Summary Natalie Davis created miniatures, committed murders and ultimately abducted Sara. The question is why? Rated M for adult content, this story will get dark following Natalie's journey. Spoilers for Season 7 are included so please, you have been warned about the spoilers and darkness.

Author's Note This is my first attempt at a fan fic, so please read and review as suggestions and comments would be greatly appreciated. I have tried to keep as honest to the CSI timeline as possible, however, since it is a little fuzzy, so am I. As you read, you will question Ernie's relationship with Natalie. Is Natalie seeing things that aren't there?

This is written with Natalie's perspective in mind. In this chapter, Penny Garden is the next victim and Natalie is starting to… evolve.

Disclaimer I did not create nor do I own neither the characters nor anything to do with CSI. I am merely a fan. That is it.

Chapter 5

The days following Natalie's last visit to Izzy Delancy's home were, for her, perfect. The world could not be a better place. Each day she waited for Ernie to get home from work and she would make them dinner of double cheese grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. To put it simply, Ernie made her happy. Natalie enjoyed the extra time that she had with him as they made additions to his train set up in his basement. They created new scenes, but this time they were from Ernie's mind and not hers.

Ernie was able to spend extra time with her, showing her how to make molds for special items that they could not find in any stores. They made tiny pots and pans, tiny office equipment pieces. He showed her how to use a torch to heat the metal on a toy car for example, to make it pliable enough to mold it to perfectly wrap around something like a light pole. He was showing her all of his tricks.

What was most comforting to Natalie was that after she finished Izzy's miniature scene, she did not feel her demons raging through her head at full screeching speed, they were more like a dull murmur. She was at ease, helping Ernie around the house and creating little miniatures for him to fill orders from his website and to stock up for an upcoming arts and crafts fair. She created miniature bookcases full of tiny books and tiny knickknacks. It was all encompassing for her.

She was amazed at the effect that working on Izzy's miniature kitchen had on her. It allowed her to take all of her anger, her rage, even her anxiety and put it all in one tiny, perfectly organized place. To focus all of those feelings and redirect them into a single, well-defined sharp point was liberating.

After she started the miniature of Izzy's house, or as she and Ernie called it, her "project," it made it so much easier to deal with Izzy and his torturous comments. She would find herself almost smiling, and sometimes even chuckling to herself at him. She was amused, because while he was trying to ridicule and belittle her, she was envisioning where exactly on the back of his head she should hit him with the rolling pin that would inflict the most damage.

She wondered if it would take more than one hit to kill him. She wondered what it would sound like, smashing the marble rolling pin into his skull. Would it be loud and sharp or soft and dull? She was visualizing how long it would take for the blood to start to pool from his head so she could use it to finish her project. The very thought of seeing part of his skull caved in seemed to have a peaceful effect on her. It would serve him right after all.

With her time off, Natalie was also enjoying the rare opportunity to spend some time with her foster brother Trevor. He would occasionally join she and Ernie for dinner, but he was usually only there to just get something, usually money, from Ernie.

Natalie liked spending time with Trevor when they were little if for no other reason than that he did not make fun of her. He didn't now about Chloe and didn't compare Natalie to her dead sister. He seemed to accept her and her "episodes" as she accepted his. Much like her, he had his own set of quirks and idiosyncrasies. He was deeply involved in his model cars and trains and erector sets. He loved to build things that moved. He also loved his comic books and superheroes and that was the world that he retreated to when things were difficult.

xxxxxxxxxx

Although Trevor had a good, steady job at Desert Palms Hospital working as a Physical Therapy Nurse, he had his demons as well. Just like Ernie had and just like Natalie had. But his were a little different. While Natalie's problems were not of her own making, Trevor's were all self inflicted.

After watching his mother die, well, the only woman the he considered his mother, Cindy Dell, Trevor decided that he wanted to help people that were suffering like her. Near the end of her life, she was in so much agony and pain that it was gut wrenching to witness. He wanted to help those that were fighting a losing battle to cancer or some other disease that was just as hideous. So that was just what he did. His job was difficult, seeing people every day, in real life that actually matched what he saw his sister and father creating with their little scenes. The difference was he saw real people going through real suffering and they had freaky little dolls and smashed up cars.

