Chapter 18 Run Silent Run Deep 3
I am gonna wrap my arms around you
Letting loose some tears and some pain
I'm gonna wrap my arms around you
Wrap my Arms – Loaded
The hours were blending together during this case, Anna couldn't remember the last time she'd slept or eaten and it was slowly beginning to take its toll especially with the constant feeling of worry eating her up at this moment.
Anna had a deep belief in God, praying had been her only source of escape from her pain as a child and growing up. Many a time she'd asked for strength, or for her parents to love her like she loved them but more than anything she'd prayed for the simple fact that when all else seemed wrong in her world, when she was sure she couldn't take anymore, praying gave her the comfort she needed, and reminded her she wasn't alone.
So right now, she was praying, once again praying with everything in her that Louie would pull through. As she emptied his personal effects onto the lab table in front of her she sighed. His blood soaked shirt screamed up at her, making her shake her head and close her eyes.
Breathing in deeply she reached into the pocket of her lab coat, her fingers grasping at the set of rosary beads currently residing in there. They weren't something she usually carried around the lab with her, but with everything going on Anna needed that comfort. They'd been a gift, given to her by her Grand-dad the day he'd brought her home from the hospital. It was a promise, that whenever she needed that extra bit of help both God, and her Grand-dad were both right there.
Opening her eyes Anna pulled her hand from her pocket and set to work. Pushing aside the shirt her eyes fixated on a clear bag, in which a mangled up box complete with wires resided. Frowning she opened the bag and tipped out the contents, knowing immediately what it was she was looking at as she picked up the object.
"Louie Messer's personal effects?" Anna didn't need to look around as Mac walked in, coming to a stop beside her.
"Mac I think you may want to see this." She told him, finally looking up from the black box, "Louie was wearing a wire. It's been badly damaged from where they beat him."
Mac looked down at her for a moment before his eyes fixated on the mangled box she held. Carefully he took it from her, "See if you can pull any trace from these clothes I'm gonna work on this tape." Mac told her not waiting for a reply as he walked out the lab, carrying the box with him.
Anna chewed down on her bottom lip as she watched her boss go, keeping her fingers crossed that whatever he managed to pull from the tape helped pin down Sonny.
As it turned out, the tape and the trace Anna had managed to pull did in fact give them enough to go after Sonny. This time, Mac asked Anna to go with to arrest the TangleWood boy; it was something she all too readily accepted.
"They found that kid in the hole this morning; they think that my brothers got something to do with it."
"What do you want me to do walk in and confess to that mug Mac Taylor?"
"You know that my brother wasn't there. I plucked him out of there, I knew where you was going that night and he wasn't ready to see all that."
"Yeah he bitched out, you, me and Sal fixed it so what?"
Mac pressed pause on the tape, to his left Anna watched Sonny, her arms crossed over her chest as he spoke,
"What you gonna do arrest me for diggin?" he asked, chuckling slightly rolling his eyes at Mac before looking at Anna, leering at the young CSI,
"Murder 2 for starters," Mac replied a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Sonny though, shrugged,
"Still gotta say, I'm not worried about this." He said, narrowing her eyes slightly Anna glared at the man,
"Well you should be, keep listening." She told him, smiling sweetly when he turned his attention on her. To her side Mac smiled and pressed play on the tape player he held,
"Speaking of bitch, Salvator cried and threw up all night, when I was the one who turned his light off. Pure and simple mafia style execution."
Mac turned off the tape and smiled down at Sonny who by now was no longer smiling. In fact he'd paled, looking at Mac, Anna found herself unable to hide her own smile as he spoke, "You worried now?"
Sonny slowly looked around him, not saying a word all traces of humour were gone from his face, "Looks like I finally got you to shut up Sonny, now I get the final say, get on your feet." Anna moved aside as Mac hoisted Sonny out his seat and snapped on the cuffs.
Around them workers had stopped to stare at Sonny's arrest, "Sweet dreams dead man." Mac muttered, making Anna chuckle as she moved to let them past. For a moment she watched Mac leading Sonny away before tearing out her phone. Opening her texts, she quickly input Danny's number then typed
'We got him'
Pressing send, she quickly hurried after Mac happy in the knowledge they'd caught Sonny for Louie. Now all they had to do was wait to see if Louie would pull through and Danny's nightmare would quickly be over.
After leaving the lab, Anna had found herself heading straight for the hospital. Hugging her coat around her she attempted to ward of the cold air. All satisfaction from catching Sonny had long since dissipated into nothing. It was hard to stay happy that they'd caught their killer when she knew just what it had cost Louie, and just what it was doing to Danny.
Rounding the corner to the hospital she slowly made her way towards the main entrance, her hands clasping tightly around the beads in her pocket as she quietly prayed yet again for Louie.
