Hello everyone i must apologized for the time it took me to update but i had been suffering from a severe case of writer block i knew what to write it was just that my mind was cooperating with me lol So after one month of waiting here the crap i wrote lol
Ps: for those of you who havent check my friend Bel website devoted to csi miami please do we post all sort of stuff , there a forums, all sort of video including behind the scenes and promo and different articles and pictures . so here the link .com/ hope you guys will check it out :)
Today was the day , the day she faced his family the accusing eyes , the looks , she didn't want to , but she had in her car she could see Jake pacing the front of the building looking at his watch for the hundred time , he had probably called her a dozens time but she hadn't answer .She was ashamed of herself ashamed to have once again found the bottle in a moment of vulnerability , she definitely was just like her father .
She also knew that Jake would know the moment he saw her that she was hungover and no amount of make up would hide that .Gathering all of her courage she stepped out of the car and began her trek toward the building , when Jake saw her he sighted in relief but soon enough a frowned form on his face even with her sunglasses on her could see she was hungover .
Making his way to her Jake grabbed her arm in anger being careful not to hurt her but showed he was indeed angry .
JAKE: i would like to talk about the fact to why your late but i don't think i want to hear it !
Pulling her arm away from his grip she walked faster in front of him , ignoring the look he gave her ,the last thing she wanted was to be patronized , to be told what she had done wrong , she knew what she had done and was about to face those things straight on .
Usually the last floor of the Miami Dade department was reserved for the brass , the high ranking member of the department no one went there without being invited or in calleigh case when a sensitive situation needed to be addressed .Today was simply formal a judge would act as a referee sort of to see if the Delko family and the department could come into a agreement if not it would go to court and the department could eventually loose millions in Calleigh had already made her decision no mather she would give what is family wanted even if it made the department and especially Stetler get on her back for this .
Jake followed her into the elevator the same frown on his face and he could only imagine the look she was giving him behind her sunglasses .The ride up to the very last floor had been quiet just like expected , he was afraid that calleigh would go into this mediation and come even more derailed then she already was .
The door opened to se Horatio standing there in front of them phone to his ear one hand on the butt of his gun , he ended his call once he seen them .
HOR: Calleigh how you doing ?
CAL: Fine ! Just want to get this over with!
HOR: Are you sure you still want to do this this way ?
CAL: I owe them this !
Jake couldn't help the guilty look on his face , one that Horatio mirror .Yesterday they had learned the true , the truth about Eric and his where about , but that mean everything was back to normal , they couldn't just blurt out to Calleigh that Eric was alive let alone in Hawaii .
They wanted too , hell Jake wanted to drive her to the airport himself , buy the ticket and send Calleigh on her way to happiness .But Coleman had ask for a few days , a few days to clear everything with his team , his superior , it wasn't because he was use to break the rules that Coleman would risk any of his witness life .
All Horatio and Jake were waiting for was a simple phone call to give them the green light .
JAKE: Calleigh...
CAL: Don't Jake i am done arguing with you with anybody i want to this and go on with my life .
JAKE : It was all a matter of circumstance Calleigh none of this was your fault ...please just wait a few days and sit on it ...
CAL: I've made my decision and there nothing you can do stop me , not you , and certainly not you Horatio.
And with that Calleigh walked away heading toward the conference room where the litigation would take place .
Once Calleigh was out of hear shot , Jake glance at Horatio letting the old detective know he wasn't happy at all .
JAKE: WE should just tell her god damn it ...i mean shes risking her whole future on this ...
HOR: When the time comes Jake we will .
JAKE : AND WHEN WILL THAT BE ?...THAT WAS 3 YEARS AGO ...WAKE UP HORATIO !
Following Calleigh footstep Jake walked away joining her by the waiting area leaving a disgruntled Horatio by himself just has his phone rang .
