A/N: I know it's been a long time between updates. Sorry for that. Life just got in the way. Hope you like this chapter. Read & Review please
Disclaimer: I own Jessie Renard and no one else.
Chapter 7
It had been about a month since Peter's birthday. Garrett had put the young M.E. on probation after his behavior at the party. This consisted mostly of Peter getting swamped with paperwork and lab-work. Most of his co-workers, with the exception of Nigel and Lily had been steering pretty clear of Peter as of late. He wasn't allowed in the field until Garrett determined that he was trustworthy again. It was near closing time late in the week when Peter walked into his employer's office.
"Dr. Macy, can I talk to you?"
Garrett looked up from the charts he was reviewing, staring coolly over the wire frames of his glasses. "If this is about reassigning you to the field, you'll have to wait for your next evaluation. I believe it's due in about three weeks."
"But that's just it, sir." Peter replied, setting a typewritten note on Macy's desk. "I don't intend to be here in three weeks."
Garrett looked over the document, only slightly surprised by its content. "You're resigning?"
Peter nodded. "I just don't think this is the place for me anymore."
The older man was silent for a moment. "Peter, I know things have been tough for you lately, but that doesn't mean you should just walk away from your career. You know it's unlikely that you'll get another job as a doctor and I can't in good conscience give you a recommendation letter."
"I know." Peter nodded. "The truth is I've decided to leave the medical profession entirely."
Garrett raised an eyebrow at this, prompting Peter to continue. "I never really wanted to be a doctor in the first place. It was what my family wanted, my father especially. So, I went along with it. Now… I don't know. I'm not happy, and my life is going down the tubes because of it. I just think it's time for a change."
Garrett thought about this for a second. It did make sense. Peter had never really enjoyed his work as an M.E. and with his behavior of late, maybe a change was in order.
"What will you do?"
Peter shrugged. "Finish out my two weeks. Then, I think I'll go back to San Francisco for a while. Look a few people up."
Garrett didn't have to ask what role Jessica Renard was playing in Peter's decision. It was clear that the couple had only become closer after the events of the birthday party, and Jessie often visited the office to talk to the young M.E. As far as Garrett was concerned, though, Peter's personal life was none of his business as long as he didn't bring it to work.
"Alright, I'll file your letter of resignation. You can finish your last two weeks in the office, though. I can't put you back in the field."
Peter nodded his understanding and left his boss's office to return to his paperwork. When he got to his desk, Nigel was across the room tapping away at a keyboard.
"How'd it go?"
Peter looked up at the Brit. The two men had become a close friend over the last few weeks, considering all they had in common. He shrugged. "Okay. Wasn't like I was expecting him to put me out in the field my last two weeks or anything."
"Yeah but still, it would've been nice I bet."
Peter gave a concurring grunt as Jordan walked in. "Hey can you guys come and look at this guy they just wheeled in? There's something bizarre about him, but I can't put my finger on just what it is. Bug's in with him now, doing the preliminary."
"Just let me finish this diagnostic, and I'll be right in, luv." Nigel said, giving her a peck on the cheek.
Jordan smiled, "Okie dokie. Peter?"
He shook his head. "I'd love to but I can't. I gotta get these files into Macy by the end of business."
Jordan shrugged. "Suit yourself. Autopsy #1 when you're ready, Nige."
With that, Jordan walked out. A few minutes later, Jessie walked in carrying a cookie tin and a sandwich box. She had come to pick Peter up from work as per usual at the end of the day. She set her burden on the desk in front on Peter, then kissed his forehead before perching on the corner. "Hey, I thought you might be hungry. So, I picked up something on the way here."
"What? Nothing for me, darling?" Nigel pouted from his spot behind the computer.
"You can have some of the cookies." Jessie offered.
Just then, shouts could be heard coming from the hallway. Peter, Nigel and Jessie were all out the door in a heartbeat. The shouts were coming from Autopsy #1. The three entered the room to find Bug and Jordan staring at an empty autopsy table.
"This is insane." Jordan said. "He was here just a minute ago."
"Lose something, luv?"
Jordan gave Nigel a withering glance and Bug shook his head. "I don't get it. I only turned my back for a second to look at the file. When I turned back, the body was gone!"
"How do you lose a dead body?" Peter retorted. "It's not like it can just get up and walk away."
Immediately after the words left his mouth Peter's eyes went wide. He and Nigel shared a look of mixed foreboding briefly before turning to where Jessie was standing. She was silent as the grave, her back rigid as her eyes scanned the room for something. She looked like she was trying hard to sense something that the other occupants of the room couldn't. And she looked worried.
