Chapter 25
/1 Week Later/
Munch unlocked the door to his apartment. He threw his keys on the coffee table and heard the shower running down the hall. A smirk played on his face and he started to undress as he made his way down to the bathroom. He really needed a hot shower at that moment.
By the time he reached the door he was stark naked. He quietly opened the door and saw Nicole's naked silouette through the shower curtain. He pulled it back and climbed into the shower with her. Nicole shrieked and spun around. "John! You scared the shit out of me!" Nicole yelled.
"Sorry, babe, didn't mean to." he replied.
Nicole was standing under the water and pulled Munch into her embrace. They kissed as the hot, steamy water ran down their naked bodies. Munch let his hands slide all over Nicole, resting them firmly on her ass. As he did that Nicole moaned into his mouth. Munch lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he pressed her against the shower wall. He took his right hand and positioned himself at her entrance. He thrust inside her and Nicole started to moan louder. Munch started to thrust slowly just to be sure he had enough traction and wouldn't slip. When he was confident he could manage he started to speed up his thrusts. Nicole looked into his eyes and couldn't believe how blue they were. She then kissed him. Letting her tongue slip inside his mouth and find his. All of a sudden she could feel her orgasm building. Then it hit her and sent spasms through her body. Munch pumped a few more times and then he came himself. He didn't let her go for a minute or two and then slowly lowered her. Making sure she could stand up.
Later, as they dried off, Munch gave her a snap on the butt with his towel. "That is, without a doubt, the best shower I've ever taken," he said. "What do you say we continue this in the bedroom?"
"You read my mind." Nicole smirked and walked off down the hall. Munch smiled and then followed her.
/Chung Chung/
The next day, Jamie walked into the bullpen, and looked at Nicole. Nicole was resting her head in her hands, staring down at an open folder. Jamie frowned as she walked over to Nicole, "Hey, what's up. You look like your ready to blow a gasket from concentrating."
"Nothing, don't worry about it." Nicole half mumbled, not bothering to look up.
"Liar. What's going on? What are you looking at?" Jamie asked.
Nicole looked up at Jamie. Jamie was taken aback by Nicole's expression. "Something, something that was sent to me." Nicole said standing up, taking the folder with her. "I have to go now. I don't know when I will be back." Nicole said turning away from Jamie and walking to the doors.
"Whoa, wait just one minute. What the hell is going on here? Where are you going?" Jamie asked heading after her partner. She grabbed Nicole by the arm.
"Don't touch me." Nicole said as she pulled her arm out of Jamie's grip, as she swung and connected with Jamie's jaw. "Sorry about that, but I can't stay here and you're not stopping me."
Jamie landed on the floor. "What the hell has gotten into you?" Jamie asked her voice raised.
"None of your business. I told the Captain I'm taking an indeffinent leave. And that is what I am doing. Now leave me the fuck alone." Nicole said as she stormed her way to the doors
Munch walked in and walked right into Nicole. "Hey, are you okay?" He asked concerned.
"Leave me alone." Nicole said as she stormed out the doors and towards her car.
Munch stood dumbfounded. Jamie was dumbfounded on the floor. "What has gotten into her?" Jamie asked.
"You tell me." Munch asked.
Elliot walked into the room. "What the hell happened here? Why are you on the floor?" he asked.
"Hurricane Nicole hit." Jamie replied as Munch helped her up.
"What is wrong with Nicole?" Munch asked.
"You tell us?" Elliot replied.
Jamie looked at Munch. "You live with the hurricane. What happened last night?"
"Nothing, she was fine. Although she left for work this morning when she got a phone call. I never thought anything of it." Munch answered.
"You do know that she took indeffinant leave. Right?" Jamie asked.
Munch's eye went wide. "What? Your kidding me!" He said as his voice raised.
"What is up with Nicole. It's almost like the life was drained out of her when I seen her in the hallway." Olivia asked when she walked in.
"I'm going to find out." Munch said and stormed out after Nicole.
"Something is up. But I can't figure it out. I'm going with John to find out." Jamie said following.
Elliot and Olivia looked at each other. "Coffee?" Olivia asked.
