Don't own, never will. Thank you and cheers to Citosol, cyn23 and Blatantly Anonymous for the reviews.
This chapter is a little more serious, there is some swearing, violence and sadness. Also it is a long as the last three chapters put together which is not that long but just an FYI. The next update will take a few more days, once again reviews are greatly appreciated.
Wrath
"I want these assholes found!"
Tidwell's voice carried down the hospital hallway, to everyone and no one. He was still bleeding from his forehead. A wave of nausea washed over him, possible concussion he was told, he had to swallow the bile back down.
He put his head between his knees and tried remembering those breathing techniques from the Lamaze class because of Dani. Dani, pregnant, his girl was pregnant five months to this week. With his child.
And she was taken.
And it was his fault.
He felt the need to cry and puke. Instead he made a conscious effort to get pissed off and continued pacing up and down the hallway. The brass would probably be there soon.
"Captain," said a voice.
Tidwell turned around to see Charlie Crews wearing jeans and a coat. His gun and badge on his hips.
"Bobby called me."
"So you heard."
"Yeah. Who took them?"
"Some jackass I cuffed back in New York. Evidently wanted to have a reunion. According to the guy who did not manage to flee," he jerked his thumb in the direction of the room on the ward he was just 'visiting', "His buddy saw the article about the big bust last month and how it's all top shelf for me. You know with the promotion, Dani, the kid and then got a really stupid idea."
The man, who always had a bad joke ready to relieve some tension, could not. All he could feel was fear and anger at the guy he cuffed and the guys who helped him.
"Crews…," said Tidwell about to ask a huge favor.
"Come on," said the detective, stopping him before he even asked. "Bobby's out front with a squad,"
Tidwell had never wanted to hug a man as much as he did right now. They walked up just as an elevator opened. Both men stepped in and Charlie hit the main floor button. The two most important men in Dani Reese's life waited in silence for the elevator to move, they were standing stock still next to one another, both men looking forward.
"So any ideas Captain?"
"I want the motherfuckers to feel the wrath of God."
Charlie pursed his lips and nodded in agreement.
They got to the location in record time. Bobby went to go find out who was in charge so Crews sat in the front seat, while Tidwell in the back both listening to the radio.
The person in charge found them; a Captain called Stills, Crews got out of the car and Stills evaluated the detective. Tidwell watching from the backseat, rolled his eyes, how much bullshit manly posturing can one guy have?
"That the boyfriend?" he asked indicating Tidwell jerking his head to the back of the squad car.
"Fiancé," said Tidwell as he swung the car door open.
"Captain I'm going to have to ask you to get back inside the vehicle," said Stills.
"Listen buddy…,"said Tidwell feeling himself getting worked up and ready to hit something or someone.
Charlie intervened. Tidwell got back into the car.
The two men walked away from the car, the conversation covered up by the other noises in the area. Tidwell watched both men's faces, Charlie's went from fearful to annoyed to angry to pissed off. He ended up walking away and the Captain stared at the detectives back.
"You heard what I said? Keep him here," Stills yelled and went back to command center.
Tidwell rolled his window down a couple more inches when Charlie locked it in place.
"Let me the fuck out Crews," he said through the space in the window.
"I was told to keep you here Captain."
"Just let me out of the fucking car."
"Promise to stay here?"
"I'm not promising anything Crews."
"Then I'm not letting you out."
Tidwell just glared at him.
"Fine, I promise, scout's honor," said Tidwell.
Charlie opened the door, Tidwell stepped out, then handcuffed Crews to the door through the two inch crack.
"Captain," said Charlie.
"Sorry Charlie," said Tidwell.
The man grabbed Charlie's gun and then looked at him.
"You can be the Godfather," said Tidwell before he ran off.
"Captain!" shouted Charlie. Tidwell just ignored it. The SWAT team ran up to the dilapidated house. He was hot on their tails.
He stormed into the house, his blood boiling, going ahead of the SWAT, he would always go ahead for Dani and now it was for his child. He did not listen to the SWAT member tell him to stand down they had not cleared that area. He looked in every room down the hallway, until he came to the fourth room on the left.
That's when he saw Dani, her swollen belly, a blindfold over her eyes, a gag in her mouth, tied to an easy chair. He was so relieved he ran in and started untying the ropes on her arm. Dani started moving with her one free hand trying to get the blindfold off, while Tidwell was freeing the other arm and noticed her engagement ring was missing.
"I love you babe, dude shit I mean, Dani…" and with that Kevin J. Tidwell did not feel the bullet that went through his back, into his heart, out through his chest, embedding itself into the chair.
Dani Reese however felt something wet covering her hands. She pulled off her blindfold and gag to find her lover slumped over in her lap. Her hands find the bullet hole trying to stop the blood, even though she knows this is useless.
"No."
It was said quietly, her voice heavy with denial.
"No."
Her voice full of anger. Looking down at her hands, they are full of blood.
"No."
His blood, half of what makes up their child. She is not here, this is not happening. She turns his head up to look into his eyes. Willing him to wake up, blink, breath, call her babe, dude, do something to show he was alive.
"No."
It was said weakly, her voice heavy, despairing, hopeless. He was gone.
"NO!"
She loves him, he loves her.
They have a child on the way.
He was going to be a father, she a mother.
She cannot do this alone.
"NO!"
They had just gotten engaged, surprised her with dinner.
They were going to have a fall wedding after the little guy was born.
They were going to see how it went.
She needs him to be here.
"NO!"
They were going to have more kids.
They were going to visit New York.
They were going to do everything and nothing.
They had fucking plans.