Trevor watched the change in Ernie after Cindy passed away and he wanted to help others through that difficult journey. He saw the bitter, brittle shell of a man that Ernie had become. He saw people at their worst levels of suffering, and most of the patients he worked with were on the losing end of the spectrum. The patients that he usually worked with were just trying to get through the day, and if they lived through that, they were grateful.

At least Trevor started out with noble intentions. But after seeing the worst that can happen to people; some that deserved it, some that didn't, every single day, it can start to wear down a man. He didn't have the outlet that Natalie and Ernie did, so he had to create his own. He learned long ago that he did not have the same affinity for living in a miniature world that Natalie and Ernie did.

His world instead involved things that were much more real, and nearly as destructive.

Trevor drank too much, and hung around with whores and what Natalie lectured to him was a "bad crowd." Natalie hated Trevor's friends because they were usually high on some kind of drugs that he took from the hospital and were sloppy, messy and disgusting. Natalie hated to see Trevor get pulled down into their world.

As much as she loved her brother, she had enough of his problems with drugs. When he was using, she saw him as weak and a liability and she didn't want to be around him.

On some level, Natalie blamed herself for Trevor's predilection for narcotics. When she was younger, Ernie took her to a doctor for her "episodes" and during her many visits; she was prescribed a wide variety of drugs that were supposed to make her feel better. The problem was that for Natalie, the drugs dulled her and made her feel worse, if that was possible. Her brain felt bloated and like it was stuck in mud. She also hated the effect that it had on her memory. When she was taking her medicine, trying to access her memory was like going through an old long forgotten dusty box of photographs, looking for one particular item. So, instead of taking the drugs, she started to give them to Trevor or sometimes if he were nice, she would give them to her Lionel or one of the other fosters.

Natalie did however, have to start looking for another job, and while that thought made her apprehensive and nervous, nothing, no job, could be worse than what she had endured with Izzy. Nothing.

xxxxxxxxxx

Trevor was at working with a particularly difficult woman, Penny Garden. Penny had cancer that was growing on top of her cancer. She was a mean vile old woman who had spent all of her life waiting on other people and now she was going to be waited on. She was the woman that would cut in line on you at the supermarket, thinking that she deserved it because she had lived longer than you. She was frustrating to Trevor because, she would do nothing to help herself, to extend her life by a few more months if not longer. She just continued smoking and drinking, knowing full well that what she was doing was shortening her life every single day with every drink, with every puff. Penny figured her days were already numbered and she was in so much pain, why make the days even more painful and miserable.

For some reason though, Trevor made a connection to the old woman. Maybe it was because he was the only person that listened to her. Maybe it was because he would slip her a few pharmaceutical samples here and there. Who knows? But when Penny mentioned that she needed someone to help her around the house, he recommended his sister.

If Natalie starting working for the old woman, than Penny might be a bit more tolerable and it would certainly ingratiate him to Ernie for any future favors. For Trevor, it was a win-win situation.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Ernie was happy that Natalie had started another job, and he was even more pleased that the job had come through Trevor. But, he was becoming concerned because Natalie was starting to retreat again into her shell and he was afraid that she was going to snap. The woman that she was working for had been pushing and pushing Natalie and Ernie was afraid of what the end result would be.

There would be a point that he wouldn't be there anymore for her and he felt that he had to give her the tools to survive after he was gone. Trevor was useful in a pinch but he was spending so much of his time on whores and drugs, that he couldn't be relied on to take care of his special girl. He needed to give Natalie something that she could use to get through her bleach episodes. It was one of Ernie's dreams that one day, Natalie would be able to function with the rest of society. That she would be happy and maybe, one day, have a family of her own. One day, she would be able to take care of herself. It was his dream anyway.

It did not escape Ernie the effect that the creation of the miniature scene had on Natalie. So, this time it was Ernie that came up with the idea of doing another miniature for her new job. Ernie thought that they could work on this one before the situation became a problem for her. He figured if Natalie could learn how to focus her feelings, focus her energy, she would use this as a tool to cope with her problems and her "crusades."

Maybe she could take over for him one day and sell her creations on the Internet or hobby shows so she wouldn't have to rely on anyone but herself. It was obvious that Natalie did not do well in social situations, so this would be a perfect option for her.