/Chung Chung/
Nicole took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she stood at the bottom of the stairs at the house. She was so shaken that she was full of rage and hurt. She knew what had to be done and she had to go back home. Back to Dallas, back to see Lee. She missed her partner, she missed his humor, his smile, and the fact that he bent over backwards for her, taken so much shit from her. She felt a hand on her shoulder and just reacting she spun around and kicked the person in the stomach.
Nicole looked and saw that she kicked Munch. "I'm sorry, babe. But I just have to go. I'm so sorry, I really am." Nicole said and took off running off to her car and left him sitting there as Jamie came up running.
"What the fuck is going on with her? I never seen her like this before." Jamie said as she helped Munch up.
Munch shook his head, "I don't know. Something must be really wrong."
"No shit, really? What was your first clue, John." Jamie stated.
/Chung Chung/
"I'm coming back... I have to help you with this case." Nicole said on her cell phone as she was packing a small suitcase at her and Munch's apartment.
"No, honey. You don't have too. Just stay a cute little fucked up hamster in the corner." The male voice replied.
Nicole laughed slightly. "Okay, I haven't heard that saying in a long time. But no. I am not staying here, not when you need my help. They need my help."
"It's good to hear you laugh again. Ever since I told you what happened this morning. I honestly hated to have to give you that news." He answered, there was genuine sorrow in his voice.
Nicole sniffed back the tears. "That's why I have to come back. They need justice for what was done. I don't care if it means I have to transfer back to the Rangers. I will do what it takes."
/Chung Chung/
Munch, Jamie and Fin walked up to the apartment. "This is the last place I can think of where she is." Munch stated.
"Well, it is a big city. I mean she could be anywhere." Fin commented.
Jamie playfully wacked him in the arm. "That isn't helping matters."
"Sorry." Fin smiled.
Munch shook his head, and sighed. He opened the door and found that the lights were out. He walked in, and turned on the lights. "Nic?" He called out but there was no answer.
Jamie walked into the kitchen. "Um, John? You might wanna come look at this."
Munch walked over to the kitchen table. He picked up the note and looked at it. "Read it out loud." Fin stated.
" 'John, I'm truly, sorry. But I had to go back to Dallas. I will try and call you when everything is taken care of. I don't know how long I will be, or when I will be back. Don't try and call me, I most likely won't have the chance to answer. I do love you with all my heart. I am so sorry. Love Nicole'." Munch said and threw it down on the table.
/Chung Chung/
Nicole landed in Dallas, Texas. She took a deep breath. It was time for revenge. Time for her to get even with what should have never happened. She knew there was a chance that it could happen but she could have stopped it. And it cost her, her family, her life. But she also left her life back in New York. The only family she had left in Dallas was Lee. But she had so much family in New York.
Though that family was safe, and she had to get vengance for her family here. No matter what it cost her, even her life. There was no changing that.
She started her way towards the exit of the airport with her duffle bag. It wasn't to hard to spot Lee. He was six foot three, dark chocolate brown hair with a mustache. His smile was not hard to miss either. "Hey there, Squeaky muffin."
"Lee." Nicole answered.
"Did you tell your partner what was happening? Why you're here?" Lee asked frowning.
Nicole shook her head. "Sort of."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, all I told her was I was taking indeffinate leave. Nothing more." Nicole sighed putting her duffle bag in the back of Lee's truck.
"Okay, what about... John?" Lee asked starting the pick-up.
"I left him a note saying I would call when I had the chance."
Lee nodded. "Okay than. Baby, this could get dangerous. But if you want to go after those guys again, than I'll be here to protect you. Just remember what happened last time. Are you ready?"
Nicole nodded. "I'm ready. I won't be able to sleep again until they're taken care of."
"All right, Twinky. Let's go."
/Chung Chung/
"What do you mean she went to Dallas?" Elliot asked.
Munch sighed and sat down at his desk. "That's what her note said. That and the fact that I shouldn't try to call her. She'll call me when she has the chance."
"Maybe something came up. Like her mum's sick or something. She'll call you." Olivia said trying to lighten the situation.
Munch shook his head. "No, it's more serious then that if she just picked up and left."
"That's it. I can't take this. I'm going to Dallas." Jamie stated.
Fin stood up from his desk. "The hell you are!" he stated.
"The hell I'm not! I have to be there for my partner. No matter what the situation." Jamie replied.
"Jamie, you're pregnant, remember. You have more than just you to think about now." Fin blurted out.
