A/N: Due to a somewhat "flame" on another story of mine, I'm back with an update faster than I was planning! (And why? Just because I love pissing people off! Hah haa!) Well, starts off light but goes back downhill to some seriousness again at the end. Thanks for all the support from my readers; I love y'all!
Disclaimer: See previous chapters...
Chapter 26: Better Days
Brooke's POV:
"One large tossed salad, with three tomatoes and two slices of cucumber..." The fake smile I had on my face annoyed me even more than the unreasonably picky woman on the other side of the counter, and my strained voice didn't hide any of it. "I hope you enjoy your meal, and please... Do choke on the bone fragments."
To my complete luck and relief, nearly three months passed by without incident after Sara's small break in. It was fine by my standards. I had spent a good portion of my life on my toes constantly, watching my back – along with other peoples' backs – every step of the way. I never thought it'd feel quite as nice to simply sit back and relax. But as relaxation wore off and the urge to get back to my job of kicking ass and taking names down was calling my name more often than Roxas did. Then again, anything was better than standing behind the counter of an amateur fast food restaurant.
"Here's your hamburger sir." Handing a rather greasy brown paper bag over to the rather "big built" customer, I faked politeness once more. "Oh, and... If you come back, you're a moron."
Sara and Gil were more than gracious to allow myself to take a residence up in Sara's apartment while Sara "offered" to go live with Gil. Free reign of everything, and what was better was that I finally had the kids out of the hood. It saddened me that Jen wasn't exactly enjoying it with us, but I knew she'd be happy knowing her kids were fully safe now. After all, she was safe herself, steadily inside a support group and a rehab of types for abused women. I took the kids to visit her regularly because I knew that they were the only things that would keep her sane at this point in her life.
My life was finally looking on the up and up. I had a pretty steady living, my best friend and sister in my life again who was appearing happier and happier every day she spent with Gil, there had been no problems with that Lady Heather, and I was readily allowing myself to let Taj back into my life fully again. The loss of BJ crippled everyone that knew him personally, but Sara had been right. After the investigation of his death was finished and the guys that killed him had been caught, for once, I was happy just to let them go to jail. It was two less people off of D.I.Z's team, and I knew that we had people from our side inside prison that would handle with the two scumbags accordingly.
"I promise ma'am... The chewy bits aren't harmful." I assured the young, loud, and obnoxious woman standing in front of me complaining about something in her salad.
Yes, all was well... Except for this job they made me take up as part of my sentence.
The woman stalked off and out the door just as the two Godsents entered. I was about to greet Gil and Sara when yet another complaining customer approached me, slamming the cheeseburger on the counter in his rage. I recoiled at the smell he was giving off; BO and a nasty cologne or deodorant that did nothing for him.
"I bit into this and there was a bone inside it!" With every word he spoke, a smell worse than the dead rose out of his mouth and all but burnt everything in my nose. "I believe I might have chipped a tooth and I have a date later on tonight!"
"Sir, from where I stand and what I can smell, I think a chipped tooth will be the least of your worries while you're out on that date with your sister or mother tonight." I began, taking another step away from the offending smell. "Second, not my problem. And third of all, please, step back at least twenty yards before I pass out. You make the bathrooms smell like lavender."
An appalled look crossed his face as he stood back with one hand on his hip and leaned across the counter with the other hand. "Don't you speak to me in that manner! I wanna talk to your manager! I demand courtesy and respect as a lawyer."
Lawyers... Figures. I rolled my eyes.
"Yeah go and talk to my manager. He'll understand after you get within a twenty mile radius of him." Refusing to breath as I backed away a little further, the smell of the man literally bringing tears to my eyes. "Or as a matter of fact, just sent him a letter and lick the envelope. Then he'll really understand." Indicating the exit with my finger, I made my last attempt to get him to leave so I could at least breath again. "Now go on with yourself and do yourself a favor by getting yourself a flea bath or just a bath in general. I'm sure whatever backwater island cousin or long lost sister you're taking out for a date tonight will appreciate breathing fresh air instead of having to wear a gas mask, okay?"
Just like the woman before him, he stormed out but Gil and Sara seemed to bounce at least a couple feet away from him before approaching me. Gil was laughing along with Sara as Gil inspected the now squashed cheeseburger that had become a pancake the moment the man slammed it against the counter. Gil's face retorted in disgust, not that I could blame him. Not even McDonald's was as bad as this joint.