So, Ernie told her to start sketching the house that she was working in and then they would start shopping for parts. Natalie treasured the time she spent with Ernie in the hobby and craft stores. She loved their special time. Ernie made her feel like she was the only girl in the world. He made her feel special. He made her feel loved.

xxxxxxxxxx

To say that Natalie was having difficulties with her new job cleaning house for Penny Garden would be an understatement. Penny wanted things a particular way and she would accept nothing less. She often treated Natalie more as a personal servant than a cleaning woman. She sent Natalie all around the house to get her medicine or get her scissors to clip her coupons.

Penny would berate Natalie at every turn, primarily because the woman wanted her to use bleach on everything. Everything. She wanted it used on the floors, with the clothes, in the bathroom, everywhere. She said it was the only way to truly get anything clean.

But this time it was different. When Natalie heard Penny start complaining about her cleaning abilities, it didn't strike the same chord of fear in her that it did with Izzy. Yes, it made her angry and she wanted to do whatever was necessary to make the old woman shut up, but she didn't have the same sense of panic. As long as she did not come to close to her with the bleach, she was fine. Maybe it was because now she knew what she was capable of.

xxxxxxxxxxx

A few weeks later, when Natalie showed up at his door a complete wreck once again, Ernie was happy that they had already started and nearly completed their new "project." The old woman that she was working for seemed to be not only hateful, but she seemed to know what buttons to push with Natalie to make her crumble. She was a hateful old woman full of dirty sins. When Natalie spoke of her, she said that she always reeked of cheap cherry liquor and cigarettes. Her hygiene seemed to be questionable as well. She had been sick, with cancer as Trevor told them, but it didn't excuse her behavior. It didn't excuse the hatefulness that she spewed at Natalie.

It killed Ernie every time that Natalie was in pain. Every day after work, Ernie would her for hours about the old woman and how she tormented Natalie. He could feel her pain deep in the pit of his stomach when he saw her like this. He wanted to hold her, and make all of her problems go away.

When Natalie came through the door, he knew immediately that it was going to be a long night. She was muttering to herself as she brushed past him and Ernie had trouble understanding what she was saying. He knew something was wrong and had a good idea what it was. He was sure that it was something to do with the old woman and she had probably been yelling more about using bleach, the one thing that Natalie could not do. This time she went straight to her out of control place in her head. Ernie could tell by looking into her eyes that she was far away. She sat on the sofa rocking back and forth and then leapt up and paced singing quietly to herself, the same song that she always did when she was like this…

"They took her away in a hospital van

And the whole town was filled with the blues.

Everyone thought it was quite an odd thing

And the papers all printed the news."

"Honey, please sit down…" Ernie begged her while trying to reach out and still her.

"She...fired…how…" She looked angry and was waving her arms about, swaying her head back and forth as though she were trying to keep time to some tune or listen to some voice on the other side of a door.

"Please…honey…" he tried again to grab her and she broke out of his grip.

Natalie looked at Ernie and spewed, "She fired me because I would not use bleach to clean her grout…her grout…I just…couldn't" she almost screamed.

Ernie stopped her and slowly put his arms around her slender waist. He pulled her close to him, slowly moving one hand up her back and tangled lightly into her hair. He tried to offer soothing words of comfort into her neck as he held her tightly to him. She finally stopped moving and wrapped her arms around Ernie, in a bone-crushing hug as though he were the only thing tethering her to earth. It was as if she let go she would float away into some unknown territory. Natalie never understood why but Ernie was the only one that could soothe her. She had a few boyfriends, very few, but they never seemed to measure up to the safety and love that she felt from Ernie. She knew that he would always protect her.

Feeling her start to relax, Ernie pulled his head away slightly to look into her eyes. She looked small and lost. He gently brushed her hair out of her eyes and tucked a few errant strands behind her ear. As she leaned into his touch, Ernie gave her a soft kiss and took her hand leading her over to the couch. But this time, Ernie saw something different in Natalie. Although she still looked lost and strained, there was something else there that he could not identify. If he didn't know any better, he would have thought that she looked…determined.

