Secrets of the Past
"Hey, Kenzie," a rushed voice called as he walked in.
"Yeah Adam," she called turning around, looking to see him standing there. He walked towards the table before speaking again.
"Mac wants to see you in his office," Adam said and she groaned.
She'd been working at the New York Crime Lab for a month and a half now and her dear boss wouldn't quit riding her ass. He was worse than a drill sergeant, not that she minded. She really did like being kept busy but today had not been a good day.
"What did I do this time," she muttered as she walked past Adam who gave her a sympathetic look.
Kenzie walked down the hall to Mac's office and knocked on his door.
"Come in," he called and she saw him standing there, scribbling on paperwork. He looked busy, like maybe he hadn't been sleeping so well and she was curious but was not about to ask about it.
"You wanted to speak with me?" Kenzie asked as she walked towards his desk but she stopped halfway in the door.
"Yeah, We need to fill in for Lindsey who is having complications with the pregnancy. Someone has to fill in out in the field for her till she can return to active duty. I was hoping that you'd be willing to fill in. It'll only be till she is well enough to return which could be weeks or it could be after her maternity leave gets done," he said and she smiled.
"I'll do it," she said, that bad day turning out better than it had been. "Thank you for this opportunity." Her stance was ridged as it always was and she felt nervous.
"Good, now, go. You're needed on the field, fifth and Broadway," he said and she smiled.
"Okay," she said going to leave.
"Take your gun with you and your kit," he called and she waved back.
--
She walked onto the crime scene and looked around. The first person who caught her attention was Stella so she walked over to her, watching her step.
"Hey, Stella, where do you want me to start first," Kenzie asked and Stella looked up.
"You can start over there," Stella said as she pointed off in the direction of the third body. Kenzie did as she was told. She searched and collected evidence. After an hour or two the team headed back to the office. She began to work in the lab once more, ready to get back to where she was comfortable.
At noon Adam went out and came back with a coffee which he showed her through the glass in his lab. She smiled and left the lab, thankful for the diversion. She downed it right then as he laughed.
"You really need to slow down on the caffeine, jitterbug," he laughed and she glared at him playfully.
"I'm not that bad," she said and he gave her the raised eyebrow. She smiled at him then laughed.
"If you have much more caffeine you'll be breaking the walls from the force of your bounce," he said and she chuckled.
"Nice," she joked before finishing off the beverage. "Thanks for the drink."
"No problem," he said as he watched her toss the empty cup in the trash. She went back to work but as if drawn by an unseen force her eyes roamed landing on him. He was standing in the room, not far from her. He was looking at some results, his back to her. She had to admit, Adam may not have been the biggest, buffest man out there but he was one of the sweetest she'd met and he had one of the finest Asses she'd seen in a while.
After a bit of ogling she went back to work, trying to get her actions out of her mind. Had she really just checked out Adam Ross? Nah, no way.
--
Adam saw the test results weren't a match. They'd run the test four times yet they were still conclusive. The donors weren't a match. Oh how he dreaded giving news like this.
He sighed and turned around right as Mackenzie turned around. He had to step back moments before they would have collided into one another. He saw her blue-gray eyes staring at him and her wild dark brown hair was done up in a pony tail but two little ringlets hung down in her face.
"Did anything spill?" he asked as he looked at the objects in her hands.
"No, everything's good," she said and he released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
"Okay," he said awkwardly. She smiled at him and he felt his heart miss a beat. Internally he swore. He was twenty-eight years old, she was twenty, there was a nice size age gap there. Mackenzie was way out of his league. She was a taller woman, more muscular than most. She would snap him like a twig if he ever insulted her the wrong way. He knew it. Yet, every time he saw her his heart rate quickened and he didn't understand why.
He walked out of the lab to his boss's office. He reached the door and knocked on it gently, nervously. He always got this way around people in power.
"Yeah," Mac's voice called. He sounded irritable today.
"Mac those test results came in and I don't think you're going to like them," Adam said as he handed the file to Mac. Mac stared at it and he saw his boss's lips grow tight and stern. He hated that look, he felt like he'd disappointed the man.
"Okay," Mac said finally before brushing him off. Adam sighed. He was always getting brushed off like that, though he was pretty sure it wasn't deliberate.
Adam walked back to the lab where he found Kenzie humming quietly to herself. He stood in the door watching as she danced slightly, almost as if she was unaware that she was doing it. He smiled but then something got him. That look.
She had a look on her face that he'd seen somewhere else before. He couldn't figure out where he'd seen it before. It was so determined. She was pinching her lips tightly, her eyes were skimming the papers in front of her again as if rechecking the test results.
"Damn," she muttered as she stood up straight.
"Hey, what's up?" he asked and she jumped as if startled.
"Adam, don't sneak up on someone like that," she said looking at him. He smiled at that irritated look on her face.
He glanced at his watch and noticed it was seven o'clock. He knew she'd arrived at eight o'clock that morning and as far as he knew she hadn't stopped to eat. Adam sighed, mustering up what courage he had.
"It's about dinner time, you want to go get something to eat?" he asked and she smiled.
"Are you hitting on me?" She asked and he laughed.
"No, just asking a friend out to dinner, that's all," he countered, trying to hide the blush he was sure he was getting.
"Okay, let me just finish this paperwork and then we'll leave," she said before going back to paperwork. Ten minutes later she came out of the lab, her labcoat still hanging where she always left it.
The two went downstairs and walked a bit before arriving at one of his favorite little restaurants. The two walked in, joking and smiling. They found a table in the corner.
Fifteen minutes he was surprised when she ordered a salad and a coke. He on the other hand ordered a burger.
"Are you a vegetarian?" Adam finally asked after the waitress had taken their orders.
"No, I just don't eat meat I haven't prepared myself," she said and he looked at her curiously and she sighed. "When I was about eight I got food poisoning from underprepared meat. I nearly died, it was so severe. I gave up eating meat prepared by public places."
"Oh, I didn't know," he said lamely. What do you say to that? An awkward silence settled over them.
After a while of small talk the food came.
They ate when a song started playing over the radio. She began humming and he smiled.
"Do you realize you do that?" he asked and she stopped humming and turned to look at him.
"Do what?" Kenzie asked cocking her head to the side, her blue eyes staring at him questioning.
"You hum whenever a song plays on the radio or whenever you get frustrated," he said and she blushed.
"I do not," she argued before taking a bite. He smiled.
"Yeah, you do. You hum quite often actually," Adam responded as he watched her eat. He took another bite of his own food. He saw her face and knew she was about to snap back at him but then her phone rang. She answered it quickly.
"Storm speaking," she answered and then her face paled. "Where are you?"
He heard the panic in her voice and he knew something was wrong.
'What's wrong?' he mouthed but she just held up her hand at him.
"No, no, I'm coming. Oh, and if it's serious you are so fired," Kenzie said before slamming her cell closed. Then she pulled out some money and went to stand up. "I'm sorry Adam to eat and run but something important came up. I need to get home, now."
[Sorry for the brisk ending. It will be better next time. Now questions to ponder:
What is the new Girl hiding?
Who was that she was talking to?
Why does Adam notice so much about her and where does he recognize her facial expressions from?
Okay, well, thanks for reading and reviewing. TVGirl09]