Sitting next to her Jake remained quiet aggravating the situation wouldn't help inside the conference room they could see Stetler and their union lawyer talking to the judge who would litigate the situation , so far no sign of the Delko family .
Calleigh was unusually quiet and calm for such a situation , Jake was the one fiddling around on his chair slowly getting on Calleigh nerves .
CAL: Don't you like have work to do ...you know catching murderers annoyed Maxine?
JAKE: Are you trying to get rid of me ? he said with his best boyish smile but calleigh , shoot to kill stare said it all .
The door of the elevator opened and Calleigh directed her attention toward the end of the hallway she expected a pack of the Delko family .But that wasn't the case , s short older woman came out , her hair neatly cut and her features soft just like a grandmother , a woman Calleigh recognized to be Eric mother . She was alone apart from her lawyer following , a neat suit gracing his features with silver silk tie around his neck , the man look like he was out of a GQ magazine .
Chlorinda Delko came face to face with man she held responsible for the death of 2 members of her family , if Horatio Caine had never came into their life Eric and Marisol would be with them right now .
HOR: Mrs Delko ...he greeted politely tucking his phone into his pocket .
She eyed the Lieutenant in front of her before giving him the cold shoulder walking behind her lawyer .
When Calleigh saw Mrs Delko approaching she felt small on her chair slightly sliding down , she looked at the floor doing her best to keep herself composed .
Mrs Delko sat in front of them , her purse tightly being held on her knees across her chest , her lawyer bend over whispering words to her before disappearing into the conference room.
Horatio made his way to them , his trademark sunglasses between his finger , he so wished he could tell everyone about Eric , but he couldn't he wasn't allowed , at least not yet .
HOR: Jake we have to go , we have a crime scenes , Ryan and Natalia are already on route .
The last thing Jake Berkeley wanted to do was leave , for a moment he hesitated looking back between Calleigh and Horatio .He certainly didn't miss the look of of pure hatred Mrs Delko directed at him even though he didn't know the woman.
CAL: Will you just go already i don't need a chaperon !
With a heave sight Jake stood from his bench , hesitating once more , he gave her shoulder a squeeze with a smile that she didn't return .
She didn't watch him walk away , if she did it would mean lifting her head and see Mrs Delko angry stare directed at her .
Soon enough but not enough for Calleigh Stetler walked out of the conference room , with his hand on his hips he looked back between Calleigh and Mrs Delko .
STETLER: Mrs Delko you may come in please ! he tried with his best charming smile , but Mrs Delko a wise and older woman saw right through him , ignoring the sergeant she made her way into the conference room .
Once Mrs Delko was seated next to her lawyer Calleigh stood intending on following her into he conference room but Rick grabbed her arm and pulled her back .
STETLER: Don't screw this up the department cant afford it ! he whispered in a harsh tone staring into Calleigh eyes .
CAL: No offense Sergeant but i couldn't care less about what you think .
Yanking her arm away calleigh didn't' t bother to give him a second look and closed the door between him and her , shutting him out of something that didn't concern him .
Sitting next to her union lawyer who she barely met the day before , sitting across Mrs Delko and her lawyer she once again ducked her head avoiding Mrs Delko accusing stare has they waited for the judge to be ready .
Calleigh felt unprepared to what was coming next but somehow she also felt at peace at ease with herself not mather the outcome of today litigation , she would give Eric family what they deserved , answers.
The judge took his place at the end of the table his glasses on the bridge of his nose he opened the files in front of him , before looking back at the four people in front of him .
'' I'll introduce myself for those of you who don't know me , i am judge baker and i'll be presiding over this litigation , in this case the plaintiff Mrs Chlorinda Delko is the represented here by Will Gardner , and representing the Miami Dade department along with Miss Duquesne we have Andrew Markin , now before we start do we have any question ?''
When no on spoke up the judge nodded motioning for Will Gardner his line of questioning to begin and for Calleigh along agony of answering them .
The young lawyer leaned back n his chair giving calleigh a once over , next to him Mrs Delko glare never leaving Calleigh .
