Chapter 20 – All Access

On the first page of our story
the future seemed so bright
then this thing turned out so evil
I don't know why I'm still surprised
even angels have their wicked schemes

Love the way you lie part II - Rhianna

When there was a case that involved one of their own, it always hit the CSI's hard. It was a reminder that they weren't as invincible as they'd like to think, that just because their cops, didn't mean they were immune to becoming the victims.

Stella had been hurt. Her boyfriend Frankie killed.

Mac had called Anna the moment he'd gotten Stella into the ambulance, telling her to get to the apartment and begin processing, they needed to know what had happened. Mac had skimped on details of Stella's condition, so Anna was sick with worry. Stella was her friend and the fact that something so horrible could happen to someone as strong as her, didn't sit right.

Looking around her friend's apartment, she shook her head in disbelief, fighting down the growing nauseous feeling in her stomach. The apartment was in complete disarray, there were blood smears leading throughout the apartment and into the bathroom, which was a sight Anna struggled to see. There were blood splatters and smears on either end of the bathtub. Laying in-between small pools of blood lay a razor blade, and the remains of a shaver.

Bagging the blade, Anna had also picked up the torn plastic tie in the tub, and the discarded knife that lay on the floor. Bagging them she'd left the bathroom, making her way back into the main sections of the apartment.

"Mac!" she said his name in surprise as she looked down at the figure currently crouched beside the shell casings she'd numbered. The older Detective looked up at her grimly, slowly standing as Anna made her way over to him, "Stella...?"

"Banged up but I think she's going to be okay. Don's with her..." he told the younger CSI, watching with a small smile as her face lit up in relief. Placing a hand on her shoulder he allowed himself a moment to feel that relief to before he sighed and looked down, "So what do we have?" he asked.

Anna let out a small breath, amazed at how much lighter she felt knowing Stella was alright. "Shell casings from a Glock 99, Stella's side arm. Blood spatter from where the bullets have hit Frankie...there was also quite a bit of blood either end of the bathtub. I found a knife discarded on the floor, a razor blade in the tub as well as a white plastic tie..."

"Okay well let's get it all back to the lab, start processing. I have to go meet up with Lindsey but let me know what you find okay." Anna nodded and smiled slightly at Mac she watched him leave the apartment. Lindsey Monroe was the newest addition to the lab. A surprise addition, Mac hadn't even been aware she'd been hired till the woman showed up for her first day over 1 week ago.

Lindsey so far was pretty much keeping herself to herself, with only a couple of exceptions. Upon arrival at the lab, and working her first case she'd immediately clung to Danny, looking to him for help getting to know everything. Of course being who he was he was helping Lindsey get to grips with City life anyway he could, taking pride in being the first friend she'd made.

Now Anna knew Danny loved her, only wanted her but she couldn't control the wave of jealously that washed over her whenever she watched Lindsey with him. There was a primal, possessive need to claim him, remind Lindsey that Danny was hers.

Adam certainly wasn't helping matters; he was constantly informing Anna that Lindsey was making no secret of her attraction to Danny, who despite all of his smarts still continued to remain aloof to the woman practically offering herself to him.

With a deep sigh Anna placed all her equipment back into her case, closed it and stood. Hopefully crime scene clean up would be here soon, she definitely didn't want Stella returning to this. Pushing on her sunglasses Anna made her way out the apartment, ready to begin processing all her evidence back at the lab.

"Stella's boy-friend..." Sid Hammerback looked down in disbelief at the body of Frankie before looking over at Anna, "How's she doing?" Anna shook her head, and offered him a small shrug,

"Mac says she pretty shaken up. We're still not sure what happened over there." She replied, shifting her footing slightly. It had long since become clear she'd in no way ever get used to being in the morgue, stood with her arms crossed and body tensed she waited for Sid to talk,

"Well I can tell you what happened here. The first two shots were none lethal, here and here..." he pointed to a spot low on Frankie's left side, and pointed to another through his right shoulder. Anna leaned over the body nodding, her eyes assessing the entry points of the bullets as she did, "I expect this was the third shot. The kill shot right through the heart." He said pointing to the third bullet wound.

Anna sighed and leaned back, a frown etched deep into her features as she waved a hand towards the body, "How many of these slugs you got Sid? I need to compare them to the weapon we found at the scene."

