Toasty here,
Today was not fun all considering the incident at awards evening (which I didn't attend) - if you're reading this Dani (just calling you that because you hate it lol) then MAYBE I care… maybe.
Anyway, thank you to all who have reviewed, I wanted to update a bit earlier then I thought I would for all of you! Sports day tomorrow: 800m, 100m and the relay, someone help me!
Disclaimer: I don't own CSI New York, if I did there would be mini Flangells running around the shot ;)
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"We need to learn the names of these suspects, Don. We can't keep calling them the whale and all the other assorted names that have come up." Jess spoke as she and Don sat at the desk trying to figure out where to go next.
"I didn't know there was a whale," Don replied smirking at Jess's eye roll. The files from the witness reports were spread out before them and they had no leads what so ever.
"The fairy- that does look more like a pink whale," Jess replied grinning as she spun the nearest report around so she could read it over just one more time in case she could have possibly missed something. 7th time lucky she supposed.
"Well our pink whale is named Valerie Hart. The Marylyn Monroe's name is Brooke Tymsemore; the crocodile thing is Victor Runninsburg. The hot dog is April Jemoline and our buddy old caterpillar is Katherine Mooron. That leaves us with the werewolf who is Braydon Hall," Don listed off the names and Jess sat upright.
"The vic's name was Antony right?" Jess asked fully alert and Don nodded looking curious.
"Don't you see, each one except the caterpillar is matched to someone with their name starting with the same letter? Marylyn's name is Brooke which matches the werewolf Braydon! Valerie and Victor, April and what was Anthony. This list isn't random at all, someone is carefully planning this!" Jess was almost off her chair when she finished, excitement buzzing through her.
"You've got something alright!" Don replied and with that they stumbled over each other to get up and Jess scrambled the folders into her arms as they left the room. They broke into a run to get to Mac's office, nearly knocking some poor officers in the wrong place.
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Mac looked up just in time to see Flack and Angell dash into his office, Jess's arm full of papers as the two of them stood red and panting in front of him.
"You two better not have…" Mac trailed off looking between the two of them. The two detectives stared at their boss and both cocked their heads to side squinting.
"Better not have-" Jess started before being cut straight off by Don.
"No! No nothing like that! No, Jess has found something on the case!" Don spoke at 50mph barely letting Mac catch what he was saying.
"Oh!" Jess exclaimed before shaking her head wildly, "I wouldn't… anyway no it is the case with the vic in Jesson's bar."
Mac nodded and gestured for Jess- who was still catching her breath- to explain.
"Well all the witnesses match except the caterpi- I mean Katherine Mooron's name matched with another witness-or vic, wait... let me explain. The vic's name started with the same letter as April's. Valarie matched Victor and Brooke matched Braydon," Jess explained quickly and she watched Mac look confused and then nod with this information.
"Well that gives us an idea of who might be next," Mac said thoughtfully and Don nodded once walking out the room and started calling April Jemoline without instruction. Jess looked over at Mac and he met her gaze.
"Something wrong Detective Angell?" Mac asked moving the paperwork he had been working onto a pile on the desk and then looking back at her.
"Yes, well no. Just thinking really… what about Katherine? It wouldn't make sense that all the others would have partners and she wouldn't. Unless she wasn't meant to be there…" Jess trailed off as her eyes fixed to a spot outside the window. Mac nodded thoughtfully and was about to speak before he stopped himself.
"What?" Jess questioned, some how noticing despite looking a million miles away.
"What if her 'partner' was already dead?" Mac asked and Jess nodded slowly.
"Looks like we need to have another chat with Miss Mooron," Jess observed and Mac was about to reply when Don walked into the room a worried look across his face.
"April Jemoline isn't answering her given number on the database and a quick call to her parents and relations shows she hasn't been seen since we interviewed three days ago," Don's worried was shared by both Jess and Mac as they all shared a look.
"Who is up for a field trip to her apartment?" Don suggested and Mac nodded.
"We can find out about Katherine's past later," Jess said as she and Don left the room to grab their gear.
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Stella, Mac, Don, Jess and Stacey- a young new officer- stood outside April's apartment.
"NYPD, open up!" Don called loudly through the door. Gun in everyone's hand poised ready to shoot at a moments notice the other detectives and officers nodded. With one swift movement the door was down and the officers filed in quickly scanning the immediate area. It didn't take long for all weapons to be placed in the holsters and a look of knowing and frustration to flick on Mac, Stella, Jess and Don's faces. There lying in the middle of the room with a knife sticking through her back, April Jemoline lay dead.
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Sid stared down at the young woman now occupying the cold unfriendly metal slab. The cause of death was as simple as it looked, the knife punctured her heart. However he had managed to pull it out that the killer was either not professional or was under the influence of something as the knife had done some serious damage to her left lung, stabbing it twice, before managing to stab her heart. The poor woman must have died in a lot of pain.
Sid was used to seeing bodies; he saw them nearly every day. He would never usually flinch at the sight of a dead body at all and he'd never thought once about a victim's family or partner. For once though, all those things filled his mind. The young girl was only 19 years old and she was about 5 weeks pregnant.