"Now Brooke, you're never going to get any worthwhile tips if you keep treating your customers like that." Sara taunted and teased me lightheartedly.
"Hey, you try playing Mary Poppins on ecstasy for the people who walk in here." I countered, throwing down my commercial hat on the torn up tile floor beneath me. "But damn are you two a bright spot for my eyes. If you guys weren't together, I'd kiss ya. But I'll leave Sara to that job."
Closing up the bag after his inspection, Gil turned back to me and then quickly turned his attention and sights on my sister, smiling at her with that gleam in his eye that told me he was the catch of her life. Just below the counter, I could barely see their hands joined together with entwined fingers. It warmed my heart and made me wish Taj was here.
"I would think that was for the best Brooke." After another minute of being eye locked with Sara, he turned back to me. "How much longer do you have to work in this dump?"
"At least for another twenty hours." I heaved an exasperated sigh, thoroughly hating the number.
"Three more days if you're working eight hour shifts." Sara shrugged, remained optimistic. "Not that bad."
"Yeah, your visits help me get through the day." I smiled. "So, what have I got to thank for your visit today?"
"Nothing." Gil said simply. "Sara just wanted to drop in to say 'hello'."
"And I suppose it was absolute horror and pain mixed with suffering to get you in here too, huh?" I teased, setting myself to washing off the counter with the rag attached to my belt.
Over the time I had gotten to know Gil, I found that him and I actually had a lot in common and we made great friends, when he wasn't serious or hard at work on a case. I even found it hard to believe how easily we connected, but I didn't question it. I was just glad that I'd finally found someone that Sara was infatuated with that I got along with. Our family ran like an Italian family; You always had to get consent from your family to do practically anything. And there had been a silent agreement between Jay and me that Gil Grissom was one of the best people out there for Sara.
"Maybe just a little suffering when that man walked passed us, but that was about it." I cringed and gagged at the remembrance of that ungodly odor.
"I couldn't agree more." Running my hand over my pulled back in a ponytail hair, I reveled in the sweet smell of fresh air. "But hey, Sara?"
Sara responded with a tentative, "Hmm?", raising an eyebrow at me.
"You, me, tonight. We need to go chill at the club for just a girl's night for a change. I got something I need to talk to you about."
Gil instantly became tensed and slowly backed off, not fully knowing where he should be at the moment. Nervousness brought him to subconsciously tug at his earlobe with his free hand as he took baby steps backwards. Sara turned slightly to him and tugged him back to her side in a gesture before turning back to me.
"No worries, dear Gilbert," I laughed at the daggers he sent my way. "It's not for a guy searching night. I just want a night with my sister since you seem to hog her all the time."
"I'll go with you..." Sara began but stopped as she looked over at her beloved boyfriend with questioning brown eyes. "If that's all right with you and if you didn't have anything planned for tonight."
"It won't even be for a full hour." I chimed in before he could even answer. "I'll have her back by 10:00 on the dot so you guys can do go have your fun."
I have a pretty vague idea of what fun is for them when they both have a night off, though. I smirked with a smugness. Oh damn. Mental image!
"I have no problem with it." Gil smile lightly. "Just take care of her."
"Hey, I had the job of protecting Sara's ass long before you stepped into take my place, buddy." I defended, pointing my finger evenly at the older man. "You are still under my watch for that position."
"Break it up you two." Sara laughed, beginning to walk out of the pit of Hell I worked in. "So, I'll see you tonight Brooke."
"Tonight!" I echoed as Gil followed her out, reclaiming her hand just as they went over the threshold.
The rest of the shift flew by and soon I was back in Sara's apartment. Smelling of grease from the fries and burgers I worked around for eight straight hours, I jumped straight in the shower while the kids were occupied with TV with Taj supervising them. I was almost sure that a pile of grease slipped off me in the shower because I felt three pounds lighter when I was finished. Dressing in dark blue cargo pants, a white T-shirt, and Taj's dark blue hoodie with my good boots, I went out to properly greet everyone.
"Hey there." I leaned in to kiss Taj after approaching the chair he sat in from behind, but he was the one that deepened it. Pulling back rather breathlessly, I smiled as I gently tapped him on the cheek, causing him to smile as well. "None of that yet, mister. You know the deal."
