Disclaimer: I do not own StarGate or it's characters I'm just borrowing them.
Author's Note: TriceNorthman this one is for you. Also if any of you like this story check out my other one. s/11226955/1/After-The-Fallout
"We're here." Jack announced as they pulled up to the police station. He really couldn't wait until this whole mess was over. Between himself and Teal'c the police didn't give up much information since it was an on going investigation not even for an Air Force officer.
Everyone piled out of the car and walked towards the police station. Clair clutched the box of donuts tightly in her hands. Every step that she took made her heart race. She relaxed a little when she felt Daniel's hand come to rest on the small of her back.
"Remember everything will be okay." Daniel reassured. He wasn't sure who he was really trying to convince at the moment. He was trying to rack his brain for an alternative plan in case the worse happens.
"Of course it will be." Clair replied. Clair was willing to face whatever was going to happen. She was doing her best to be somewhere between positive and realistic. No matter the out come she would find a way to get through it.
As they entered the station they were greeted by two police officers. The name tags stated that they were Officer Smith and Officer Kramer. Daniel could feel Clair tense up a little. Clair looked up at him with resolve in her eyes. He knew that she was doing her best to be brave.
"Miss de Lune is here to answer some questions for you." Teal'c spoke. He had to admit that he was rather annoyed by the fact that the police had told them next to nothing. He and Jack weren't even permitted to enter the de Lune residence.
"Yes, I'm sure we would all like to get to the bottom of this." Jack stated. He really wanted to get back to the SGC and get back to business. The world wasn't just going to save itself after all. Plus he kind of was missing Sam.
"Of course follow us." Officer Kramer spoke. Everyone followed Officer Kramer down the long narrow corridor. Their footsteps echoed off the walls. They stopped abruptly in front of a wooden door.
Officer Smith unlocked the door and opened it. He reached around the corner and flicked the light on. "Right through here Miss de Lune." he gestured.
"Will I be questioned too?" Daniel inquired. It was a valid question in his opinion since it had been his apartment that Clair had showed up at. If he could tell them anything that might help Clair he would try.
"We'll see." Officer Smith replied. He gestured again for Clair to enter the room. Clair walked passed him and enter the room. She looked back at Daniel as the door shut behind him.
"There is a two way mirror so we will be able to see and hear them." Officer Kramer explained. The men all stood in front of the mirror like window. Daniel folded his arms across his chest in a self-hug. Jack and Teal'c wore stoic expressions on their faces.
Clair in the interrogation room...
Clair sat the box of donuts on the table. "I brought these for you and your partner to share," she explained. She took a seat and folded her hands in her lap. "I promise I will do my best to tell you what you need to know." she added.
"Thank you, and thank you I would appreciate it if you did." Officer Smith said. He couldn't believe that a suspect would bring donuts. He almost wanted to laugh about it.
"What would you like know?" Clair asked. She wasn't going to hide anything. There was no reason to, whatever they wanted to know she would tell. Some of it was a little hazy, but she would try.
"Everything," Officer Smith said. He pushed a pad of paper and a pencil in front of Clair and leaned back in his chair. "I'm all ears." he added. He watched as Clair nodded in response.
Clair recalls what happened...
Clair really didn't want to go to some boring dinner party. Her father decided that it would be a good idea invite his business partners over for a big soiree. She absentmindedly pushed her foie gras around on the her plate. She found it absolutely disgusting.
"Clair darling you hardly touched your food, is something wrong?" Richard de Lune asked. His daughter had been doing nothing, but sulking the entire evening. His patience for her was running thin. You would think she would be more grateful for everything he has provided for her.
"I'm fine father, really. I'm just not fond of foie gras." Clair replied. She pushed her plate away with a sigh. She picked up her wine glass and took a sip. She noticed Blake Johnson giving her the eye from across the table.
Clair wanted to throw up. Blake Johnson made her psychically want to become ill. He had been dogging her steps every since they were five. It's been implied on more than one occasion that they would be married and their father's would merge their businesses. Blake himself became a hotshot stock broker.
Blake stood up and tapped his fork on his wine glass. "Everyone I have an announcement to make." Blake proclaimed. He wore a smug look on his face. He walked around the table to stand by Clair. "Clair darling, sweetheart." Blake said. He offered Clair his hand which she begrudgingly took.
