YOUR LOVELY CSI4LYFNCIS13 IS BACK! HOW MANY OF YOU GUYS HAVE MISSED ME?
Disclaimer: If I owned CSI NY I could have gone on my trip in a private jet not a commercial passenger airliner.
Chapter 11: One Week and counting.
Previously on 'A Chance At Tomorrow'
"Hey" he quietly whispered as she opened her eyes to look at him. He put some ice chips along her lips as she tried to speak "hey yourself" she said as he went forward and kissed her cheek gently and with care.
It had now been one week since Jess had woken up out of the coma. Just as she had opened her eyes Don had called the whole team and they had all rushed to the hospital. They had all crowded into the hospital room, ignoring the nurses commands and gingerly hugged Jess and told her how glad they were that she was alright. And since the moment she had woken up Don had stayed vigilant by her bedside. Not that Jess was complaining or anything.
"Hey" Jess said brightly as he slipped into her room.
"Hey yourself detective" he returned as he sat by her chair and pulled out a carry out bag from Starbucks and took out a bagel with cream cheese. "Just what you ordered" he said.
"Yummy in my tummy" she said childishly as he laughed. He was taking Nat's word to heart and waiting to tell Jess at the right moment. He wondered where the 14yr old had gone. Right then his phone rang cutting their banter short. After answering the phone he stood up "DOA at the cemetery" he explained and she nodded "I would stay if you want?" he offered.
"Don, go" she said and playfully pushed him towards the door. She was slowly getting her strength back and with the team's help she was well on her way to recovery and almost ready to go back in the field. Don paused as he stood and placed a kiss on her cheek and then ruffled her hair "yes mom" he said, playfully saluting.
At the cemetery he found himself wondering about Nat again. He wanted to meet the teen and the person who gave him such a valuable lesson. He crossed the ground and ducked under the crime scene tape. "What have we got" he asked Stella who was bent over the body photographing the victim.
"DOA, name's Hillary Banter, got that from the driver's license in her pocket, strangulation marks around her neck and bruises on her knees and scratches on her hands, she put a hell of a fight, Flack" she said as she continued photographing the vic. "A couple of mourners found her, by the way how's Jess" she asked.
"Jess is great, Stell. The interviews been done?" he asked as he crouched next to the body.
"Yes, and Sid is coming to pick up the body for autopsy." She said as Sid came up. He gave the same observation's Stella had. Crime Scene Investigation packed up and everybody left. Flack was walking to his car when he noticed a particular headstone. It was a plain square marble headstone with a simple design on the edge. He went closer and crouched next to it as he curiously traced the letters in confusion.
Natasha 'Nat' Remington
1996-2010
Daughter, Sister, Friend
Imagination enables you to look at life's realities and laugh so never be afraid to imagine and dream.
He suddenly noticed a presence behind him and twirled around. A girl was standing behind him looking at him curiously. She wore a green top with ragged denims, levi's converse and a black knap sack. Short brown hair and green eyes completed her appearance.
He put his hand forward and smiled kindly "Hi, I'm Det. Don Flack" the girl looked at him a second longer and hesitantly shook his hand "Olivia Clarkson" she replied.
"Did you know Nat?" he asked desperate to know if this was the same Natasha Remington that he met.
"Yea," she said 'how did you know her?"
"She gave me some advice" he said simply as the girl groaned "Yep, that's Nat alright. I am… was her best friend" she said quietly.
"I need to know how and when she died" he said hesitantly.
She sighed and said "She wanted a career in law enforcement, you know. I don't know if it was to much T.V but she said she was determined to stick to this dream. She was one of the toughest girls you would ever meet. Never stood for any bullshit but had a hard time saying no. Bitter sweet, that's what Nat was. She was the best friend you could have. Creative too. She loved reading and writing and especially imagining and dreaming."
Don stood silently listening to her as she suddenly looked up and said "She didn't deserve to die. She was the last person who deserved to die. It was two weeks ago when school let out. A bunch of us had gone to this café. We were all just sitting there, talking and joking. The next thing we know there are shots fired, blood everywhere and glass. We were all on the ground. Nat was one of the one's shot. She'd been shot in the stomach. We tried, we really did" her voice broke at this point and she started heavily breathing "but there was too much blood and then she was gone. Just gone. Everyone was on the ground covered in her blood. Her blue top was stained. She used to joke that if she was ever shot we would have to bring fruit baskets filled with chocolate strawberries. It just wasn't a joke anymore." She sobbed out as Don hugged her.
"Do you have a picture of her?" he asked her softly. She nodded and fished inside her knap sack and took out a picture and handed it to him and said "This was taken on the same day" he looked at the picture and stared in amazement. There was the same girl looking back at him. Nat's dark ebony eyes looked at him as her dimples came out in smiles with her making a face at Olivia.
He handed the photo back to Olivia who wiped her eyes and apologized "I'm sorry, I just lost control"
"There's absolutely no need to be sorry" he told her "and anyways she is not dead." Seeing her startled expression he said "as long as you always keep her memory she will never be dead"
Olivia smiled and nodded and then asked "if you don't mind what advice did she give you? She was always sprouting life facts."
He smiled remembering what she said "She told me to finish the race and not wait for the last moment"
DID ANY OF YOU EXPECT THAT? READ AND REVIEW AS ALWAYS.