Purposely trailing my fingertips down his bare arm, I moved over to the kids on the couch, taking each one into a hug and kiss the the top of their foreheads. Only Roxas seemed to become thoroughly enticed with me instead of the show on TV as Alex and Kylie continued to stare at the screen with interest.
"I just changed him." Taj announced, getting up from the chair. "And he seems to be getting over that cold of his too."
Roxas cuddled deep into my chest comfortably as his arms wrapped around my neck. "I figured. He didn't have much of a runny nose this morning before I left for work. No kid of mine will have a cold for long."
Reaching into the fridge, Taj retrieved a pre-made bottle and warmed it in the microwave for about thirty seconds. "How was work today? Any threats? Any pervs you want me to take care of?"
"None today, babe." Tussling Roxas's soft hair and planting feather light kisses on top, I met Taj at the microwave as the timer went off. "Just a guy that reminded me of the homeless guy that used to sleep on the basketball courts back home when we were kids."
"Crazy Tommy?" Taj chuckled, shaking the bottle well and testing it against his wrist. "Bad BO, cocky attitude, a face even a mother couldn't love?"
"Yeah, might as well been Crazy Tommy with slightly better clothes and speech." I continued to play with Roxas's hair while Taj heated the bottle up for fifteen more seconds. "Sara and me are going to the club tonight around nine."
"Oh? And why wasn't I told of this?" A raised eyebrow was sent my way.
"Because it's a girl's only thing." I shot back.
"A'ight, a'ight." Testing the bottle against his wrist once more, he nodded to himself in agreement with the temperature.
"Give it up, I'll go put Roxas to sleep now." I said, switching all of Roxas's weight to my right side so my left hand could take the bottle.
Roxas's head shot up from my chest, bloodshot blue eyes looking wide at me pleadingly. "No sleep! No bed!"
"Yes sleep! Yes bed!" I countered.
"Let me put him to sleep, Brooke." Taj insisted, reaching out and taking the surely overtired toddler from my arms.
"You always want to put him to sleep." I stated, easily passing my baby over to Taj. "If you're not careful, I may lose all my motherly instincts here."
"Nah..." Taj shook his head. "I'm just tryna make life easier for you."
Leaning over Roxas, my lips met with Taj's in a thankful and chaste kiss which I quickly let morph into a gentle make-out session in the middle of the kitchen. This time I couldn't pull away quite as easily, but I still managed, knowing I had to dry my hair before going to pick Sara up in an hour since it was already 8:00.
"Soon?" Taj's pleading eyes begged for an answer.
"Very soon if you keep up this act."
"It's not an act."
"Then it'll be sooner than you think." I winked, moving to the bathroom as Taj walked into the bedroom to put Roxas to sleep.
Sara's POV:
"You're just too good to be true, can't take my eyes off of you. You'd be like heaven to touch. I wanna hold you so much. At long last love as arrived, and I thank God I'm alive. You're just too good to be true, I can't take my eyes off of you..." Singing quietly in the vanity mirror, I brushed my hair out one last time before Brooke was bound to pick me up.
"Frankie Vallie? I didn't know you liked the oldies, Sara." Grissom commented as he walked into the room.
"Well, not those oldies..." I smiled into the mirror at his reflection. "I know that song from Lauryn Hill."
A throaty chuckle emitted from the man behind me as he drew closer, shaking his head in what had to be disbelief. "Doesn't it worry you that we think of two completely different singers from two different eras when that song plays?" His lips mumbled into my neck as he embraced me from behind.
"Not in the slightest." I replied, reveling in the feel of his lips caressing my neck teasingly.
"I love it when you sing." Grissom remarked, lifting his head up to rest his chin on my shoulder.
"I guess that's how you tolerate my music genre, huh?" I grinned, turning my head so I could look at him directly.
"It's the only way I can tolerate it. It usually gives me a headache, yours and Greg's metal alike." Jumping back, he narrowly avoided my slap to his arm, making his lips break out in a severe case of "the grins".
"Watch it Mr. Grissom. You don't see me complaining about your Beethoven or Mozart, do you?" I retorted with mirth, commencing with my brushing and last minute touch-ups.