"Blake." Clair said. She couldn't believe what was happening, but it was. It was like some horrible dream. Blake was going to propose. Clair wished she could die, she would rather be dead than become Mrs. Blake Johnson.
"I've been meaning to ask you this since we were five. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" Blake proposed. He was on one knee with a ring held out waiting. Clair just looked at him like he had asked her to take Cyanide.
"No, Blake I will not. I would rather die." Clair declared. She ran out of the dinning room as fast as her stilettos would allow. She ran to her room and slammed the door shut. She had that sinking feeling her gut that she was in a world of trouble.
Clair changed into a t-shirt and shorts. She set up her easel and began to paint. Painting always made her feel better. What she couldn't convey with words she could through painting. Clair become lost in her work.
She wasn't sure how much time had passed, but she could hear cars and knew that her father's guests were leaving. Clutching on tightly to her cure she awaited the inevitable. Her heart hammered against her chest.
The bedroom door burst open and Richard ascended upon Clair. His face was twisted in rage. He reached out for his daughter grabbing a fist full of raven hair. "You have embarrassed me for the last time." he growled.
Clair struggled against her father. Her scalp felt as though it was on fire. "Daddy please don't, don't do this. I'm sorry." Clair sobbed. She knew her plead would fall on deaf ears. When her father got like this there was no talking to him.
Richard shoved open the bathroom door. He yanked down on Clair's hair forcing her to kneel before the bathtub which was already filled with water. He gabbed her by the back of the neck his grip vice like and shoved her face first into the water.
Clair's arms flailed as she attempted in some way to get free. She knew it was no use though. She coughed and spluttered as water began to enter her lungs. She needed to breathe in the most desperate of ways. Everything began to fade until there was just black.
Clair's eyes fluttered open and she was laying on the floor. Her head felt really fuzzy, but she knew she wasn't in her home. She tried standing up, but stumbled a little, her legs felt like jello. She wobbled around what appeared to be the living room looking around.
There were artifacts that decorated the place. Clair would guess they were Egyptian. Against one of the walls was a large bookshelf filled with books. A picture on the bookshelf caught her eye. In the picture there were four people. Her eyes instantly drew to one particular person. Clair almost dropped the picture before placing it back where it belonged.
Somehow she was in Daniel's house. The man in the picture was definitely her Daniel. Clair looked down at her hands and that's when she noticed they had blood on them. In fact she was covered in it. Clair covered her mouth to stifle a scream.
She killed him, she killed her father. Clair checked the picture and was relieved to see she hadn't gotten blood on it. Quickly she began taking off her clothes. She knew she would have to get rid of them. She made her way to the kitchen and found a lighter.
She stumbled into the bedroom and found the bathroom. She tossed the clothes in the tub and lit them on fire. Clair stood there and watched until the clothes were nothing, but ash. She quickly turned the shower on and rinsed the ashes away until there was nothing left.
Clair got into the shower slump down. She curled herself up tight hugging herself. She wish she knew what happened exactly. The one things she was certain of was that she killed her father. She let the water wash over her willing it to wash away everything.
Clair could hear footsteps walking into the apartment. Clair could sense him before he even entered the bathroom. It was Daniel. She looked up into his blue eyes. "Daniel I killed him." she said.
Back in the interrogation room...
Clair pushed the pad of paper and pencil back across the table to Officer Smith. She leaned back in her chair. She knew that she did the best that she could. She watched as the officer read her report. She didn't feel the need to tell them what happened after that because it wasn't relevant.
"Do you remember how you got to Dr. Jackson's apartment?" Officer Smith asked. He was beginning to get the whole picture now. He tapped the pencil against the table.
"No, but I think that perhaps my housekeeper Lila brought me there." Clair guessed. Honestly she hadn't a clue of what happened during the in between time. She wanted answers just as much as the next person.
"You're right. She did," Officer Smith replied. He reached under his seat into the evidence box that he had brought in. He pulled out a plastic baggy and placed in front of Clair. Inside the bag was a bloody paintbrush. "Do you recognize this?" he asked.
"Yes, I do it's one of my paintbrushes. It came from a set that is worth at least $2,000. That brush alone is worth $300." Clair explained. The set had been a Christmas gift from her father the year before.