Elliot and Olivia did a double take. They couldn't believe what Fin had just said. "You're pregnant?" Olivia asked.
Jamie nodded but Fin spoke. "Yeah, she is. Which is why she shouldn't be going to Dallas."
"Fin's right. I'm going." Munch said standing up.
"I still wanna go!" Jamie added.
"Jamie, let John go. You don't know what's going on down there." Fin said.
"Like I said, it doesn't matter. She's my partner and I'm gonna be there for her."
"Not when you're carrying my child, you're not." Fin stated angrily.
"No one is going anywhere. We have a case." Cragen said walking in.
"What's going on, Captain?" Elliot asked.
"Thirteen year old girl found raped and strangled on the playground at her school. You four are on it." Cragen said pointing to Fin, Munch, Elliot and Olivia. "Jamie, I want to see you in my office."
/Chung Chung/
Lee was driving toward the station and Nicole knew where he was going. Although she hadn't been here in a while, she still knew her hometown like the back of her hand. Sensing this she turned toward Lee. "I wanna go to the house."
"You sure that's a good idea? I didn't think you'd wanna see it." Lee replied.
Nicole touched Lee's arm. "Take me there."
Lee nodded and did a U-turn in his truck and headed toward the crime scene.
/Chung Chung/
Jamie walked into Cragen's office and shut the door. "What's up, Captain?" Jamie asked.
Cragen sat down behind his desk and looked up at Jamie. "Did I hear right? You're pregnant?" Cragen asked.
Jamie looked down at her feet and then back at Cragen. "Yes, I am."
"And I assume Fin's the father?"
"Yes."
"This is gonna create a big problem if IAB finds out."
"I know."
"But I don't see how they need to know that Fin is the father of your baby."
"Captain, I don't wanna hide the fact that Fin is the father."
"I understand that and as long as no one says anything it won't be a problem. But you understand that if IA catches wind of this I can't lie for you."
"I understand, Captain."
"Alright. As long as we're understood then. Well, since this is settled and you don't seem to have a partner at the moment, I need you on this rape/homicide case. It's a bad one."
"Sure thing." Jamie said and opened Cragen's door to leave.
"Oh and Jamie?"
She stopped just outside the door and turned back toward Cragen. "Yeah, Captain?"
"Congratulations. To you and Fin."
"Thank you." Jamie smiled and left the office.
/Chung Chung/
Lee pulled the truck up in front of the house. He shut off the engine and turned his attention to Nicole. She was sitting there staring out the window. She couldn't believe it, this was the house that she grew up in and now it was a crime scene.
Lee got out of the truck and walked around to Nicole's door. He opened it and held his hand out to her. "Ready?" he asked.
Nicole took his hand and simply nodded. They walked up the walkway to the front door of the house. Lee took out his buck knife and cut the crime scene tape away to grant them access. When he opened the door, the first thing Nicole smelled was the blood.
She hesitated for a moment and then walked into the entrance way of the house. She looked down and saw a pool of blood. Lee touched her shoulder and spoke softly. "This is where we found your pa."
Tears formed in Nicole's eyes as she managed to walk pass the blood pool and make her way into the kitchen. The kitchen table, counter and cupboards were all spattered with blood. Nicole looked back at Lee and saw the pain in his eyes. "This is where your ma was." he said choking back tears of his own.
The tears were falling from Nicole's eyes as she made her way toward the living room. There was spatter on the TV and the wall and a blood pool on the carpet. "Your cousin Jenny was visiting that day. It's her blood on the TV and wall. She had her boy, Billy, with her. That's his blood on the carpet." It was killing Lee to recount what had happened to Nicole's family, but he knew she not only wanted to know, but she had to know.
They made their way upstairs and stopped in the doorway of the first bedroom. The bed was soaked in blood. "Your grandma was sleeping. Medical examiner said she never felt a thing."
Nicole couldn't stand to see anymore and bolted down the stairs. Lee followed after and found her outside throwing up by the house. He placed a hand on her back and pulled her hair out of her face. Nicole looked up at him. "I want those fuckers dead for what they've done." she said.
"Consider it done, baby." Lee said and pulled her up into a hug.
Nicole buried her face in Lee's chest and began to cry. Harder then she had ever cried in her entire life.