"You couldn't without being hypocritical because you've grown to appreciate their music as well." Grissom stated with a smugness in his deep voice that thrilled me and amused me at the same time.
Pivoting abruptly, I shoved a forefinger into his stiff chest in good nature, drawing my face dangerously close to his silently challenging him to make the next move or say the next word. "Note the word 'grown' in that sentence, babe."
Blue eyes scrunched up mockingly in deep scrutiny with a smile daringly tugging at his lips, ruining what he thought was a serious expression. "That sister of yours is going to arrive any minute..." He gave up his serious facade at the beginning of his sentence. "You know how she doesn't enjoy being kept waiting."
"You mean, you know how I know that you don't like the blasting music she has in her car while waiting for me?" I shot back as he retreated out of the room.
With a quick and suave wink, leaning against the doorframe, Grissom replied, "Exactly."
Playfully rolling my eyes, I continued my final touches.
Brooke's POV:
Halting my hand just an inch away from the horn, I dropped my arm to my lap and turned off the engine to my ever faithful Shorty, the Nissan Skyline. Shaking my head, I blocked and unblocked my ears until I had some type of hearing left from my music, and heaved myself up and out of the car. I hoped dear old Gil realized I was doing him a favor by going up instead of just sitting there with my music blasting while I waited like I usually did.
Running up the steps to the quaint little townhome that belonged to the loving couple, my knuckled didn't even meet wood when Gil flung the door open and greeted me before shaking his head in the direction of the hallway leading to the bedroom. Nodding in understanding, I continued down the hall, only hearing the growing sounds of Sara's singing voice filling the air.
"Oh pretty baby... Don't let me down, I pray. Oh pretty baby, now that I found you, stay, and let me love you..." An ear-to-ear smile crawled onto my lips as I slipped discreetly into the room, watching Sara repeatedly comb her hair while singing. "Oh you're just too good to be true..."
"I can't take my eyes off of you..." I joined in, startling her and causing her whole body to jump. "Jumpy?"
"You know, it's not nice to sneak up on people like that... I could've thrown my brush at you and impaled you with it." Sara mock chided, turning in her seat and placing the brush down on the vanity table she leaned on.
Waving it off, I let out a lasting, "Pfft" sound. "As if it'd even touch me with my reflexes... Man, you almost ready? If you brush your hair anymore, you'll go bald." I threatened. "And since you're not a guy and you don't have chemotherapy for leukemia, let's try to avoid that one."
Chocolate eyes rolled at me with a breath of air leaving her lips in a sigh. "Well, thank you Captain Candid. I'm ready."
Putting on a triumphant smile, I snatched her up by her wrist and lead her down the hallway out of the townhome, allowing her five minute to grab her coat and say goodbye to Gil. Then it was out into the brisk and cold air of Las Vegas nighttime, and off to the bars on the Strip for an hour of Sister's Night Out.
Sara's POV:
"Okay, now where are you dragging me off to again?" I turned to the happily anxious Brooke in the driver's seat with a smirk playing on my lips.
"Don't even play like that! We're going to the first bar or club for drinks and I need to talk one-on-one with you." Whatever it was that she needed to talk about obviously had her on Cloud Nine.
Ten bucks and a signed contract saying I'll become an omnivore again says it's about Taj. I told myself with a light eye roll as I relaxed into the leather cushions. I'd give anything for those two to just get themselves together and get together. I guess I can relate to how Catherine, Nick, and Warrick felt about Grissom and me. Maybe not Greg... I covered up a laugh beneath the bass of Brooke's music. I think he was still rooting for a chance with me, that poor guy.
It wasn't considerably long until we landed in a club where drunks weren't getting thrown out by bouncers or a bar brawl wasn't breaking out. I found it expected and typical that Brooke wanted to stop there and play the role of a "good Samaritan", but with one swift threat to confiscate her car, she quickly kept driving.
There might as well have been no lights on in the club given how dark it was. But despite not being able to see it, I could feel the multiple pairs of eyes following Brooke's and mine trek over to the bar. I shrugged off the feeling of being watched even as I sat down at the bar with Brooke who ordered two glasses of water right off the bat.
"What? No Hennessey tonight, Brooke?" I teased as the barkeep shortly returned. "Don't tell me you called me out tonight to tell me your pregnant."
