CSI: New York

Phantasmagoria

Phantasmagoria by definition is a scene that is something like you see in a dream

Six

Danny told Don the story Isabelle told him on the phone the other night about her claiming that Aiden wanted her to return all the things she borrowed. He found it hard to believe it at first but not until he found a small note at the bottom of the box after he hung up that he believed it.

Danny recognized the handwriting so well that just one glance at it, he needed nothing more to prove it was Aiden's. There was even a signature signed at the end of the short message. It was bizarre, true, but there was this part of him already convinced that Isabelle's story was true and not a made-up one.

"And you don't find it strange?" Don finally asked after what seemed like an eternity of keeping quiet while Danny retold the whole story. "Strange because she had your box and still have Stella's and mine in her apartment which she's yet to tell me about and strange because she claims Aiden wants her to return our things after her death. Unless she talks to ghosts, which I'm sure she doesn't, it's impossible."

Danny leaned back in his chair, pondering at his friend's words. What he said did make sense and true, it was strange, but again, right now, nothing seemed to make sense at all. Even Isabelle said so and there were just some things could not be explained.

"Like what, Danny? Tell me." Don insisted already growing tired of this box-appearing-in-front-of-my-door issue. Speaking of which, her box was currently inside his bedroom and every time he went to bed, he felt like ripping it apart to see what was inside. After all, she did place the box there and it was heavy. Surely there was something inside.

Yes, he was yet to be convinced that Isabelle was not the one who placed it there and since Danny knew the whole story behind it, it was the reason why the both of them were at a bar instead of going straight home; to make Don believe it was not her.

"Isabelle's been gone for what, a year?" Don continued.

"Eight months," Danny corrected as he shrugged at the look Don was giving him and helped himself to his beer. "I counted, yeah, so what?"

"Okay," he paused, "so she's been gone for eight months and neither of us know what was going on with her during that period of time in Miami and she only left New York because she's mad at Mac for something and we also know she took Aiden's death hard. You know how close they were."

Danny nodded, staring ahead of him as he drank but did not really know what he was getting at. "What are you trying to say?"

"Don't you ever think of her maybe slipping into depression or a nervous breakdown or something alike to cause her…doing these things, claiming about Aiden wanting her to return the things and all those taped-up boxes? I'm not calling her a nutcase, I'm just saying."

"Are you trying to be a psychologist now?" Danny joked, chuckling.

Don rolled his eyes as Danny checked his wristwatch. They had been sitting there for half an hour and he had been waiting for someone to show up for ten minutes now. She's not showing up?

"So, Isabelle called me," he said. "She's got Sheldon's and Mac's box too."

"So?" Don asked, not really caring, and changed the subject. "Have you ever wondered what's inside her box?"

Danny stared at his friend. "What do I have to do to make you believe that it wasn't her who put the box there? It wasn't her fault that you fell on your back – that was your own clumsiness."

"Whose side are you on, really?"

"I'm not taking sides in your so-called 'war' with Belle, trust me."

Don would have said something after that but his eyes did not quite meet Danny's when someone walked over to them – a woman, to be specific. "Speaking of the devil," he mumbled and Danny elbowed him – hard. "Why did you invite her?" he whispered angrily.

"Hey," Isabelle greeted as Danny stood up and hugged her. "Sorry, I'm late." She settled herself down next to Danny and ignored Don.

"Nah, it's okay. What took you so long anyway?"

"Oh," she groaned and sighed, "my mother."

"She's here?"

She nodded. "Yeah, just for a few days." Danny nodded and nobody talked. Don shifted in his seat and looking everywhere else besides Isabelle. "So, you've got my box?"

"That's right but I don't have it with me right now. You want a drink?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No, no, no thanks."

Danny stood up then and walked away to get himself another drink. This was the moment she was dreading for – alone with Don who, she had noticed, been shifting in his seat.

"You can't sit still, can you?" She bit her lower lip down as soon as she realized she said that. As soon as his eyes met hers, she looked away.

"You can't keep your mouth shut, can you?" he retorted, downing the remaining beer from his mug. "And I've got your box, too." She did not look back at him. She did not nod. In fact, she acted as if he had not said anything at all. So he cleared his throat and snapped his fingers at her. That always pisses her off.

"Don't snap your fingers at me," she whispered indignantly as he looked back at him, obviously agitated.

He leaned in toward her over the table and replied meekly. "Then don't ignore me when I'm talking to you." It was then he realized that he was leaning in a little too than he should. His eyes dropped to her lips and back up staring into her green eyes. "Did you have a heavy make out session with some hot guy?"

She pushed him back onto his seat and pulled out a small mirror from her purse. She wiped off the smear on her lips and asked angrily, "yeah, you jealous?"