/Chung Chung/
Munch sat at his desk, looking at the crime scene photos. It was getting hard for him to concentrate on the crime scene. Considering the fact that the love of his life just up and walked out. Though he knew that something was bad, something bad was going to happen. However, Munch also knew that at this very moment he had no way of getting out of the case to go see Nicole.
"John?" Fin asked, standing next to the desk.
"Mmm?" Munch said as he looked up at Fin.
Fin looked back at Munch. "Talk to Cragen, see if you can go down to Dallas. Believe me when I say, the whole team would go down there, in a heart beat. When she went to Washington was a prime example."
Munch sighed, "Your right. Thanks, Fin."
"Just bring her back in one piece. It won't be so much me that would hurt you as, Jamie."
Munch nodded and stood up from his desk. He looked at Fin and then made his way to Cragen's office.
/Chung Chung/
Nicole and Lee were back in the pickup and now heading to the station. Nicole wanted to see the entire casefile before she went after the assholes.
Lee pulled the truck into the parking lot of the station and parked. He shut off the engine and got out of the truck. He walked around and opened Nicole's door and helped her out of the truck. "Ready to walk back into you're old stomping ground?" he asked.
Before she even gotten to open the doors one of the stopped took a double look at her. "Nicole? Nicole Green? Holy fuck! What brings you back here?" The gentlemen asked.
Nicole stopped and looked at him. "Kerry? Kerry Boivin? Hi. Work." Nicole said and passed him, making her way into the lobby.
Kerry watched Nicole walk off and then stopped Lee. "Hey, Neuman, what the hell's going on?"
"I can't talk right now, Kerry, I'll catch ya later." Lee said and took off after Nicole.
Kerry stood there with a confused look. He shook his head and walked away.
Lee found Nicole standing at her old desk. "You have a new partner Lee?" She asked looking at him.
"Not since you left. But, eh, you left Boivin with a confused consipated look on his face." Lee said smiling.
She looked at Lee. He hated to see the look of pain in her eyes. "Are these the casefiles?" Nicole asked.
Lee nodded. "Yeah, I got them ready before I picked you up."
"Thanks." Nicole said, she gave a half hearted smile.
"Sit down. That is still your desk. It's not like we had to people to take it." Lee said pointing at the chair.
Nicole hesitated for a brief second and then sat down in her chair. She placed her hand on the top file and slowly opened it. When she saw the photo inside she slammed it shut. "I don't know if I can do this." she said looking at Lee.
"Of course you can. I know you, you were my partner for seven years, Nikki."
Just than Nicole had an idea. "You're right. And I have an idea."
Lee looked at her, "That's my girl. Now wanna share your idea, so we both know?"
"I'm driving." Nicole said standing up. She looked at Lee and she adjusted her gun. Nicole started to walk towards the truck. Lee stood here. "Are you coming or not?"
/Chung Chung/
Nicole sped the truck towards an old warehouse, where her and Lee were undercover. The case they were working on started out as a homicide, but soon turned out to be narcotics, which had her and Lee undercover. A month undercover, everything blew up in their faces which caused Nicole to leave Dallas. Lee looked at her, "Your idea was to come here? Why?"
She glanced at him. "If there is one thing I learned from a good friend of mine, is that drug dealers change their habits but not their safe houses."
"You mean to tell me that this is something they would call their safe house?"
"Hey, rememeber what we learned, this was the place we always ended up going to."
"Yeah but remember that they found out we were undercover cops, Nic."
"Okay, point taken." She said stopping the truck. "But how long ago was that? They would have gotten back to their old ways when they were never busted."
"Nic, I don't think this is such a good idea. I mean this is gonna get dangerous Squeek. And I don't need to lose you too."
Nicole glared at Lee. "I told you. I am going to get revenge. And I don't care what it takes. They need it, since this was my fault that they were killed. I want blood, Lee."
"Scared of you..." Lee commented.
Nicole laughed, "Glad someone knows what I really am capable of." Nicole said bending down pulling out two rifles. "Let's go."
"I hate those words." Lee said pulling out a riffle from under the seat. "It always mean someone is going to get hurt."
"Suck it up baby. I want blood tonight." Nicole said walking towards the warehouse.
Lee sighed. "Just like old times." He said walking next to Nicole.
Nicole loaded both rifles. "For my family."
"For our family." Lee added.
TBC...