"Oh Hell no!" Brooke's chuckle gave me some reassurances. "After Roxas, I don't think I'm having anymore kids. They're serious when they say it's hard work pushing kids out. I ain't the Baby Express here..."
A cold and sneaky air brushed pass the right side of my face, traveling and toying with my hair. Turning about in my stool, I found it even more disturbing to find that no one was behind me that was close enough to walk by and pass a breeze at the same time. I remained spun about for a minute more before inwardly shaking myself, claiming that I was paranoid.
Pull yourself together.
"So what is this all about, Brooke?" I asked to my inquiring eyed sister beside me. "I know you too well... You've got Taj on the brain, don't you?"
"Damn you, Sara Sidle..." Brooke managed a smile as she downed her cup and slammed it down on the counter. "Damn you."
Not much was said after that about the man in question. Just those six words out of Brooke's mouth, and that leaden weight on her chest was lifted. The thing I loved the most about our wonderfully confusing relationship? We didn't have to say anything about our problems for them to be resolved.
After a half an hour, the strobe lights and smoke was getting to my head causing me to make up a quick lie to catch some air. I didn't need Brooke thinking something was wrong with me, so the simple white lie about needing to use the bathroom floated past my lips not a second after I removed myself from my seat, heading instead for the back exit.
Brooke's POV:
"Going to the bathroom my ass, Sara Sidle." I grunted a laugh as I turned back to the bar. "You're going to the bathroom and I'm running for president..." Hm... Maybe that's not such a bad idea...
Shrugging, I ordered yet another water. Only three more ounces to go, and I'll have the nine ounces of water a day that my doctor wants me to get. Smirking, I slowed my water intake for the next five minutes.
There had been six more cups of water after that one and I was beginning to worry when Sara hadn't returned. I hadn't caught where she'd actually gone, but it was to none of my surprise that the bathroom was empty, save for a few girls doing up there make-up.
Maybe she went outside for some fresh air... My mind offered as I made my way through the thick crowd back toward the entrance.
My force with the door had, consequently, caused the person on the other side of it to be sent back a few feet square on their ass. And I most likely wouldn't have stopped in my search for my MIA sister if I hadn't seen that baby face of Taj's attached to the person I'd just pummeled over.
"Taj?" There was a soprano quality to my voice as I helped him off the pavement. "What the Hell are you doing here?"
"Just out getting some air." It was a quick white lie that earned him a well-deserved eye roll.
"You suck at lying, Teague Allah James." I scolded him with the pointing finger one top of my words like I would Roxas. "I hope you didn't just ditch the kids."
"Nope. C'mon, Brooke, you know me better than that. The elderly woman next door insisted that I get out and that she'd watch the kids." Taj kept up side-by-side with me as I took off to the right of the sidewalk, still in search of my sister. "What's got you so panicky?"
"Sara... She said she had to go to the bathroom like... fifteen or twenty minutes ago and hasn't returned." I informed. "I checked the bathroom but she wasn't there." On that last note, I dug in the hoodie's pocket pouch for my cellphone.
"We've got a very important message from our boss, Miss Sara Sidle. And she's been waiting to give it to you for a very long time."
Stopping on the drop of a dime, I turned to the right to peer down the narrow alleyway that ran on the side of the club through a wire fence gate, nearly crushing my cellphone with my fist. Even in the dark, I could make out Sara's wary and defensive face amongst a crowd of dark clothed men all cracking knuckles and backing her, or at least attempting to, into a wall.
Slamming the cellphone into Taj's chest, I growled, "Start video taping. If I'm going to jail for first degree murder, I want proof that this was provoked and under my good Samaritan rights."
Effortlessly floating up and over and landing hard on my feet, I vaulted the wire fence and made a charge for the mob that looked like they were drawing closer and closer to an attack. In next to no time at all, my boot was raised in the air and crashing down on the lower back of the closest one facing me.
The sound of fists hitting faces was heard directly in front of me, but to my relief, when I looked up all I saw was Sara shaking the pain out of her fists as she threw her elbow into the guy next to her.
"Get off my sister!" I grunted out as I stepped on and over the man beneath me and took a hold of the two men that already had Sara by the collar, throwing them behind me like rag dolls.