As opposed to going over to the couch as Ernie was trying to direct her, she instead led him in the direction of his workshop. As he looked at her confused, she had a look of … confidence?… on her face, something that he had never seen before.

xxxxxxxxxx

It had been two days since Penny left Natalie a voicemail firing her, only to replace her with her junkie nephew Henry. In that time, Natalie had been sneaking by Penny's house each night to make sure that nothing had changed in the old woman's routine. Her schedule had been so erratic at the old woman's, sometimes she wanted her to work in the morning and sometimes she worked in the evening, but mostly she wanted Natalie there at night. That way she could keep an eye on Natalie. She had accused Natalie of stealing everything from her spare change to her narcotics.

Natalie chuckled to herself as she watched the old woman bury under a rock her Fentanyl. Natalie was taking some of it, but she only started once Penny's nephew moved in, right before she was fired. Natalie figured that anything missing would be blamed on him, not her, and who knows how the Fentanyl may come in handy later, at the very least, she could give it to Trevor and he could sell it for her.

The day had finally come that she was going to finish the miniature and take care of Penny as well. She sat alone in her apartment, finishing her project, adding the Penny doll and carefully gluing her on the white wicker chair. The final piece that she added was the picture of Chloe on a pillow. As much as she wanted to escape her, she couldn't. It was her fault that she ended up this way and people had to know who to blame.

Natalie watched from the back yard and waited. She first waited for Penny to go to the hospital for her treatments and while Penny was gone, Natalie went in with her key and laced the old woman's cherry liquor with liquid nicotine. The liquid nicotine is bitter, but it is perfect for the sweet liquor and the fact that Penny's taste buds are shot from the years of smoking. Even better, the liquor and Penny's own smoking would have covered any smell. Still better yet, Penny's own vice would be the cause of her demise. It would be Penny's own fault. Not Natalie's.

Natalie then went outside and waited. Penny had a large fence and many bushes in the backyard, so it was easy for Natalie to find a place to sit and wait. As soon as Penny put on her record player, Natalie planned on coming into the house through the back door and wait in the kitchen for Penny to die. She would then leave the miniature on the coffee table and then go home.

She was happy that there was not going to be blood at this scene. That was a bit of pain for Natalie last time and it was stressful for her. She had to make sure that the miniature of Izzy matched the actual Izzy exactly, and there were too many external factors. And, Natalie did not like surprises.

As soon as Natalie heard the music, she let herself in the back door and then crept into the kitchen and waited.

Penny took a sip of her cherry liquor and then swallowed the rest in one gulp. She started to clip her coupons and took a puff of her cigarette. And then something was very wrong. She started to feel a burning in her throat and was having trouble breathing. She stood up and was flailing about the living room, knocking her chair over as she was grasping for air.

Natalie came out of her hiding place at the scene and she was furious. Penny should have stayed in her seat and died there. She should have stayed in her seat. Now Natalie had to fix things. Natalie had a surge of unbridled rage pulsing through her. She would not let this horrible woman stop her.

Natalie came forward and grabbed Penny and spun her around, dragging her through the living room. Instantly Penny recognized Natalie and by looking into her eyes, she knew if she didn't fight her, she was dead. The old woman however was no match for Natalie, who was hopped up on not only adrenaline, but also a steely determination to complete her task. Natalie continued to drag Penny, knocking anything in their path over, and then shoved her out the front window.

Natalie was beside herself. How could this happen? She planned everything to the last fucking detail and the old woman did not die in the chair. Natalie was sure that she had put more than enough liquid nicotine into the bottle. That was not supposed to happen. The woman was supposed to play that damn song "Lollipop" by the Chordettes on her old crackling record player. She would light her cigarette and then pour her cherry liquor and. She would puff, cough, drink and then cut coupons. Puff, drink, cut. Puff, drink, puff, cough, cut. Liquid nicotine should have worked.

Natalie kicked the debris in the living room, the coupons and glass, just like a petulant child that didn't get a candy bar at the grocery store. She was also livid. She took a quick glance back at Penny sticking out the window, memorizing the cuts and position of her body. She then grabbed the miniature back and ran out of the house through the back yard.

What the hell was she going to do now?

xxxxxxxxxxx

Thanks for reading! If you like what you have read, please leave a review I would appreciate hearing your comments. I could use some warm fuzzies.