Thanks to the reviewers, it's really appreciated! For anyone who notices, the middle section of the chapter is inspired by a scene in 'Just Like Heaven', I always end up in fits over it so I tried to write something similar to it, although I'm sure its not as funny as they write it. Please keep reviewing!
"I'm fine,'' I repeat as Hawkes flashes light into my eyes. I'm pressing an ice pack into the back of my head where a nasty lump is forming. "Honestly I've done worse.''
"How long were you unconscious for?'' He asks, motioning for me to follow his finger with my eyes.
"A couple of seconds,'' I answer, wincing as he begins to remove the ice pack to the check the small cut that as been bleeding into my thick hair.
"More like a minute Hawkes,'' Flack calls over were a medic is cleaning up his face. "She was disorientated when she came round, kept calling me Danny.''
I look away at this point from both of them to Danny who was standing next to the nearest wall. Ever since I had come round I'd could see him constantly, and hear him. That had been the first thing I had heard, Danny repeating over and over that he was sorry. I had told him to shut up, which both Mac and Flack had assumed was aimed at them asking me if I was ok.
"Danny from Donnie,'' Hawkes laughs, dapping some cleaning fluid into my cut. "Its close enough.''
"You're not that memorable Flack,'' I laugh, wincing again as the antiseptic fluid trickles into my skin.
"Tell him I didn't mean too, please, I'm sorry.'' Danny starts walking over to Flack seeing for himself the damage he's caused.
"I know it wasn't your fault.'' I tell Flack, like I'm going to tell him that actually your best friend says it's his fault and he's sorry, oh the same best friend that's in a coma in hospital.
"I don't know what happened, it was like something hit my legs and they just gave way.'' He nods thankfully to the medic as he finishes placing a butterfly plaster over his eye.
"I'm fine,'' I repeat to Hawkes as he flashes another light into my eyes. He gives me a sceptical look. "Watch,'' I stand up to prove a point, but its too much, I feel dizzy and a wave of sicknesses washes over me, my own knees buckle as Hawkes has to reach out and save me from falling again.
"I'm so sorry,'' I say again, grabbing Holly's hand as Hawkes lowers her to back to the seat. She's refusing to look at me, "Just squeeze my hand if you know I'm here.'' I feel her squeeze.
"I want you to go to hospital.'' Hawkes tells me, I open my mouth to argue that I'll be fine in a couple of minutes.
"Hospital now,'' Mac says as he approaches the group, obviously having just seen me collapse into Hawkes. "I don't want any arguments. Then you'll take the rest of the day off.'' Even at this early stage of knowing Mac Taylor I know he's not one to argue with that tone in his voice. I nod in agreement, replacing the icepack to the back of my head.
"I'll drive,'' Flack says offering his arm and helping me up as another wave of sickness hits me. If I had anything on my stomach I'd be worried that I would be sick all over the poor guy. "Maybe we can get that coffee huh?'' He laughs as he opens the door to his car and guides me in, "damn I left my wallet.'' He shuts the door and walks back to get it.
"I feel really bad.'' I say, I'm not sitting in the back of Flack's car watching as Holly fastens her seatbelt.
"You should do,'' she answers looking directly at me. "You could have seriously hurt me or Flack, what the hell were you thinking?''
"I wasn't,'' I run my fingers through my hair. "I just wanted you to accept that I'm here. I didn't mean to hit him that hard.''
"Well done, mission complete.'' She snaps at me, turning so that she's facing the front window watching as Flack has a quick conversation with Mac. "I don't know what you expect me to do now.''
"Help me figure out how to get back into my body.'' I say, because that's what I want. I'm sick of being like this, of seeing what me being in hospital is doing to my friends and family.
"Ok,'' she sighs, leaning her head onto the window. "We'll figure it out.''
"What's that?'' Danny asks, nose scrunched up in distaste at the bottle in my hand. We're both sitting on the floor of my living room, many discarded books and occult objects surrounding us, after hours of trying to figure out how to get Danny back into his body.
"Holy water,'' I reply, my nose still firmly in a book reading through a paragraph. "Now stay still.'' I uncork the bottle, "in the name of Jesus Christ I compel you to return to your body.'' I flick the bottle of water at him so it's thrown down the front of his shirt. He looks pretty surprised as he surveys the water mark cascading down his shirt, he glances up at me and before I know I'm in a fit of giggles. "The power of Christ compels you.'' I giggle, flicking the rest of the bottle at him, it's too much and before I know it I'm on my back giggling away to myself.
I wipe the front of my shirt although the water has already soaked through, smiling to myself. This has to be the most pointless exercise ever; Holly is continuing to giggle on the floor. "The power of Christ compels you.'' She giggles again, although thankfully her stock of Holy Water is already all over me. "Feel any different?'' She ask, trying to hold back the laughter.
"I feel wet.'' This statement only creates another bout of laughter. "This isn't working is it?'' I ask, as she regains her composure. She shakes her head, a smile still playing on her lips.
"I've got no idea what else to do.'' She picks up another book, flicking through the pages. "Could always try to burn a cross into you?'' She holds up a page of people burning a cross into a man's head.
"Don't think so,'' I smile back. Her phone rings at this point, and she reaches over to answer it.