"NO!"
Dani Reese stops thinking, leaning down to embrace his cooling body, her face next to his slack one. A noise between a scream and sob escapes her throat, finally letting the emotions hit. Tears fall down her face onto his, somehow under the blood she smells his cologne. It makes her cry harder. Her hands just holding his face now, she cannot stop the blood, his empty eyes looking up into hers, until someone's warm hands place themselves on either side of her face and makes her look up.
It was Crews.
"Reese you need to go to the hospital," he says it in an even and steady tone, letting go of her slowly, taking the time to brush away a few tears with his thumbs.
Looking around there is Crews, Bobby and SWAT. The man who did this already taken from the room. Two paramedics stand behind Charlie with a stretcher waiting for her. Closing her eyes she concentrated on her breathing. Reopening her eyes the other Reese was sitting there, she was no longer the hysterical pregnant woman, the man who she loved shot in front of her. She was the detective who caught bad men and women, would chase down a suspect and could kick a suspect's ass even if he was a foot taller and hundred pounds heavier.
"Put him on the stretcher," she said to the two paramedics her tone leaving no room for an argument.
Dani walked out of the house, with Tidwell's body following her. The stretcher was put into the back of the brig with Dani following, brushing off any helping hand. She lay down next to the body, tucking her face into his neck wanting to hide her wet face and smell his cologne. There would be more blood on her clothes. She did not care, she'd probably burn them.
The ride to the hospital was silent, both paramedics rode in front. She stroked his face, looking at her naked ring finger and remembered the man who did this to them. He took her engagement ring, she demanded it back. He said over his cold dead body. She asked if that was a promise. He laughed, said, "Sure why not girlie?", blindfolded and then gagged her.
The ring was in Kevin's family, his own mother had refused to give it up to him fearing one of his wives would end up with it. It was not until she came and met Dani that she consented. That was before she knew she was having her grandchild.
She liked that woman, she'd be a good in-law. Plus she cross country. Versus him who got hard looks from all her brothers. Her mother asked, "Why?" while looking to the heavens. Then there was her father. Kevin really got the short end of the stick.
When the ambulance stopped she once again got up and the paramedics followed the woman into the hospital, her fiancé and father of her child, cold behind her. The ambulance drivers went off to the side as she stood there, her hand in his, as a doctor pronounced him dead.
Another doctor walked into the room.
"Hello, my name is Dr. Klee, I'm supposed to check you out Ms. Reese."
"I'm going to go with him to the morgue. I'll come find you," she said.
"Please Ms. Reese."
"I will come find you doctor."
Then she would get the people who did this.
-------
Bobby once again drove, with Charlie, to the hospital. Karen Davis was walking up to the entrance of the emergency room as Charlie and Bobby were about to enter.
"Crews, Stark," she said.
"Lt. Davis."
The trio was directed to the morgue. They found Dani, in the cold department next to the stretcher, her skin and clothes covered in blood. She stared at the blood stained sheet, the body gone. The three of them stood there unsure of what to do. So she made the first move and pulled off the sheet covering the stretcher. She folded it up and held it.
"We have them?," asked Reese, the sheet in the area between her breasts and pregnant belly.
"Yes."
Dani walked out of the morgue back to the emergency room. She found Dr. Klee and was instructed to get into a hospital gown. The two men started to leave the room while Davis helped her undress.
"Crews."
"Yes Reese," he said and turned around to look at her.
"Do it."
Charlie nodded his head in agreement and followed out Bobby who held open the door.
"Thanks."
"No problem, I'll just wait here," said Bobby as he stood guard outside the room.
Charlie walked away from the hospital room. He pulled out his cell and went through his contacts and called a number.
"Hello Amanda Puryer."
"Hello Ms. Puryer, this is Charlie Crews."
"Oh Detective, I thought I was a heartless vampire, who you would never associate with again."
"Well it is almost 5 am and you are not asleep, I think I was onto something."
"Touché, I'm actually in Europe right now, feeding off someone else but how can I help?"
"I need you to protect someone."
"Not yourself I bet. Let me guess…"
"You don't need to do that."
"No I enjoy this part the most. It is definitely a woman. A woman you love, but should not, oh Detective," she said with mock pity. "What have you gotten Detective Dani Reese into this time?"
Charlie was silent, then said, "No."
"Oh so you were not the cause this time?"
"No I mean, no it is not…"
"Detective, really…following that whole Rayburn Roman incident, I was surprised you didn't give her a horse. Don't worry I won't tell anyone, I was always so good at reading people."
"So can you help me?"
"Of course."
"I'll send my people over."
"Discretion is the key, she does not need to know."
"Don't worry Detective Crews. Anything else I can help you with?"
"No."
Charlie hung up the phone. He went through his contacts again and called another number.
"Hello Crosby."
"Hey Charlie, she's been waiting for your phone call. Let me get her she's getting ready to go."
He waited a few moments until a familiar voice said, "Hello Detective Crews."
"Hello Lieutenant Seever."
"How can I help you Crews?"
"That's why I always liked you Seever, cut through the bullshit."
"So some sort of accident or..."
"No."
And Charlie Crews echoed the words of his friend Kevin J. Tidwell into the phone, "I want the motherfuckers to feel the wrath of God."
There was silence. Crews could tell she wanted to say that it was not very Zen or peaceful. And he would say he wants to reach nirvana but he cannot tonight.
Instead she said, "Okay."
"Give my best to Crosby and the kids."
"Good night Charlie."
"Good morning Jane."
Lieutenant Jane Seever stopped by later to give her condolences and drop off Dani's engagement ring.