Chapter 14

Sophia grabbed for the gun, thinking that Jana wouldn't have the nerve to shoot; she was wrong. She froze mid step as she saw Jana squeeze the trigger. She braced for the bullet's impact, wondering how bad being shot felt.

Warrick stood immobilized in horror, knowing there was no way he could stop what was happening. He wanted to look away, but couldn't. How could he deal with a second partner being shot?

Only, no shot came.

Jana pulled the trigger again and again nothing. While Sophia and Warrick were left wondering what was happening, Jana fumbled with the door, still pulling the trigger with no consequence.

Sophia quickly realized something was amiss and restarted her movement towards Jana. She knocked the gun out of Jana's hands and quickly slammed her up against the wall. She started to handcuff her as she read Jana her rights.

Warrick, after regaining his composure, put on a pair of plastic gloves and went to check out the gun. He let out a short laugh of relief as he examined it.

"What?" Sophia asked, wondering what the chuckle was for.

"No bullets," Warrick informed her.

Jana gave an eerie smile. "I told you I didn't want to have to shoot you." She let out a laugh.

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Alex walked out into the noon sunlight. She was free, again and permanently. The charges against her were dropped since the real killer had been captured—and evidence was found proving Alex had been framed.

A search of Jana's duplex turned up a lot of evidence. Aside from finding the scalpel with the victims' blood and samples of Alex's hair, the hearts of the three women had been found. It was enough for anyone to see that Alex was innocent.

As she walked along the sidewalk, looking for Sam's car, she heard footsteps behind her.

"Can I um, give you a ride home?" the man behind her asked.

She turned around and looked at him. "I don't think that's a good idea, Greg."

He gave her an apologetic smile. "Come on, I have a lot to make up for."

She hated that smile because it always melted her heart. But this time, she knew, reconciliation wasn't in their future. "Greg, I can't. I can't do this anymore."

"Alex, please, don't say that. I know the last week has been so emotional. I wasn't thinking," Greg tried to apologize.

She held up her hand. "No, Greg. I've tried everything I could, but you still threw me out. You didn't even believe I was innocent!" Then she mumbled to herself, "Of course, neither did Gil."

"Alex," he tried to protest her analysis of the situation.

She grabbed his shoulders and looked him straight in the eye. "No, Greg. Just—no." She released him and then turned around.

She was glad she spotted Sam as soon as her back was to Greg. She picked up her pace and jogged over to his car. She didn't want Greg to get in another word. She wasn't sure if she could say no to him one more time.

She quickly opened his car door and slid in the passenger seat. Sam noticed a tear escaping from her eye.

"Are you ok?" he questioned.

She wiped away the tear. "No, but I will be."

"Home?" he asked.

She just nodded, looking out the window. Suddenly she turned and looked at him. "I don't think I've said it, but thank you for all your help."

He quickly looked at her then back at the road. "You're the easy kind of client—innocent."

She smiled and lightly tapped his knee. "Thank you," she replied, trying to choke back her tears.

"And the best kind of friend," he added.

She just nodded and went back to staring out the window. She had so much on her mind none of it could escape.

The rest of the car ride was silent. When they pulled into a parking space at Alex's complex, Sam started to get out.

"It's ok," Alex said to him. "You don't have to come in."

"It's not a problem," he replied, unbuckling himself.

"Really," she stopped him. "I kinda want to be alone right now, as ironic as that sounds."

"Ok," he responded, buckling himself back in. "Call me if you need me."

"Will do," she shut the door and walked towards her apartment.

She fumbled with the keys as she got to the door. It had been such a long week: in jail, out of jail, Greg, no Greg, Nick, and Jana. She could barely concentrate on the simple task at hand.

"Need help with that?" She recognized Nick's voice.

She turned to look at him as she slid her key in the lock. "Is it hunt down Alex day?" she mumbled.

"What?" he was confused.

"Nothing," she replied, waving her hand in dismissal. "What're you doing here?"

He pulled his hand from behind his back to reveal a bouquet of yellow roses. "Welcoming you home." He smiled his most charming smile.

She looked down, blushing and quietly said, "Yellow means friendship." Then looking back up, in a solid voice she added, "Nick, you shouldn't have."

"Ahh, but I did," he answered, still holding out the roses. "You've had a rough week, you deserve some flowers."

She took the flowers from him and inhaled their beautiful scent. "Thank you," she replied, her voice once again barely above a whisper.

"So, we going inside?" Nick questioned.

"We?" she playfully asked in response, unlocking the door and opening it.

She walked in, while he stood on the threshold waiting for his invitation.

She turned and looked at him. "Nick, I really do need to thank you. You're the only one who believed in me. But I really just need to be alone right now."

He held up his hands. "I understand. Call me when you're ready for a friend." He smiled again and then left.

She closed the door and placed the flowers on the table. She was about to get a vase for them when she was distracted by the blinking light on her answering machine. She went over and pushed play.

The first message was bad news; she'd been fired before she'd ever started her new job. She couldn't say she didn't expect it though. Getting arrested for murder kind of hinders job prospects.

The next one was from Gil. "Alex," he started his message. "This is Gil. Glad you are home. Sorry I haven't been around. Give me a call and let's do dinner."

Alex rolled her eyes at the message. She was not happy with Gil at the moment. He had all but disappeared since she was arrested. She knew she couldn't really blame him. He did work for the crime lab. And she already knew if it came down to work or her, it was work.

She let out a long sigh. She also knew he wasn't the only one to let evidence overshadow their belief in her. Greg had fallen prey to the same inclination. It seemed only Nick hadn't.

When she thought of Nick, she remembered the roses. She went to the cupboard and pulled out a vase. As she unwrapped the flowers and placed them in the face, she noticed something usual. Amongst all the fully bloomed yellow roses was one red rose, still closed. Tied to the stem was a note.

Curious, she thought as she retrieved the card and opened it.

The card read: My friendship with you is full and in bloom. I hope someday my love will be too.

She caught her breath and her heart stopped. I hope it will be too, she thought. I just hope you'll still be waiting when I'm ready.

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"Let me ask you a question."

"Ok, you can ask me one question and only one."

"Why frame Alex Hart?"

Jana let out the laugh that had become her trademark through the interrogation process. "Of all the questions you could ask, you ask why Alex?"

Grissom gave her a serious look. "Yes, why Alex?"

She looked at him straight in the eye and replied, "When a single seed of doubt is cultivated properly, it will yield the forest of guilt."

Grissom simply nodded in agreement. It was in the forest of guilt that he had lost his daughter. He only hoped he hadn't lost her for good.