As she neared the entrance her eyes immediately locked onto Danny as he stepped out onto the street, his head turning in her direction as did his steps. As she closed in on him Anna could see the pain shining brightly in his eyes as she came to a stop beside him, as he leant against the wall, "Hey..." she greeted softly, her hand resting gently on the sleeve of his jacket. "How's your brother?" she asked carefully, her heart squeezing painfully for him, when all Danny could do was shake his head as he fought down his emotions.
"Mac said you listened to the tape." She said, shaking her head slightly causing her tattered curls to graze her shoulders, "We did everything we could forensically but in the end it was Louie who saved you." She told him, her fingers interlocking with Danny's as he brought his hand to rest over hers.
When he looked at her the tears glistened brightly in his eyes, he nodded and sniffed. Fighting back breaking down, as she squeezed his hand Anna moved to stand in front of him, "You okay?" she asked quietly her other hand resting on his chest.
"They beat my brother pretty bad." Danny finally said, his voice cracking as he finally gave into the emotions he'd fought all day. As he let out a sob, Anna fought down her own emotions, "They beat him really bad Anna..." he sobbed.
"Come on." She whispered, and shaking her head Anna pulled him into a hug, her arms wrapped around his shoulders and she held onto him tightly, her heart constricting as Danny cried. His shoulders shook violently as he finally succumbs to his pain and all she could do was hold him, and give him something to cling to.
Anna had long since fallen asleep across three of the waiting room chairs. After Danny's breakdown outside well over 4 hours ago, the two had made their way back into the hospital to await more news on Louie's condition and wait for the arrival of his parents.
Anna had fought to stay awake and support Danny, but lack of sleep, food, and the horridness of the case all decided to catch up with her as soon as she settled. After a little gentle nudging from Danny to get some rest she'd drifted asleep across the chairs, her coat draped over her sleeping form.
Danny and Louie's parents had arrived not long after Anna, and almost immediately rushed in to see their oldest son. Danny had followed, leaving his sleeping girlfriend outside, but staying close to the window to keep an eye on her.
After explaining everything that had happened to his parents, and exactly who Anna was, Danny felt the adrenaline slowly ebbing away and he felt drained. Lack of sleep, food and the emotional rollercoaster that had been the last few days had zapped all his energy and he now fought to stay away.
As Nicole Messer continued to watch over her oldest son, clutching both his hand and a set of wooden rosary beads between her hands, Antonio Messer had eyes for his youngest son. "Go home Danny." He told the younger man who straightened upon hearing his name.
Rubbing his eyes Danny shook his head and looked at Louie, "No Pop I'm stayin." He stated, looking away from his brother when his Dad stood and approached him, grasping his shoulders tightly giving Danny no choice but to focus on him.
"You're tired son, and you've done enough. Go home and rest up, take that girl of yours home with you. The pair of you need a solid nights rest, I'll let you know if anything changes, just take care of each other." Danny looked past his Dad at Louie, before looking out the window at Anna's sleeping form and nodded.
After sharing a hug with his father and placing a kiss on his Mother's cheek Danny slowly made his way out the room. Crouching down in front of Anna he smiled softly, letting his fingers brush away the lock of her that had fallen over her face.
"Anna...baby..." he said her name softly, and smiled when she blinked her eyes open and looked up at him. Then quicker than he realised she was sat up, her eyes wide and worried as she looked down at him, her eyes darting to the room Louie lay, "He's the same..."
Anna relaxed a little and looked back at Danny, rubbing her eyes tiredly, "Are you okay? Your parents?" Danny couldn't help but smile again, amazed at how much she worried for everyone else. As he stood he took her hands in his and gently pulled her up with him,
"We're okay. Right now we're going home, I don't know about you but I need sleep," he said, helping her to slip into her jacket. Instead of answering Anna nodded her head, smiling slightly as she leaned into him.
From Louie's room, Antonio Messer watched the two interact. There was a small smile on his face as he watched his son wrap his arm around the young red heads shoulder, as her own arms wrapping around his torso as they headed out the hospital and he was glad. Glad to see his younger son finally had someone he could truly lean on.
Thanks again to everyone who took the time to both read and review this story so far, and thanks to those quieter readers who've added it to story alert, your support means a lot to me.
Lady Buster – Danny needed someone I think, he tries to put on a front in most cases but I feel what he really needs is someone who can just understand what he needs without him having to say it. Anna and Danny have that sort of relationship, he was there for her just like she's going to be there for him any time he needs her to be.
Shippo – Awww ano poor Danny I wanted to hug him as well during this episode. Yeah Anna's hiding under the desk; well she's not hiding in a way, being under there gives her comfort I think. Strange but so is carrying a security blanket lol it's just one of those things.
Sam – Glad you enjoyed the chapter hun and thanks.
Schnerb – I like Don and Anna's relationship, they're good friends and I love that. He wasn't afraid to say she was a little bit strange when he found her under the desk lol. Thanks for the review hun hope you enjoy this chapter to.