WILL: Calleigh... you don't mind if i call you Calleigh right ?.
CAL: NO !
WILL: Good ...so Calleigh your a member of the Miami Dade department for 15 years is that right ?
CAL: yes that is correct !
WILL: And during that time you became Lieutenant Caine second in command , along with being recognized among your peers like the best in your field ?
ANDREW: I'm sorry but i fail to see where this is going where are here for a litigation not an interrogation ?
WILL: Your honor im simply trying to demonstrate Miss Duquesne background in her field!
JUDGE: Mr Markin is right Mr Gardner stick to the event leading to this litigation in this case the wrongful death lawsuit , if it get to court then yes you can demonstrate miss Duquesne background ! But for now lets find as solution to this shall we agree !
WILL: Fine ! I hope you know my client is expecting answer from this ?
ANDREW: That is why were here , to answer Mrs Delko question concerning the unfortunate death of her son .
WILL: Unfortunate ? is that how you call getting kill by '' friendly '' fire ? unfortunate well it is highly unfortunate that Eric Delko isn't with us today but believe that death could have been avoided !
ANDREW: Of course it could have been avoided if Eric Delko had made his Lieutenant aware of his whereabouts ?
WILL: ohh please the reckless behavior of lieutenant Caine and his team over the years are the exact reason why Eric Delko isn't with us anymore and his family still grieving .
ANDREW: To which bring us back to Eric Delko not telling his superior officer of his whereabouts .
WILL: Lieutenant Caine behavior during the ordeal with the Russian mob was reckless and unjustified , that man cause a lot of death during his career its time to stop .
ANDREW: Excuse me but Lieutenant Caine and the Miami Dade department are the whole reason why people like you and me are walking freely the street of Miami they made this city safe for our...
WILL: Ohh spare me the whole hero worship will you , this whole department is out of line , there is a lot of a blood on their hands , its about time people like Mrs Delko , start coming forward and forcing consequence on those responsible .
ANDREW: Believe me the department sympathized with Mrs Delko an officer dying in the line of duty is never easy .
WILL : Right and you think that a nice plague on the wall with his pictures on it , make up for the incompetence of this department .
JUDGE; GENTLEMEN ... GENTLEMEN ..! Do i need to remind you to keep focus on the case please keep those argument if it ever goes to court please !
ANDREW: Look we all know the pain and suffering the Delko family has endure these last few years but unfortunately its all part of the job being a police officer is dangerous and Eric Delko knew that.
While the 2 lawyers were arguing Calleigh keep her eyes downsize ,feeling Mrs Delko eyes on her she felt transparent , when the union lawyer began to discredit Eric , calleigh head snap up her eyes squirting and her hands clenching on the table .
ANDREW: Eric Delko had a heavy past of reckless behavior ...
The union lawyer open another files a picture falling from it in front of Calleigh, a picture of Eric , clearly taken when he had joined the MDPD a gull bright smile on his face .
ANDREW: At one point during his career he lost his badges , got arrested for drug possession, compromised a case when he couldn't admit he was having memory trouble ...
Calleigh now had enough , defending the department was one thing but destroying Eric reputation was something she couldn't let pass by .
CAL: ENOUGH ! she screamed slamming her palm onto the wooden table .
ANDREW: Miss Duquesne ?
CAL: Just give them what they want for god sake ...
ANDREW: Miss Duquesne i think we ...
CAL: NO! YOU WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH , YES I SHOT HIM ...I TOOK THE SHOT AND KILL YOUR SON MRS DELKO ...
Will Gardner leaned back into his chair smirking letting the defense sunk their coffin by themselves while Calleigh lawyer Andrew rubbed the bridge of his nose , his client having already spoke to much .
Surprisingly enough Calleigh kept her composure her eyes fixed on Mrs Delko she did her best to appear compassionate to Eric mother .