"J.J. is something wrong?" Peter almost didn't want to ask. He'd never seen his girlfriend act this way in public before. He'd only seen that expression on Gangrels preparing for the hunt, and it worried him. The others seemed to have just caught on to the sudden tension in the room as well.
Jessie cocked her head to the side. She didn't turn toward the others or even look their way as she continued to scan the room. After a moment, she froze speaking in cool measured tones. "Everyone needs to leave now."
"What are you on about?" Bug grunted, hoping she wasn't going to make another scene.
Jessie held up a hand, indicating Bug should be quiet. "Rocky get everyone out of here. Tell Macy to evacuate the Morgue. I don't care, do what you have to but get everyone out. Then, call Cash."
"J.J.?" Peter was already backing up toward the door. A black mist was rising out of the corner of the room that Jessie was staring at. Nigel had a hold on Jordan's arm and began pulling her toward the door. Bug was right behind them.
Jordan was having none of it though. "What the hell is that?"
"Go!" Jessie shouted.
The black mist reared up and came flying over Jessie's head as the four M.E.s went running out the door. Bug ran out ahead, slamming face first into Dr. Macy as he exited his office for the night. Both men collapsed to the ground. Meanwhile the three others stopped short as the mist rounded them. It hovered for a moment before solidifying into the form of a dark haired man dressed in gypsy clothes.
The man's eyes glowed with a milky light and he leered at Jordan. He spoke with a husky foreign accent as he reached out to caress her cheek. "Hello pretty one."
Nigel grabbed the man's arm, throwing it away from Jordan. He retaliated by backhanding Nigel's jaw, sending him to the ground. The dark haired man growled, baring a set of razor sharp fangs. Peter pulled Jordan behind him for protection. The vampire reached up to grab him by the throat and a shot rang out. The vampire growled in pain, a dark red stain marring the fabric over his right shoulder. Peter joined Nigel on the floor. Jordan dropped to her knees to check on them, and turned around just in time to see Jessie lower the barrel of her gun.
The dark haired vampire hissed at Jessie. "Oh look, a Gangrel with a gun. How quaint. Do you protect these mortals, gadge?"
"I protect what belongs to me." Jessie growled in reply. "You shouldn't have come here. This isn't the place for this fight."
The vampire chuckled, his eyes turning into the green slits of a cat's. "But only the dark one and the tall belong to you. Besides, I can go where I please and take what I want, gadge. I don't have to play by your Prince's rules... and I only want the pretty one. I hunger for beauty."
"Ain't nothing so pretty as a good old knife fight." Jessie retorted. She drew a wicked looking bowie knife out from inside her jacket. "What do you say we take this party outside into the moonlight?"
The gypsy vampire smiled evilly. "You think you can take me child? A gadge girl like you wouldn't even know where to begin."
"Only one way to find out." Jessie shrugged
He seemed to mull it over for a second. Out of the corner of her eye, Jessie could see Dr. Macy rising to his feet. He was obviously going to try to attack the gypsy from behind. Jessie shook her head at him, indicating that he should back off. The exchange was not lost on the vampire, whose grin only widened.
"Alright gadge. I'll play your game. But just to make it interesting, let's raise the stakes!"
With that the vampire spun around, raking razor sharp claws across Macy's chest. As the head M.E. crumbled back to the ground, the vampire morphed back into black mist, flew down the hall and through the door leading to the building's main staircase.
Jessie ran to were most of the coroners in Boston lay on the floor. She checked briefly on Nigel and Peter before giving Garrett a look-over. His injuries were mostly superficial but a few of the deeper gashes would necessitate an ambulance. Bug was already pressing his lab coat to his boss's chest though, so Jessie started for the stairs.
Peter was able to catch her by the arm halfway down the hall. "What the hell do you think you're doing? You can't go after that thing."
Jessie's eyes were glowing a bit but she still managed to look sheepish. She kissed her boyfriend's cheek and gently pried his hand from her arm. "I have to go up there. Call Cash. Have him bring his team and an ambulance. He needs to alert the Prince."
"Yeah. And what exactly am I supposed to tell him?" Peter shot a glance toward his befuddled coworkers.
"Tell him I found his Ravnos."
With that she was gone up the stairs. Peter stared at where Nigel, Jordan and Bug were attending Dr. Macy. He let the gravity of Jessie's words sink into his brain.
"Shit." Peter sighed quietly, then made a b-line for the nearest phone.