie asked.

" Sure," Tim replied as he started to get out of the van.

" Wait, is your gun clean?" Donnie asked factitiously.

" That was low, Donnie. But to quell your fears, I've always cleaned my gun."

" Just checking," he smirked as they got out and headed for the house. Donnie knocked on the door sharply and listened intently.

Tim heard the gun chamber a round and dove at his brother just as the bullets pierced the door. Rolling away, he checked Donnie before getting to his feet.

"Donnie!"

" I'm okay. What about you?"

"Fine. Whaddya say we catch this guy," Tim said as he held a hand out. Donnie took it quickly and filled his hands with his gun as Tim went to the other side of the door. When they were ready, Tim kicked the door open and pointed his gun inside. As they entered, Tim could see several pictures of his family along with pictures of Riley and Malcolm. He walked past them quickly and noticed movement in the hallway. Silently, he motioned for his brother to cover him, and they moved quickly. The sounds of gunfire filled the air once more. Tim shot his gun into the darkness before taking cover behind the door jamb. He heard the faint sounds of someone crying out in pain, and he motioned for Donnie to shine his flashlight into the hall. In the glare of the light, he saw Cooper as he doubled over in pain, holding his stomach.

"It's safe to say that you got him, Tim," Donnie replied as they both entered into the hall way.

" You think we need to call an ambulance?" Tim asked as he knelt on his haunches next to the bleeding boy.

" I'll call . You stay with him, and no funny business, Tim."

" I promise that I will be good. Scouts honor," Tim replied as he glared down at Cooper.

Donnie got up and went into the other room, leaving Cooper with Tim. Tim smiled devilishly at the young man as he kicked the weapon from him.

" Me and you, are going to have a talk."

" I have nothing to say to you. You are going to wish that you were dead," Cooper spat as he coughed up blood.

" Now, now, Cooper. That's not nice," Tim said as he applied pressure to Cooper's wound. " I'm just holding a friendly conversation. Who ordered the hit on my family?"

" You think that I'm going to tell you?"

" I think that you are a scared kid that has gotten in way over his head. You have any idea what you've done?"

" I really don't give a shit."

Tim ignored him and continued to talk, " You've killed a cop. In Miami."

" Yeah, so?"

" Florida stands by it's excution record. You know what that means?"

Cooper sat silently as the thoughts ran through his mind. Of course he knew what that meant. He was going to go to the gas chamber. He decided that he was going to remain calm and stilled his will.

" I'm still a minor," Cooper returned.

" No, Cooper you're not. See, I was able to get my hands on some records, your records, and I found that you are more than sixteen years old. In fact, you are twenty isn't that right?"

Cooper stared into the darkness, knowing that he was trapped. He remained silent as he heard the sounds of the ambulance coming towards the house. He had to make a choice.

"Alright, alright, I was ordered to hit, by the Mattini family. Hugo Mattini. He said that if I did this, I would be square with him."

" Mattini family? And he hit Riley Highsmith and her uncle?"

" Who?" Cooper asked confused.

" Oh, I mean, Rachel Trenton. The little girl that witnessed Hugo's son kill that drug dealer in New Jersey," Tim replied as he revealed Riley's real name for the first time since meeting her.

" Yeah, yeah, he ordered all of it. Now, what do I get?"

" Get?"

"Yeah, I gave you some information, what do I get in return?"

" You , my friend get a free ride to the hospital and a stay on Florida's death row," Tim replied as he got up. Donnie returned to them quickly as the lights of the ambulance flashed through the house. Someone followed Donnie into the room and Tim looked at him with a small smile on his face and handed him a recorder.

" Good job, Speedle," Sackhiem said as he took the recorder and glanced down at Cooper.

Cooper looked at him wildly and asked, " Just how did you find me?"

" My son wrote your name down on a piece of paper before he died. Led us straight to you," Tim said as Sackhiem pulled Cooper up and cuffed him ,reading him his rights. " Enjoy Florida's penitentary system."

Donnie smiled and clasped Tim on the back then told him," You better get out of here before some of your friends show up."

" I'm going. Meet you in San Diego?"

" Wouldn't miss it. Be careful ,Tim."

" I will, Donnie." Tim said as he walked quickly out of the back door. He picked up his pace as he neared a dark alley and quickly uncovered a gleaming motorcycle. Smiling he got on and started the engine. In minutes, he was on the causeway, heading for his future leaving an end for a beginning.

TBC...

A/N: Alright guys, we've come to the end of this ride. The next chapter is the epilogue...