CAL: I know ...i know there nothing i can do bring back ...to bring back Eric and ...
ANDREW: Calleigh please stop !
Andrew tried to stop her before she put the final nail into the coffin but Calleigh put her palm up stopping any argument he might have .
WILL: Ohh please let Miss Duquesne continue ! he smirked at Andrew who began sweating profusely .
With a shaky voices Calleigh once again began to pour her heart out .
CAL: i could ...stand here and apologized over and over and ask you and your family for forgiveness but ..there ...there nothing that will bring back Eric and frankly ...frankly i don't deserved your forgiveness so whatever you want ...its yours ...i wont contest it !
ANDREW: Look Miss Duquesne isn't obviously in her right state of mind ...
Calleigh head snapped toward Andrew and immediately stopped him before he went any further.
CAL: DON'T YOU DARE! ...My mind is very clear right now ...
Leaning toward her Andrew glared at her whispering he tried to make her understand that she was not only sinking herself but the whole department .
ANDREW: DO you know what this will do to the department if we have to pay another settlement ? So stop it right now miss Duquesne im warning you .
CAL: I don't take lightly to threat Mr Markin and you don't have to worry about the department .
ANDREW: What?
turning back to Mrs Delko and Will Calleigh stared straight at Mrs Delko who show not emotion what so ever apart for, the evident disgust and anger she felt for the woman who took her son life .
CAL: Mrs Delko , Mr Gardner i take full responsibility for the event that lead to Eric death not only was aware of his activity concerning his father but as his superior officer i should have taken step which i didn't my...my feelings for your son clouded my judgment and i wish i could bring him back ...but...all that was left of Eric was a charred body that they couldn't see
WILL: But you obviously can ! he stated interrupting calleigh
CAL: NO Mr Gardner your right i cant bring him back, thank you for stating that but that wasn't necessary ...As i was saying i take full responsibility , maybe if i had waited half a second and realized it was Eric driving the car i wouldn't have taken the shot but ...i did ...i did Mrs Delko an shot your son ...killed the man that i...
Calleigh stop on her track before she blurted out the obvious , over the last 3 years every time she spoke of that day tears would be streaming down her cheek but not today , today she would find a resolution an acceptance to Eric death .After taking a long deep breath Calleigh resumed the speech she was giving form her heart .
CAL: I dint know it was Eric in the car but ...when i did i can assure you we did everything we could to find him Mrs Delko .
WILL :Unfortunately that wasn't enough Miss Duquesne and the Delko family im sure you will agree deserve a some sort of retribution .
CAL: Again you are right Mr Gardner , it wasn't enough we were 3 was let of him days too late and all that was left of him was a ...
Once again Calleigh stopped on her track seeing the wave of sadness swept over Mrs Delko , it hadn't been easy for is family to find out that all that was left of Eric was a charred body , that they couldn't see Eric one last times , there had been no goodbye no open casket , only a DNA sample telling them that this body was indeed their son .
CAL: I apologized i know ...i know it wasn't easy for you and your family and like i said there nothing i can do to bring him back , but if i an afford some sort of comfort to you then i will , just name your price , im not rich but i can assure you that for the rest of my life i will pay back my debt to you .
Will Gardener smirk clicking his pen he grabbed a piece of paper And began writing a number on it . Andrew stared in disbelief at Calleigh shaking his head from side to side .
ANDREW: This will ruin you Calleigh !
CAL: I don't care .
Will Gardner finished writing the number on the paper and has he began sliding the pieces over to Calleigh Mrs Delko reached for his arms stopping his movement , she then whisper to his ear .
WILL: Mrs Delko would like to ask you a question .
Fiddling with her finger in front of her Calleigh was a bit apprehensive to what Mrs Delko had to say to her .
MRS DELKO: Did you love my son ?
This was not the question Calleigh had expected but she would answer truthfully , from her heart .
CAL: Hes the only man i ever loved Mrs Delko !