"Anna..." Anna looked up from her computer where she was currently comparing the slugs they'd retrieved from Frankie, to the gun found at the scene, to smile at Mac, who came to stand beside her, laying out a file onto the desk, "Got the results back on Stella's work up. Negative on the sex assault..."

Anna smiled and nodded, breathing a sigh of relief, "Thank God..." she sighed,

"GSR, Stella's right hand tested positive for gunshot residue," he finished. Biting down on her bottom lip Anna nodded and turned back to her computer, pointing at the two pictures currently showing,

"Well I've just compared the slugs Sid got us, to the gun we found at the scene and their a match. It proves that Stella is the shooter..." she told him quietly, turning back on her stool to look at her boss who was frowning slightly as he nodded his head,

"Now we just have to find out everything that happened before she pulled the trigger."

Lindsey Monroe was doing a fine job of confusing Danny. Her reaction to the news of Stella, the way she'd gone off on one of their suspects had been weird. Of course he understood the impact it had on cops when one of their own was hurt, but Lindsey barely knew Stella. He was barely keeping a level head himself and now he had to keep an eye on Lindsey.

Rolling his head back over his shoulders Danny let out a deep sigh, it was turning out to be a long day and all he wanted to do was go check on his friend. From the AV lab he could see both Anna and Mac in trace both wearing deep looks of concentration. The pair was working on Stella's case together, trying to piece what they could to aid Stella in remembering the night.

As his eyes fell onto Anna there was the sound of a chair moving beside his own. Looking to his left he smiled at Lindsey who shot him a grin before handing him the CD they'd had in evidence. It'd taken a lot of persuasion to get her to understand they had to go over all the evidence not just 'like' someone for the murder based on circumstantial evidence.

"So what do you say to grabbing a slice after work? My treat...I've been in New York City a week and have yet to try the pizza, which if the rumours are to be believed is meant to be amazing."

Danny looked at Lindsey and smiled slightly, a slice sounded great. "Sounds like a plan." He replied, watching her eyes light up. Now he liked Lindsey, the rumours going around about her crush on him were just that, rumours, he was sure of it.

As he placed the disk into a machine which would hopefully clean up the scratches for them, Danny let his gaze flicker back across the labs to where Anna and Mac were. Now only the latter of the two stood in the trace lab, Anna was nowhere to be seen.

With a sigh of disappointment Danny turned his attention back to his own case, and Lindsey already looking forward to the end of shift.

Stella had remembered everything. Using the evidence both Anna and Mac had put together she'd slowly began to piece together what had happened.

Frankie had followed her home. Using his own key, which he'd had copied from Stella's own he'd let himself into the apartment and began to set the table for a romantic dinner. Stella had tried to get him to leave and in turn he'd become violent and bound her hands using a plastic tie, before forcing her into the bathtub. A knock on the door had distracted him long enough for Stella to use a razor to cut herself out the binds and fight back, before shooting him. The DA had deemed it a good shoot much to everyone's immense relief.

After finding out from Adam that Lindsey and Danny had gone out for something to eat, Anna had in turn made her way to Stella's. The other woman had headed straight home from the hospital according to Mac, who'd also mentioned crime scene clean up had yet to arrive at the apartment.

It hadn't taken much persuasion for Stella to go home with Anna. She'd thought she'd been ready to go home, but seeing the state of the place she'd quickly realised she wasn't. So when Anna had knocked on the door, there were no words as the younger CSI took the overnight bag from Stella's hands and guided her back out the apartment.

The ride had been silent, and Stella had been grateful for that. There were no questions from Anna about what had happened or how she felt. There was just silence, which is all Stella wanted. There wasn't pity in Anna's eyes when she looked at Stella, only understanding. And it was clear to Stella that Anna understood more than the others, her experience may have been different, but how you felt afterwards, the shame, the guilt, the anger, and sadness...all that remained the same.

Next chapter guys. It's only a short one hence why I'm posting so soon but still I hope you enjoy!

Sch – Louie's attack is still very fresh in his mind, but his brother is going to be okay so no need for Danny to dwell too much on it really is there. Grace knew what they'd been up to because she's dating Don lol those two are not so innocent either! Glad you enjoyed everything about this chapter and the descriptions of the ball etc, things from here on out are going to take a turn though!

LadyBuster – I enjoy writing fancy events but I have to admit I like the drama even more so that's what you'll see mostly lol glad you enjoyed the chapter!

Sam – Glad you thought it was hot. These two are a hot and steamy couple lol just can't get enough of each other which I love!