The New Recruits: Cha - Cha Changes
Chapter 7
A/N: I know, you've been wondering where this went to. There's no excuse other than I'm lazy. But I digress. Here's my peace offering.
Rory turned to Jacinda as she walked into the layout room, looking for her mother. He regarded her with a smile then returned his gaze to his work, feeling more than happy that she was in the same room with him. Rory let the smile linger as he moved from one end to the next, trying not to make it obvious that he was seeking her attention. Jacinda chuckled slightly at his antics and pulled on her lab coat, joining him. She would have a little fun with the newbie.
"So, how's it going, Rory?" Jacinda asked as she glanced at Shannon's art work on the table. Calleigh had not gotten far with it, so Jacinda thought to take a look at it.
" Fine," he sighed. The close proximity to her was unnerving. He couldn't believe that he already had feelings for her after just meeting her this morning. " Although, I have found Mr.Speedle kinda scary."
" He's a teddy bear when it comes down to it. Just give it time, Rory. He just lost his son."
" And your boyfriend," Rory finished. She glanced up at him, her smile now disappearing. It wasn't like she needed to be reminded of her loss.
"Yeah, look, have you found anything else on Shannon?" Jacinda said quickly. All intentions on having fun with Rory had gone out of the door.
" Not much, but Calleigh hadn't finished with the drawings. Do you really think that there is a clue to what was going on with her in these drawings?"
Jacinda nodded as she continued to look at one particular drawing, " Don't you remember art in school? You let your perception dictate what you drew?"
" No, not really?"
"So , you are perfect then?" Jacinda asked as she glanced up at him. His gray eyes shining brilliantly.
" No, not at all. Just well rounded. I didn't have to express myself through anything. Talking came easy for me."
"So , Mr. Well rounded, there was nothing that you felt like you couldn't talk about?"
" Nope. My family was very open and understanding. We didn't need drawings to know what was going on with us."
" Umm, interesting," Jacinda said as she continued to focus at the drawing in front of her.
" What that I'm an open book?" Rory quipped as he shifted his weight , leaning closer into her. He could smell the scent of her shampoo, it making him drift slightly.
"No, I mean, this drawing, it's interesting. Didn't Speed say something about a mother and a foster home?"
" Yeah, what are you getting at?"
" Look at this," Jacinda said as she held up a white piece of paper that held a drawing of a home, scribbled through with black. " The title says 'home'. She has three people in it. One's shouting at the other, and the other one is standing to themselves."
"Looking very upset," Rory said as he gazed at the picture. He saw the color of red on the drawing's face, figuring that it was blood. " Do you think that's blood?"
" Question is, who is it?" Jacinda said as she looked away from him to see commotion out in the corridor. They both got up and went to the door, just as a gurney went by. Jacinda took a harsh breath in as she saw who was on the gurney. Speed, Maxine , her mother and Alexx, passed by quickly, no one giving a glance back. Jacinda stepped out to catch her mother's arm, saying, "What happened?"
" Eric... he's unconscious, Tim found him in the fingerprinting lab, not breathing."
" Where's Jen?" Jacinda asked as she tried to keep up with the frantic pace. Rory wasn't far behind her.
" I don't know, Jacinda, but some one has to stay with the case. We are going to the hospital," Calleigh returned as she glanced over to Tim , who was having a hard time keeping himself composed. " Can you guys stay here and finish? We need to get a positive ID from Shannon's mother or someone."
" Okay mom, I'll stay, but keep me posted," Jacinda said as she stopped in her tracks and let the group pass her.
" I will."
Jacinda stood by as they all walked into the atrium, heading for the front doors. No matter how hard they tried , the CSIs of Miami Dade could not catch a break.
TNR
Horatio glanced at Jen as she slumbered fitfully in the passenger seat of the Hummer, his mind asking the questions. Why did she feel like there were no answers for her? Why did she feel like she wasn't worthy to live? Those were questions that he had asked himself time and time again, still not finding any answers. But today, his purpose came full circle. As he stood on the isolated beach with her, feeling all of her pain that felt so familiar, Horatio knew exactly what he was to do. He would be there for her, for them, just as he had been for countless others, and he would be the anchor that everyone had needed .