"Oh yeah," he sardonically said, "I'm so jealous. In fact, I feel like bashing the man up for—"

"Okay," Danny suddenly intervened before Don could finish. Isabelle looked up at him, expecting to see a beer in his hand but found none. "No time for beer. I got a call from Montana saying that she's got your box." Danny looked down at Isabelle when she did not move or say anything. She seemed a little confused there. Then it finally dawn on him. She doesn't know who Montana is, stupid, he scolded himself. "I mean, Lindsay. She's got your box. Let's go."

She followed Danny out, Don walking beside her but keeping a good distance apart. He was just worried if Isabelle had this sudden urge of wanting to stomp on his foot again. He was not ready to deal with another one considering that the previous one was on the road of recovery. He looked at her footwear – slip-ons. Just be cautious, he reminded himself.

"Montana?" she asked to no one in particular.

"It's a nickname. It's where she comes from," Don replied before he could stop himself.

"Did I ask you, Don?"

She's an annoying bitch, he thought staring at her auburn hair, tempted to just pull a strand out from her head although he knew he would ended up pulling a whole lock. That's even better. He chuckled at the thought of how she would react to find one ugly patch on her head.

X

Danny flipped his cell phone shut and leaned back against the couch in Lindsay's apartment. He had just finished talking to Stella, who had called him saying that she received Isabelle's box. He had frowned at that. Don had received it, so had Danny, and now Stella, too? He wondered if Mac and Sheldon would be receiving one as well. It seemed that Aiden did it on purpose. If she somehow got those boxes dropped by the door, why could not she just have the right box given to the right owner?

There's a reason why, he concluded, observing Isabelle and Lindsay who were sitting on the floor across from him, emptying the contents inside the box. It was the box that Lindsay received. He watched as Isabelle took out several books from it, a few compact disc cases and then later a balled up newspaper. "Found the note yet?"

Lindsay glanced at him and shook her head. "There's no note."

Isabelle shrugged at him and then tossed the balled up newspaper aside. As soon as it touched the ground, she found herself not moving; she froze and caught her breath. Lindsay looked at her with wide eyes. Obviously she had heard what Isabelle had heard. Danny who had then walked over settled himself down in between the two, facing the balled up newspaper. "Was that," he pointed at it, "was that glass shattering I heard?"

Isabelle suddenly found herself frowning.

"Oh no," she mumbled finally as she unwrapped it, dreading to see what was broken. What she saw was absolutely heartbreaking she nearly cried. It was a small piano made of crystal for decoration. The last time she saw it, it was…well, a very long time ago. Somebody bought it for her as a gift and because she was mad at him she had taken it away from her sight. She would have shattered it into pieces but it would be useful to give it to Aiden instead – as a gift.

Lindsay gaped at it not knowing what to say. It was not entirely shattered; miraculously, just two of its legs snapped broken but considering the look her new friend had, the crystal must have been from someone important. "It's…" she started off quietly, "it's still beautiful."

Danny, who saw Lindsay giving him a look that clearly stated for him to say something to make her feel better, nodded. "Yeah, Belle, it's..." he paused, "we can…" can what! Buy her another one? "We can glue them back together," he finished it quickly.

Isabelle stared at it, with the same solemn look. "It's not going to be the same," she disagreed meekly and then a small smile crept upon her lips. Danny and Lindsay thought it was over until a tear slipped down her cheek before she wiped it away and chuckling softly. "It was a cold winter night," she began as she inspected the broken crystal. "He came over, knocked on my door and he just looked adorable with his cheeks turning red from the cold."

She's telling us a story, Danny mused. That's something she won't normally do. "Then, what happened?"

"I invited him in," she continued, "said he's got a surprise for me and blindfolded me with a strip of black lace."

Black lace, wow. Danny cleared his throat and shifted in his position.

"But what's the point of blindfolding you if it's lace?" Lindsay could not help but asked.

"That's what I told him," she laughed. "He then left me alone for a moment before he guided me towards the window. I saw something glimmering."

"The crystal, right?" Lindsay smiled as she nodded.

"It was beautiful…" her voice trailed off and Danny sense the longing in her voice."…glimmering like that under the pale moonlight. What's even more beautiful was the kiss." Danny and Lindsay exchanged glances. "He's not my boyfriend, though. He never was." She looked at Danny and then at Lindsay before she looked down at crystal again. "It was just a kiss."

"Who's the 'he'?"

Isabelle frowned, remembering how he acted as if nothing happened. And before she could realize what she was about to reveal, it was already too late.

"Don."

X

ilovemygelding - Aw...thank you so much! Hope you like chapter 6! ( :

sarramaks - Haha! I'm still wondering what she'll find inside. If she decided to open it, that is. –grins-

demolished-soul - Oh, I'm so, so, sorry! The stats showed there were 7 reviews but only 6 were available and yours wasn't there. I thought it was like a mistake or something. Now I know it wasn't. Well, I guess you have to wait to know why she's so hostile to Flack. It will be revealed...soon. Well, chapter 6 did reveal a little. But there are more to come. Thank you for reading! ( :