Sid hadn't realized she was pregnant until he had run the x-ray over her and done a few scans to see if he could see anything out of the ordinary when he had found out. The girl probably hadn't even known herself. Sid found his mind wondering to his two small girls, trying to imagine life without them- but he couldn't. He also couldn't help but think of the child's father. Would the father care the mother was dead? Would the father care his would be child was dead?
Deciding it was something he had to do, if not for the father then for himself, his two little girls and the woman lying before him, he decided to try and find the father.
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Lindsay sat quietly by her phone almost begging it to start ringing. It felt like an age since she had given Danny her phone number and he still hadn't called her once. Now Lindsay was not the clingy type at all, she was however finding herself more and more attracted to Danny Messer- even if she had only met him twice or so.
Lindsay felt her mind drift off to way he called her Montana and how his laugh had sounded when she was cut off by a shrill ringing. Virtually diving towards the phone, Lindsay grabbed it and pulled it to her ear.
"Danny!" She called happily into it but was caught by an unfamiliar voice.
"Jessica? Your voice has changed a lot…" The man spoke with a deep thick Brooklyn accent and was almost certainly not Danny.
"Er… no sorry, I'm Lindsay. Jess isn't here right now but can I ask who is calling?" A faint blush fell over Lindsay face at her eagerness for it to be Danny.
"Lucian," the voice spoke back and Lindsey once more blushed. She was sure she had met him but she really didn't remember him at all, not a good situation.
"Oh well, Uh… Lucian. I'll tell her you called," Lindsay quickly replied, rushing to end the conversation.
"Thank you Lindsay," Lucian responded and with that hung up leaving Lindsay to listen to the endless buzz of the call tone.
Lindsay moved back on to the couch and pulled a pen and notebook out from the coffee table draw and scribbled a quick note out to Jess before rising while sighing and walking out the bedroom door. In the faint hope Danny might be there, Lindsay left for the small café too far away to hear the distant ringing of a phone coming from her bedroom.
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Don sat on his couch staring blankly at the TV screen. They hadn't been able to stop the report about April's murder getting out and now the whole town was buzzed about the death of two people with the same letter to start their names. The news flicked between images they had gotten a hold of which were ones of her and her family on the beach and her and her boyfriend kissing in front of the statue of liberty.
Letting out a small sigh Don went to get another beer out the fridge but was interrupted by a knock at his door. Walking slowly over Don pulled the door open to see Danny and Sheldon standing there looking far from impressed.
"Let us in and close the door," Danny commanded and Don nodded complying. The two of them walked into the front room and settled on the couch, Sheldon's eyes absently flicking to the news and back.
"When did you plan on telling me about Jessica Angell then?" Danny demanded looking straight at Don who deserved credit for keeping his gaze.
"I didn't know you knew," Don responded genuinely looking confused still keeping Danny's gaze.
"Yeah, a good friend of mine told me, maybe a better friend then you considering she didn't keep the secret from me!" Danny exploded now glaring at his best friend. Sheldon held his arm in front of Danny to prevent him from doing something stupid he would instantly regret.
"I'm sorry," Don responded looking between his two friends, "I didn't want anyone to know, not even you guys and for that I'm sorry…"
"Your girlfriend isn't so careful though is she if she told my friend!" Danny snapped back and Don looked over half curious half mad.
"Who the hell is your friend then because Jess wouldn't go around telling anybody, it's her family life at stake too!" Don shouted at Danny who didn't even flinch.
"It's none of your damn business, your dating the enemy Don, the sister of the guys that beat Sheldon up!" Danny yelled back and Sheldon looked helplessly at the two of them.
"It is oh so my business Daniel Messer and you damn well know it! She isn't like her brothers!" Don replied just as loud.
"Sticking up for your whore now huh, that is new!" Danny shouted back and he watched Don's face change. Don was known for not sticking with girls, they usually left after they realized how little time he had for them with work and if not then, then after they had seen the scars his work left. It was either that or Don left them, they were too fussy or too Barbie doll, the list goes on.
"Don't you dare call her that," Don's voice was low and threatening and Sheldon knew what would happen if he let it escalate.
"Danny, we're getting outta here, your being stupid!" Sheldon spoke calmly so as not to further aggravate Danny but when there was another knock at the door all eyes turned to Sheldon. Sheldon slowly walked over to the door and opened it to be greeted by the sight of a young brunette haired girl.
"I don't think it's wise you come in at the moment," Sheldon spoke as quietly as he could, but Danny heard.
"Oh, if it isn't Jessica Angell, or as Donnie here likes to say: Jess!" Danny yelled from in the living room and Jess glanced worriedly at Sheldon who sighed in response.
"Why don't you show your beautiful face then?" Danny continued and Jess faintly heard a shushing.
"Leave her alone Messer," Don responded instantly and Jess, not wanting to cause any more arguments between the two men, walked into the living room.
Jess was shocked to see Daniel Messer, half brother of Chief Sinclair, known as one of Don's good friends standing there looking half crazy.