She stirred slightly as he turned onto the causeway, heading back into the city, causing him to glance over again. Seeing that her eyes were open, he smiled slightly , then returned his eyes to the road.
" How are you feeling, Jen?" he asked as he kept his eyes focused in front of him.
" Like a sand bag hit me in the chest," she replied groggily. She didn't know why she felt tired ,but it was an effort for her to keep her eyes open. " Why am I so tired?"
Horatio looked over to her with sympathetic eyes, and returned, " You've had so much on you. The weight of your troubles has finally caught up with you."
Jen smirked at him and repositioned herself in the seat, sitting up more, " I didn't know that you had a degree in psychology , H."
" It doesn't take one to know the human spirit. And not to mention that I've had my share of ups and downs. I can speak from experience."
" Your brother?"
" Yes, that type of pain never goes away," Horatio returned quietly. After all of these years, he still felt the hurt and turmoil that his brother's death had caused him. " But you have to learn how to live with it."
" It's just too hard, Horatio. Every since... Every since Robert's death, I have been denying that it was the root of my problem. I kept saying to myself that him being gone had not done anything to me, when its been farther from the truth. He was what made my life better. It was like losing a big brother," Jen replied tearfully. The pain on the beach was still there, and she didn't dare give it pause. Soon the emotions became too much for her and she was crying at full tilt again. She put her hands on the seat belt and released it, then moved to open the door. Horatio was stunned at the quickness of her actions, but he recovered in time enough to stop the Hummer and reached over to her, grabbing her.
"Jen, you have got to calm down. We are almost at the hospital. Don't make me restrain you. I'll do it," Horatio said as he looked at her. She was disheveled and the vacant look in her eyes told him that this wouldn't be an easy journey. He continued to look at her and she nodded her head in defeat and sat back. He pulled the seat belt across her and snapped it as she turned her head to gaze forlornly out into the darkening Miami skyline. The world was different for her now.
TNR
" I found an address for the mother," Rory said to Jacinda as they sat in the break room. They had been in the lay out room, going over the evidence and they both decided that they needed a break.
Jacinda sat down with a heavy sigh, feeling the eminent exhaustion as it began to settle around her. She didn't know whether it was psychological or real, but she was dead tired.
" Have we sent someone to get her? Jarret says that we need a positive ID."
" Detective Caine went. He should be back soon," Rory replied as he looked at her. He could tell that she was exhausted and he gave her a small smile. He also had put it together that she was pregnant and gaging from Speedle's interaction with her, he deduced that it was his late son's child that she was carrying. Despite this , he still felt an attraction to her, but he knew that he didn't have a chance. RJ was still a looming spectre.
" So you want to do the interview? I would but, seeming as if I look like crap scrapped off the sidewalk, I don't think it wise," Jacinda replied as she heaved some. Rory went into action and brought a waste basket to her. She relieved her stomach and then wiped the edges of her mouth , looking up at him sheepishly. How she wished she could gain control over her sickness. " I'm sorry about that, Rory. It's just that..."
" You're pregnant," he returned simply.
" Yeah... wait were you eavesdropping on our conversation?" Jacinda asked accusingly.
" Eavesdropping? While waiting for Child Protective Services?", Rory chuckled, "You give me way too much credit, Jacinda."
" Okay, so how did you know?"
" Well the barfing was the first clue, then Detective Speedle's interactions told me."
" It did?"
" Yes, the paternal instinct was wafting off of him," Rory said as he started to get up, " I'm a very observant creature."
" I see," she replied as she managed a smile. " Since you know, don't go spouting any information. If I want it out, I'll do it. Got it?"
" Crystal," Rory responded as he looked up to see Raymond pass by with a woman. " It's show time."
Jacinda laughed and watched him as he left the break room, feeling slightly better about Rory Hutchinson.
TBC...