One hour after sunrise, and having gotten the O.K. from Dr. James, Elisa was home treating herself to a quick shower. She let the warm water run over her shoulders and back, reveling in the gradual loosening of her muscles.
It had been a long sleepless night, and Elisa knew that the coming day was going to be no different. Captain Chavez had told her in no uncertain terms that she was not to report to work that night, so Elisa was looking at another long night with nothing to do.
She wouldn't even have Liam to keep her occupied.
Damn it.
Reluctantly, she turned off the water and wrapped herself in a towel. Opting for a comfortable pair of blue jeans and a navy tee shirt that she could get in and out of easily and tucked her arm into the much hated sling. She dressed with the knowledge that she would be changing clothing at least two more times before the day was over.
Once into, and once back out of her department issued navy blue dress uniform. It was stiff, starched to high hell, and probably still had the tag on it from the last time she had sent it out to be cleaned. Being that she was a plainclothes detective, a position that she loved, it was one of the best perks that she no longer need to wear her dress blues everyday. They rarely even left the station, spending most of the time in her locker.
They only came out on special occasions and funerals.
Scraping her hair back into a sleek bun, no easy task with one arm injured. It required a lot of twisting, turning and keeping her head as low as possible to avoid having to fully lift her hurt arm. Finally completed with the simple, yet exhausting chore, she checked her watch. The cab would be pulling up any moment to take her to the station so that she could change into her uniform.
Elisa stopped to grab her wallet, badge and ID. She struggled into her shoulder rig, making sure that her gun's safety was on before putting it in the holster. She took her red jacket off the coat tree, opting to carry it instead of trying to struggle in and out of it more than necessary.
The cab ride was uneventful, and she was soon back at the station.
"Jesus, Maza," Marlene, the phone dispatcher, called out. "Don't you ever sleep?"
"Not lately," Elisa called back. She knew she probably looked like hell, but couldn't really find it in her to care for the moment. She had makeup in her locker to help with that, after all, but she knew it wasn't going to fool anyone.
Most of the officers that she was going to see today had either seen her yesterday afternoon when she went into the IA meeting, or after dark when she had finally left. They would know that she would have only gotten a few hours of sleep, if any at all last night.
Elisa took her time getting dressed this time. She made sure that every gold button was fastened, every crease was pressed and hit where it was supposed to. The requisite necktie (the shade of her tie matching the same blue of the shirt so that it was barely visible) was straight with its shining silver tie tack. Donning the long sleeved dress jacket, her badge was positioned over her heart. Her name plate sat below it. The number '23' pins on her lapels declaring her from the 23rd precinct.
Her gun, she cleaned up and put into the regulation black side holster.
Tugging the sleeve cuffs so that they were straight. She placed the snug fitting cap on her head and gave herself one last once over in the mirror.
This wasn't the first funeral that she had attended for a fallen officer, and it probably would not be the last one she would attend in her career. Carver's death was probably hitting so hard because of the tragedy of it all. He had been in that position because he had felt the need to help her to her feet. She had worked feverishly on his fallen and damaged body, trying to hold him there.
In the end, it had been a useless measure. She had been assured over and over that there had been nothing that she could have done that would have saved him. She had done everything right, but the damage done by the bullet had simply been too great.
So why was she having trouble meeting her eyes in the mirror? Was there something else that she could have done?
Elisa shook her head roughly. She was not going to think that way. She had done all that was in her power to do.
Quietly, she shut her locker. She glanced briefly at the sling, and debated not to wear it to the memorial. She really didn't feel like she needed it, and she felt silly wearing it. She picked it up, deciding that she would rather feel silly than face the wrath of the captain, should she happen to spot Elisa without it. Awkwardly, she maneuvered her arm into the sling, and made her way back to her desk. She took a seat and wait for Matt to give her the promised ride. The other officers in the room were being very careful around her. She had noticed the volume level drop when they had seen her, and it was irritating.
They probably thought that they were being considerate. She couldn't really say why that was irritating her so badly. She wasn't the mourning widow. He hadn't even been her partner. He was just a young kid who had been trying to make a place for himself in the force.
Giving up on sitting at her desk, feeling increasingly annoyed the longer she sat there, she went out to wait on the steps.