"Daniel Messer?" Jess gasped in shock and Danny rolled his eyes.
"No, I'm bloody Bono!" he replied and Don virtually growled at him causing his and Jess's eyes to widen.
"I said leave her alone Messer!" Don repeated in his quiet warning voice, he wasn't afraid to push his friend out side if this got bad, he wasn't going to let it be his best friend of all people that would hurt his relationship with Jess.
"So you're going to pick her over us then?" Danny questioned his tone automatically dropping to that of a normal person whose best friend wasn't dating their supposed worst enemy since records began.
"No!" Don cried out in frustration and Jess watched his hands run through his hair in annoyance and confusion.
"I don't know," Don continued and he began pacing up and down his small front room. Sheldon stood there quietly looking between his two friends wondering how he could stop this.
"Danny… didn't you say someone told you they were dating, who was it?" Jess asked, speaking for the first time since she had entered the room and unsure whether to call him Danny or Daniel, she didn't want him to get any angrier.
"Lindsay," Danny spoke automatically looking straight over at Jess half curiously.
"She told you?" Jess virtually exploded and like that turned to run out the apartment her hand fishing for her mobile phone.
"I'm not finished with you here yet," Danny continued his eyes narrowing at the sight of Jess near the door. Jess stopped abruptly and turned to face Danny square on.
"Can't you be happy for him?" Jess asked quietly still rooting around for her mobile as she watched Danny's expression change.
"Course I can," he mumbled and then gave a quick some what guilty glance over to Don who was standing arms crossed near the couch.
"First Sam, now you?" Jess continued walking straight over to where Danny was standing and placing her hands on her hips.
"You think we both aren't going to struggle with this relationship? We are Danny, we are. There is no easy way forward, but the way back is impossible. Maybe you don't understand that I love him… you aren't acting like you get that. When you love someone, it doesn't un-do itself and if you did find this from Lindsay then she must trust you. Whether that is a sub conscious thing or not the fact remains she trusts you. Don't let her judgement be wrong again and let her down by doing this, she won't forgive you and I know her opinion on you matters- I see it in your eyes, I'm not a detective for no reason," Jess's small speech was full of so much emotion Danny almost had to take a small step back.
"If you think my reaction is bad, god help you if New York finds out," Danny replied looking straight at Jess's unwavering stare.
"I know," Jess responded and Don then felt the need to cut in.
"You calm now then?" Don asked with his trade mark smirk finding its way on to his face.
"Man your gonna be in trouble," Danny whistled under his breath and Sheldon burst out laughing causing every one in the room to turn and stare at him, questioning his sanity.
"I swear you are bipolar Danny, Mr. I'm-gonna-kill-ya one minute and calm peace bringer the next," Sheldon managed to say between his laughter and soon everyone in the room was laughing bar Danny.
"Hilarious," He dead-panned but couldn't quite stop the smile spreading over his face.
"You didn't scream at Lindsay when you found out did you?" Jess asked a worried expression crossing her face, clearing when she saw Danny shake his head.
"No, for some reason she just made me calm 'bout it…" Danny trailed off his face showing a confused expression which nearly sent Sheldon off laughing again.
"Don't fry that brain of yours," Don teased as he walked over to Jess and wrapped his arms cautiously around her his eyes asking for permission as he did so causing Jess to frown.
"Maybe we should go…" Sheldon said trailing off looking between Don and Jess grinning.
"Good idea amigo," Danny muttered and with that started to walk towards the door before he stopped and turned around to face the pair.
"Sam knows?" he asked and Don nodded once. Danny nodded in return and continued his way to the door, as he stepped through he finished.
"Right, Donnie you are in seriously big trouble. I'm sorry for over reacting and all that but really… you gotta get used to that if you're serious about this," Danny finished his words just in time for he and Sheldon to leave and for Sheldon to close the door behind them.
"Don, I'm just so sorry," Jess burst out her hands clenching onto his shirt like she was tossed in the sea after a ship wreck and he was the last piece of wood left.
"Sorry?" Don asked pulling her close and feeling her tuck her head in the crook of his neck, feeling the tears slide down and dampen the collar of his shirt.
"All this trouble I'm causing-" Jess began but Don cut her off with his lips firmly against hers.
"We're in this for the long haul," He said gently caressing her face, "There is no easy way forward, but the way back is impossible," Don quoted her earlier speech causing her to blush.
"I love you," Jess murmured quietly and Don began rubbing soothing circles into her back.
"I love you too,"
Toasty here,
Ok this is the first chapter that has taken me longer then one day to write. The reasoning behind this was I began it on Thursday and then my mum started yelling I had to get into bed that instant so I had to email it to my dad's which I just had enough time to do before she came up the stairs complaining I was always up to late. Then Friday was hectic because I went to see Pygmalion with my sister at the theatre because of the free tickets thing so here I am finally finishing it. Hope the explanation covered it! Sorry if Danny was a bit OOC but I think he would react like that when he finally got off the high of seeing Lindsay (giggle).
Love all reviewers, thank you so much!
xxx