"Matthews,'' she answers phone clamped between her head and her shoulder, eyes still on the book. "Oh hey Flack…no much better thanks…yeah I know…if it was a case you can't do anything about it…'' I roll my eyes at her as she smiles, she has such a crush on him, it's slightly ridiculous. "What, now?'' She looks over at me, I shake my head, she's meant to be helping me, not dating Flack. "Sorry Flack I'm slightly busy…I'm on nights tomorrow…yeah I know…blame Mac…agreed…'' I put on my 'put the phone down and help me' look on my face; she nods in my direction to tell me she knows. "Well I'll see you tomorrow…ok, bye.''
I flip my phone shut and threw it onto the couch, Danny better not get his hopes up that I'm going to cancel all of my plans for him. This is a one time thing. I picked up another book and began to flick through the dusty pages, Danny doing the same with another book across the rug from me.
"You know, maybe you need to like climb back into your body?'' I suggest.
He shakes his head, "tried it a couple of times, nothing sticks.''
"You tried glue?'' She asks smiling, I laugh in response it seems like it was so long ago since I laughed properly, as her phone goes again. "Matthews…yeah I'm coming straight in…ok fine, bye.'' She snaps her phone shut, and climbs to her feet. "Have to leave it there, I gotta suspect.'' She calls to me as she practically runs to the door, grabbing a fresh tee shirt off a pile of clean washing. "Mac wants me in,'' She continues raised voice from the bedroom, obviously changing outfits. "You planning on staying here and reading?''
"You mind if I come?'' I ask, I'd prefer to be at the lab than be left at her place, feels like I'm intruding.
"Yeah, fine, just don't expect me to pass on any messages.''
"What happened Anna?'' I asked the blonde woman in front of me. "Did you not like Arthur going into business with his mother?''
"I still can't believe that he's dead.'' She asks, tears were in her eyes but I don't buy the act. Mac is sitting next to me, flicking through various evidence sheets and photos.
"Would you explain the reason for the placement of the knives?'' Mac asked, placing an evidence sheet in front of her showing the placement of the knives.
"I don't know what you mean.'' She sniffs; she's really pushing my buttons with this fake act.
"Cut the crap Anna, we know you stabbed him.'' I snapped, her eyes fix on mine. "We have your prints on the handles.''
"I could have touched any knives in the shop, I helped out when I could.'' Her voice tightens, the tears dry up as she continues to stare at me.
"We never said the knives were from the shop.'' Mac's says coolly, we've got her, we know it and so does she.
"Defensive wound on her wrist.'' I noticed it when she walked in, she's been trying to hide it with a chunky bracelet. "Get her to move the bracelet.''
"Could you please remove your bracelet?'' I ask, she continues to glare at me as she roughly removes her bracelet, slamming it onto the table. "Is that going to match Arthur's fingernails?'' I point to several scratches on her wrist.
"Ok fine, I stabbed him. He just wanted to be in that shop, I should have come first.'' She replied angrily, "he should have been more concerned with me, than his stupid mother and that bullshit they were involved in. Thought making him into a voodoo doll was appropriate.''
"Well I'm sure you'll come first now.'' Mac says as the uniforms slap on the cuffs. I sigh in relief that we've got her, no-one deserves to be stabbed to death in that manner because they wanted to succeed in business. I know that Mac is going to send me home straight away; he only let me come back in to question Anna about Arthur's death, and before I know it he's already giving me the order. I begin to make my way back to the locker room, Danny in tow, as I almost run into Flack.
"Matthews,'' he greets me. "What you doing here?''
"We got Arthur's girlfriend Anna for murder, Mac let me come in for interrogation.'' I smile back.
"Well you up for that cup of coffee?'' He asks me, I feel Danny nudge me in the ribs.
No, no, no. Flack, you may be my best friend, and I love you for it. But this girl is the only way for me to get back into my body, and there is no way I'm losing that opportunity so you can get laid. I have to do something, she's meant to be helping me tonight, not getting coffee with Flack, and the sooner I get back into my body the better. Sorry Flack. "You know he's gay right?'' I say into her ear. She pulls a weird look on her face, because basically she can't really argue with me in front of him. "I'm being serious, everyone knows, just no-one talks about it.''
What? Is he being serious? I didn't get that vibe, at all. I'm trying to flick my eyes to Danny without looking like a freak in front of Flack. "Look at his suit, and shoes. Come on, how could you not tell?'' Danny presses the issue further. I now feel completely stupid, I can't believe I liked a guy who turned out to be gay, and I thought I was more in tune than that.
"Sorry Flack, but I really need to get some sleep.'' I answer, not looking in his eyes, embarrassed that I thought that anything else could have happened with this guy.
"Ok, I'll see you tomorrow.'' He smiles, and takes off down the corridor.
I continue on to the locker room, grabbing my bag and jacket out of my locker. "You're being serious? Flack's gay?'' I ask, Danny nods whilst he kicks a ball of paper across the floor. "Damn'' I mutter under my breath locking the door, and heading home. I honestly didn't think he was, it never even crossed my mind, I thought he was flirting, he got so flustered. I really need to get my radar checked.