Matt pulled up a few minutes later, dressed in his blues as well. His cap was sitting in the back seat, otherwise he was perfectly put together. Elisa was almost impressed.
"I have never seen you all dressed up," Elisa said. "Has Pamela seen you in your uniformed glory?"
Pamela Wilson worked in the basement of the precinct. She was part of the "Nerd Squad", as she called them, and was the resident ballistics and forensics team. She and Matt had met during the first case that she had worked that had involved the youngest of the Canmore siblings. They had hit it off immediately, and had been dating on and off since.
They were more on than off, but a cop's life was not that conducive to relationships.
Still, Elisa was hoping that one or the other of them would come to their senses and pop the question. They were an amazing couple.
Matt rolled his eyes. "Get in the car, smart ass."
"Better than being a dumb one," Elisa quipped. She opened the car door and slip in. She opted to hold her hat on her lap, as some of the contents of his car was questionable at best. There was more than one reason she usually did all the driving. "Besides, Pam looks like she would love a man in uniform."
And so it began. For the next 20 minutes, the time it took for them to reach the chapel, Elisa and Matt busted each other's chops. It was an old pattern of theirs, and it was a much needed distraction. Whenever there was a rough night, they had seen something unpleasant, or just needed an outlet, Matt and Elisa would break out the sarcasm.
There were still people on the force who had witnessed them going at it, and would swear that the two of them hated each other.
It was said that partners on the force were closer than married people. While that may be true for some, Elisa and Matt just shrugged it off. They saw the other as an extended family, both knowing way too much about the other's secrets. They were fiercely loyal to the other. Sure, they gave each other a hard time sometimes, but when there was trouble, there was no one else they trusted more to have at their backs.
The area surrounding the chapel where the service was to be held had been blocked off by squad cars. Matt flashed his badge and found a parking place just inside the police line. The NYPD usually charters a bus in cases like this, but neither Elisa nor Matt had wanted to wait and ride with the others.
Well, that was not necessarily true. Elisa had not wanted to ride with the others, and Matt had gone along with it, understanding her need for the distance at that moment.
Elisa looked back on how she was so adamant about not wanting a partner at all with a grimace. At the time, it was because she was trying to protect the Gargoyles from being discovered. Then it was because she didn't want to share them…
Eventually, Matt had figured it out and called her out on it. He had become one of the clan's first allies and best friends.
Putting the car in park, Matt glanced at Elisa. "You ready for this?"
Elisa stared out at the groups of people in uniform crowding around the chapel and shrugged. "Are we ever?"
"Nope." Matt said. He opened his door and stepped out. He reached back inside to fish his cap out.
"Yeah," Elisa muttered to herself. She got out of the car and placed her own cap back on her head.
Only family, friends and a few of the higher ranking officials within the department were actually allowed inside the chapel. The rest would be outside to show their respect as Carver's body would pass by on the way to the cemetery.
Elisa lined up with the rest of the officers from her precinct and waited. Finally, the large wooden doors of the chapel opened, and the pall bearers carried out the American Flag covered coffin. It was placed in the back of an NYFD fire truck for transport. The flowers from the service were placed around the coffin, and family members were escorted to the black town cars that had been provided to take them to and from the graveside.
As the long line of cars were beginning their journey, a shouted order was given. As one, every officer along the street snapped to attention. The fire truck began to roll forward slowly. As it passed, hands snapped up to salute the fallen. Elisa held the salute until the last car passed by. It was a show of respect for Officer Carver, his family and those closest to him.
To her, it was a final gesture of thanks. He hadn't meant to save her, only acted like a gentleman and was helping someone to their feet. That act put him in the path of the bullet that killed him, and perhaps had saved her life.
Elisa let her hand drop to her side after the last car had passed. The large gathering of uniformed people began breaking up. Most got back on to their respective busses back to their precincts. Elisa and Matt got back in his car, and he headed out into traffic.
"Where can I take you?" he asked.
"Back to the station," Elisa said, working on taking her hair down from the tight bun. "I want to change and I still have to go fill out the damn paperwork from the shooting."
Matt seemed surprised. "I thought you were still on leave because of your arm."
"I am," Elisa said. "I just have a few things to do, otherwise when I do get to come back, I'll have to do it all then."
"Good call," Matt said, making the turn that would take them back up 3rd avenue, toward the station house.