A large hand clasped around my neck from behind, first around the front of my throat and then behind my neck, and pluck me straight from the ground like a flower from a field. I watched in horror, not that black spots were beginning to appear before my eyes, but that a punch had managed to be landed to Sara's face, despite her efforts to block it. The power of the hit was enough to have her stumble to the side and hit the other side of her face against the brick wall. Strangled cries emitted from my throat as I writhed around with all my might, kicking backwards at my attacker as hard as I could, as I was forced to watch more guys pick the slightly dazed Sara Sidle up off the gravel and hold her up while another took a solid swing at her stomach.
One moment I was suspended in the air, the next I was crashing to the ground, and it was all because of a certain enraged Teague Allah James that came darting down the alleyway to tackle my sturdy assailant to the ground. Wheezing to regain oxygen, I hardly waited for the black spots to clear up before I took a drunken haymaker swing at the man that had sucker punched Sara in the stomach. I felt my hand make contact with his skull, even if I couldn't see it.
"C'mon! Fight fair, assholes! Come and get me!" I heard Taj yell from somewhere off behind me.
As my vision started to clear, I saw that the remaining portion of the mob that was still standing had abandoned their original assault on Sara in pursuit of another one on Taj. Just as one of the more puny ones went running off, I shoved out an obtrusive foot out in the middle of his path to trip him before quickly jabbing my other knee up into his falling face, making him fall backwards. Unfortunately for him, my expecting hand was waiting there for a grip on the back of his neck just so I could throw him forward again at a much faster velocity into the ground – face first.
Though his arms had blocked his face from splattering his brain matter all over the ground, it indirectly caused him to shatter both of his forearms. Squatting down beside him, I lifted him up as high as I could by his hair, making his tear filled eyes stare at me face to face. He barely looked a day over nineteen, but then again, it was a cold, cruel world out here, and I supposed he had to learn the hard way that you don't mess with something you know you wouldn't be able to handle on your own.
"Who's your boss?"
"I-I-I I DON'T KNOW!" The kid blubbered tearfully.
Raising my boot off the ground, even while squatting, I stomped on his broken right forearm, earning me an earful of sobs and strained cries. "WHO IS YOUR BOSS?!"
"D.I.S.!" The boy screamed even louder. "D.I.S.!"
"WHY DOES HE WANT A HIT ON MY SISTER?!"
"It's a she, and all she said was that this chick named Sara Sidle stole her boyfriend!" The growing rivulets poured down his face as he continued. "She said that we could find her here tonight and that she wanted her taken care of! I was just following orders!"
"Yeah, well, next time kid, know who your screwing with before you go on a mission." I dropped his face carelessly to the floor before standing up. "Others won't be as merciful as me."
I left the boy to gather himself up and go running off down the alley, tripping over nothing and probably not heading anywhere in particular besides away from me. Kneeling down beside Sara on the ground, placing my hand over her two hands gripped on top of her stomach. A vice grip tore away at my stomach.
"Hey, c'mon... You okay?" Nothing could divert my attention at this point. "C'mon Sara, just say you're all right."
"My whole face feels like a balloon..." Her voice was weaker, but not to the point that it raised alarm in me.
Choking out a laugh, I grabbed either side of her head and rested my forehead up against hers as I hugged her. "You're one tough bitch, Sara Sidle."
"Where's Taj?"
"He's off dealing with those guys now. Don't worry about him." I soothed her as I gently helped her up to her feet. "All we gotta care about right now is getting you back home and taken care of. Damn, Gil's gonna rip me a new one."
"I can't believe I couldn't stop them from hitting me." Sara groaned as I guided her down the alleyway.
"Don't worry about it, Sar... Taj and I are gonna take care of those punks." I subconsciously gripped Sara's arm tighter. "We're gonna make them pay, cause no one hurts my sister and gets away with it alive."
"Brooke..." Sara's limpid hand landed up on my shoulder. "Who is this... 'D.I.S.'?"
TBC...
A/N2: I hope y'all understand what's go on.. For those of y'all that didn't pick it up on the last chapter, Grissom is Brooke and Taj's "employer". (Am I making him crooked? NO!) You'll have the whole backstory by the end of this story though. Promise. Now, does anyone have any idea who D.I.S. is? (Nothing from you Chloe! You already know!) Lol
Peace out, one love,
MC New York