"It was found in your father's throat." Officer Smith explained. He watched as shock and horror came across Clair's face. He had to tell her she needed to know.
"I did it then," Clair stated. She held out her arms with her wrists together. "You'd better book me." she said. The evidence was pretty damning.
"Is that what you think?" Officer Smith asked. He could tell that Clair was nervous. "You didn't do it." he added. He watched as relief washed over Clair's face.
"What?" Clair asked. She couldn't believe her ears. She was so certain that she had done it. Everything was so confusing. Clair put her head in her hands.
"Your housekeeper Miss Lila Fowler confessed to everything," Officer Smith explained. He could hardly believe it himself. He finally had a case where the help did it. "She heard the commotion and saw what your father was doing. She grabbed the brush that you dropped and drove the handle into his jugular. She couldn't take it anymore. She took you and drove you nonstop to Colorado Springs." he added.
"How did she know where to find Daniel?" Clair wondered. Everything was beginning to make sense somewhat. She just wished she could remember.
"Come to find out Lila is pretty handy with a computer. She did a little a hacking and dug up what she needed to know." Officer Smith said. He had to admit that he was impressed by that bit. Who would have a thought that a housekeeper would be capable of that.
"How did we get into Daniel's apartment?" Clair wondered. That was one part she always found a little odd. She could only imagine at this point.
"She picked the lock with a bobby pin. She got you inside and hightailed it out of there," Officer Smith said. He just shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair. "Who's supposed to be interrogating who?" he asked.
"I'm sorry, I'm just trying to make sense of all of this." Clair spoke. She just wanted to finally understand. She let out a frustrated sigh.
"I think that just about wraps this up." Officer Smith smiled. He got up and pushed his chair in. He walked over to the door opening it. He let Clair pass him.
As Clair walked out of the interrogation room Daniel was the first to approach her. "Didn't I tell you that everything was going to be okay," He said. He placed a hand on Clair's shoulder. "Officer do you need any kind of statement from me?" Daniel asked.
"No, I don't think that will be necessary," Officer Smith replied. He was pretty sure that they had everything they needed. "Miss de Lune here is free to go." he said. He tucked the notepad under his arm and started walking towards the offices.
"Wow your father was a real bastard." Jack stated. He folded his arms across his chest. He couldn't imagine what it must have been like to grow up with a man like that for a father.
"Indeed O'Neill." Teal'c agreed. He couldn't understand how a parent could treat their child that way and for as long as he had. At times like this he couldn't understand humans at all.
"We should probably get a hotel for the night since we have a flight to catch in the morning." Jack stated. It had been a long day and what he wanted now was dinner, a beer, and some shuteye. This whole ordeal was very straining.
"Yes, that would probably be a good idea." Teal'c confirmed. He could really use a few hours of Kel'no'reem. The past couple of days have been taxing.
"I can take care of that," Clair said. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialed. "Hey Cammie this is Clair I have some very, very important people coming to the hotel. I want you to hook them all the way up, I'm talking VIP suite, room-service, the works." she ordered. She thanked the girl and hung up her phone.
"What?" Jack asked. He was completely confused by what just happened. He ran his fingers through his hair.
"One of the perks when your father owns a hotel or owned a hotel. I guess it's kind of mine now," Clair explained. She knew she was going to have to meet with her father's lawyers. She wasn't sure if she was ready to deal with all that. "Go to de Lune Towers and ask for Cammie and tell her that I sent you." Clair said.
"Wow." Jack stated. To say he was surprised would be an understatement. He wasn't going to complain though. He really needed to get some rest after dealing with all of this.
"If it's okay I was planning on going with Clair." Daniel said. He didn't think it was a good idea for Clair to go back into that house alone. He had to admit that he was beyond relieved to find out that Clair was innocent.
"If you insist." Jack said. He had a feeling he knew why Daniel really wanted stay with Clair. The way those two looked at other spoke volumes. There was unfinished business between them Jack could tell.
"Okay now that is settled lets get out of here." Clair said. She really wanted to go home paint, maybe eat, shower, and with some luck get some sleep. She wasn't even sure if any arrangements had been made yet for her father. She somehow knew though that things were going to get better. She smiled as she followed the others out of the police station. Finally she had her freedom even if it came at a high cost.