Author's Note: Well, enough of that case file crap, lol, I'm feeling shippy!
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Victims of Fate
Chapter Eight
Prompt: Manhood
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Carolyn Barek sat on the floor, just outside her apartment while uniforms and CSU techs flowed in and out. She stared at the ceiling and sighed hard. Her apartment was practically destroyed. Everything that was breakable was smashed, the majority of the furniture was over turned, and most disturbing whoever broke in had torn her clothes to ribbions. The final insult was scrawled in two shades of lipstick over her bed: "Whore Cop."
"Barek!" Mike called from the end of the hall and Carolyn shot to her feet. He made his way through the uniforms and stopped in front of her. She was a little alarmed at how relieved she was to see him. Her hands were actually shaking. "Your okay?" He asked, carefully laying a hand on her shoulder.
"They tore my clothes up," She admitted in a shaky voice, "Mike, what's the point of tearing up my clothes?"
"Maybe they were looking for money," Mike squeezed her shoulder then steered her towards the stairs, "Come on, we'll go to that little dinner near here." Carolyn nodded numbly and let Mike take control. Someone had invaded her private space. She didn't like anyone in her space, not since Tommy. She winced at the thought of Tommy and sought more comfort. She laid her head against Mike's shoulder and closed her eyes.
He smelled like leather, bad coffee and the squad room, very comforting. He was big too, big enough to block the bad memories and new horror out of her head. Carolyn did what got her in trouble as a kid, she zoned.
"Hey, Barek," Mike said, snapping his finger before her nose, "I could carry you up the steps but it'll give the other patrons the wrong idea."
"It's okay, the cook's always said I needed a white knight," Carolyn said, blushing a little as she climbed the steps and entered the dinner. She grab a seat and didn't miss that Mike looked a little pleased with himself.
"Thanks for coming," She sighed, "I didn't want to call my parents. They'd just worry."
"Yeah, well, anytime partner." Mike ordered a coffee for him and a tea for her. "They take anything?"
"No, just broke everything. I figure I'll have to wake my parents now, see if my room's still set up." Something passed in the air between them and both looked away for a second.
"So, uh, think of anything new for the Gregory murder?" She asked and shifted them back to work, which was safe. Still, she couldn't shake the smell of leather and coffee from her nose.