Mrs Delko kept the blank face she had been sporting ever since she walked in the building showing no emotion what so ever toward calleigh .
MRS DELKO: Then Miss Duquesne you know nothing of my pain , of my family pain losing Marisol was devastating but to lose our only son its unforgivable ! I came here today without the consent of my family they don't agree with my decision but don't get me wrong miss Duquesne i didn't do this for the money i didn't do this to embarrassed the department .I want nothing from you , no amount of money or no mather how much you ask for forgiveness will bring my son back to me .I do not want nothing from you Miss Duquesne all i ever wanted was to see the person responsible for Eric death ...you ...you claim to love my son im sorry but i do not believe you ...from what i see in front of me , you were never worthy of him , Eric deserved a good woman who would take care of him not a career oriented women who couldn't think for 3 seconds before she ...before she killed my only son !
The anger and hatred Mrs Delko showed calleigh made the room a bit colder , no one could denied that the tension had just risen and yet Mrs Delko remained calm while she expressed her anger toward Calleigh who showed no sign of fighting back what so ever .
MRS DELKO: Today i will walk out of here and for the rest of my life i will think of you , but don't get me wrong i wont curse you to god , i wont wish you no harm , but yes i will think of you and while you live your life i want you to think of my son and who he would be today if you hadn't kill him .
For another long moment Mrs Delko stared at Calleigh while the lawyers and the judge exchange some words , after a moment they gather they paperwork and Will Gardener escorted his client out like a gentleman he hadn't insisted she go trough with the lawsuit , even though he was top shot lawyer he was also a man of heart and knew that today was mostly about a mother finding peace with the death of her son .
The judge soon follow some what happy that all had been resolves without having to go to court , which was rare in his line of work .He greeted his goodbye and walk out leaving Calleigh alone with the union lawyer pondering what had just happened .
ANDREW: I hope you now you just dodge a bullet ?
Completely ignoring him Calleigh remained sited , catching glimpse of Rick stetler outside the conference room on the phone in a apparently very heated conversation .
She still couldn't grasp the words of Mrs Delko , she was right she didn't deserved Eric she always thought that Eric needed a stay at home woman that would give him half a dozen of little Delko, cook for him , be the good housewife he deserved . Calleigh was the exact opposite , career oriented, came from a dysfunctional family and barely knew how to cook she never got why Eric was interested in her .
ANDREW: Miss Duquesne i ask you a question ?
Giving the lawyer her attention , he repeated the question and she scoff at the young man .
CAL: I did what i thought was right ! I don't expect you to understand !
Shaking his head Andrew gathered his briefcase and walk out on the way out he stop to chat with Rick who was obviously done with his phone call .
RICK: SHE DID WHAT?
She heard him blurt out , but far from caring Calleigh pushed her chair back and stood to leave ,Andrew must have explain everything to Rick since when he walk inside the conference room blocking her exit through the door he had obviously calm down but still that perpetual frowned he whore on his face .
RICK: What on earth were you thinking ?
CAL: I would love to explain to you , but i doubt that someone so narrow minded like you would understand !
Calleigh try to pass by him but Rick moved back in front of her definitely blocking her way out , leaning closer to her he smirked in a way that made Calleigh wiped that smile of his face .
RICK: Your team is done and over with Duquesne and if that phone call proves what i've been doubting for years your all will be done soon , i cant wait to caine get off his high horse .
Tilting her head Calleigh wondered what he meant but she wouldn't give him the benefit of asking that would just please him a bit too much .Moving away to let her pass Rick kept on smirking has Calleigh did her best to ignore him .
Walking away she felt his eyes on her giving her shivers on her back and felt creep out when she stop in front of the elevator door she glanced a look toward him ,Rick waved a cocky goodbye at her a little bit too proud of himself .
The minutes the elevators doors opened Calleigh stepped inside , the first thing she did was call Horatio to warn him that Rick was up to something .