As Melinda stands on the dock crouched over the body of a young girl wearing her blue Medical Examiner jacket her gut throws up a red flag. She silently examines the young girl. She motions for her colleagues to secure the young victim in the body bag. As she turns back towards the ME van she can't help but feel a hint of alarm.
4 AM- Olivia is tangled in her sheets after a bout with restless legs. She's barely been asleep a couple of hours when her phone buzzes her back into consciousness from its resting place on the pillow beside her.
"Benson," she answers just above a whisper as she slaps the device to her ear.
"Sorry to wake you, but I need you to come down to my office."
"I'll see you soon."
Less than an hour later Olivia rolls into the morgue with her hair haphazardly secured into a clip. She barely managed to apply under eye cream. Melinda greets her at the door, and leads her to her office by the elbow. Olivia tilts her head, and folds her arms across her chest.
"I thought that you called about a case," she admits, confused by Melinda's abrupt nature.
"Olivia, I think you should have a seat."
"I've barely managed to get a couple of hours of shut eye. If I have a seat it may be lights out."
"Please," Dr. Warner responds in a quiet, yet firm tone.
Olivia reluctantly hovers in a seat. Melinda turns another identical chair to face her. She exhales as she too has a seat.
"A few hours ago I was called to a crime scene. A young girl was found floating in the water. Late last night her family was on the beach having a bonfire, and she decided to walk along the edge of the water searching for sea shells. They were with a group of friends, and she was gone for nearly an hour before they realized they couldn't see her anymore."
"But someone saw her."
Melinda shakes her head, "There are no signs of foul play. Evidence is consistent with drowning."
Olivia furrows her brow, "Then why did you call me down here in the middle of the night?"
"I had to run her DNA to confirm. I couldn't get dental records at this hour."
"I'm not following."
"I thought that my computer was malfunctioning, or that perhaps my sample was contaminated, so I ran it again."
"It might be the sleep deprivation, but you're not making any sense right now."
"The computer knows to filter for any possible contamination."
"And?"
"Mine was convinced that she was contaminated with yours. The second time I ran the sample I did a closer look. I realized that her sample was not contaminated. Her sample shares your mitochondrial DNA."
Olivia's eyes widen as the words tumble from Melinda's mouth. She rubs her forehead, and leans back in her chair.
"Please say something. Just say my equipment is mistaken, and I will shrug it off, and you can go back to bed. We can pretend this conversation never happened."
"We both know that's not possible now."
"I was staring at the picture her parents sent when I was on the phone with you, and all I could see was this tiny version of you. When I hung up I turned, and she was still on my table. So little makes sense to me right now."
"I hoped this day would never come. I prayed this is a bridge that would never have to be crossed," Olivia's nostrils begin to flare.
"Yet we're here in my office, and I can't help but feel as if I've just shattered your entire world."
She subtly shakes her head, "You have no idea."
"I really don't. I only know the facts that I am presented with. Less than eight hours ago this little girl was alive, and well with her family, and friends. Now she's lying on my table after a tragic accident. And, you're sitting in front of me as pale as a ghost."
