miss wizard of oz - I feel the Tanglewood story was never properly closed. Mainly because we don't really find out if brother Messer made it or not. But I have both Messers... I'm having Tanglewood. And they will - don't worry!

Trizzy - Now that's an idea - ditching Flack and sticking her with Marty! Nah, a little bit of angst and things will be back to normal... for a person who sees ghosts. So, my claim to "fame". I was obsessed with 911 and was talking to my boss about it - he then gets them to come to uni. And then allows ME to drive them back to their hotel. And not only have I had 911 in my car, I got invited up to one of them's room! Which I declined. And they really are the shortest pop group in history! lol

UnspokenFaith - don't worry about the reviewing! I think I took a fair break in the updating anyway. But I should hopefully be back on track for a while again, so you shouldn't have to wait too long!

demolished-soul - You know, I think it was aired just over a year ago! Somehow, that's got me feeling old. Where on earth has a year gone? I think I may keep her around - I was never a smacked fan anyhoos!

Madison Bellows - Do you know how much I would give to be on a plane to LA now? I'm looking at prices for Mardis Gras and getting depressed because I know I can't afford it. (:c)

RK9 - no matter how tired I am, your reviews make me smile - thank you.

Wolfson98 - I can appreciate that - don't worry! How is your fic coming, btw? Is it near ready for posting?

sparkyCSI - I feel in my tired state last night (and sorry for just disappearing) I may have divulged quite a lot! Hmmm. At least you're my beta and it's ok for you to know that!

meadow567 - I realise this going to be very obvious once you explain it, but Joey?

References to 3x14; The Lying Game, believe it or not! Blink and you miss it! But mucho thanks to my wonderful beta who I hardly ever talk to anymore because I'm never around!!

What The Eyes Can't See

Chapter 133: I saw the end before it began

'It came through the post the other morning,' Taylor sighed.

'You should throw it out,' Louie told her.

Taylor nodded. 'That was the first thing that I did.'

'Then why didn't it stay in the trash?'

Taylor shrugged. 'Because something is telling me I should go see what he wants.'

'Taylor, Sassone is dangerous. Nothing good can possibly come from you seeing him.'

'But he doesn't know me. He's never met me. What could he possibly want?'

'Taylor, no matter what you think he could possibly want, it's not going to end well. He's in prison. It's not like you're obligated to see him. Just walk away. I wish I had, and look at me now,' he shook his leg in her direction. 'I'm wearing a tracking device and that's only because of Mac.'

Taylor stared at him, chewing on her nail.

'You're actually considering going, aren't you?' Louie asked her in disbelief.

Taylor sighed and looked away. 'I know I shouldn't, but there's a reason I'm a journalist. I'm curious.'

'Yeah, and look what curiosity did to the cat,' Louie growled. 'You don't seem to get it. Sassone will fry you up and eat you for breakfast.'

'You assume I'm going to accept whatever it is he has to say,' Taylor said in her defence. 'How do you know he isn't going to confess to something?'

Louie stared at her. 'Sassone will never confess to anything, unless he knows you're not going to be around to do anything about it.'

'He's in prison, Louie. He can't do that much.'

'Taylor,' Louie began impatiently, 'he didn't become as powerful as he is because he can't do much. He has his fingers in too many pots – too many people owe him too many favours.' He sighed. 'Please, Taylor. Please don't go.'

Taylor bit her lip. 'I don't know if I can promise that, Louie.'

Louie shook his head. 'Then don't come crying to me when it all goes wrong. I can't afford to get pulled back into that world again. I might not get out of it.'

Taylor nodded, took the letter back off him, thrust it in her pocket and left.

She was lost in thought as she wandered down a corridor that she didn't realise that Danny and Lindsay were chatting in front of her until she practically walked into Lindsay's back. Eyes, widening, she stepped backwards – thankful that both were wrapped up in the conversation to realise she was ear-wigging.

'I have to know what's going on with you,' Danny was saying. 'Look, I mean, you and I, we still have this thing, right? This chemistry?' He looked expectantly at Lindsay who was shuffling on the spot. 'I know I'm seeing Nixon, but today, every time we're in the same room together today, it's like… don't tell me you don't feel it also.'

Lindsay looked up from the spot she had been staring at on the floor. 'I can't do this, Danny.'

'You can't do what?' he asked her, his blue eyes searching her brown ones.

'I can't be in a relationship with you.'

'Linds, I get that. I got it when you broke up with me. But you called me, wanting to meet for dinner, which you then went and stood me up over. I still care, and I still want spend some time together. Dinner, a few drinks. Some laughs. It doesn't have to be anything more than that. But something is bugging you, Lindsay, and I hope you know by now that you can talk to me about it.'

Lindsay sighed. Even from where Taylor was hiding, she could see she was upset. 'Look, Danny, I like you. A lot. But right now, I can't. It's not you, okay. It's… I just need to be by myself so I can work some stuff out that I thought I put behind me. I didn't mean for this to happen.'

Taylor took a breath and realised that maybe she shouldn't actually be listening in on this conversation. Quietly, she backed away and headed back the way she had come.

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Monday and Tuesday both passed in something of a haze. Taylor spent much of Monday staring at her laptop screen – she couldn't even get excited when Danny informed her they had caught the Ice Queen's killer. She probably should have told Flack about the letter, but she was holding out on the fact that she wasn't going to go to Rikers.

So why was she sitting outside the prison, staring up at the wall that had become even more faded in the heat wave that had set in?

Taylor glanced for what had to be the millionth time, at the visiting order in her hands, before exiting the car. Several minutes later, after being checked and searched, she was seated in front a glass window, waiting for someone to come. She didn't have to wait long before Sonny Sassone sat down in front of her, instantly picking up the telephone. When she didn't pick hers up straight away, he waved his around until she did.

'Hello, Miss Turner.'

'Sassone.'

'You're looking well,' he started pleasantly.

'Sonny, I'm pretty sure you didn't request me to visit to comment on my appearance,' she told him dryly, cutting him off. 'I have better things to do.'

'Actually, I don't think you do, and you know this. That's why you're here.'

'What do you want?'

'I want to get out of here.'

Taylor snorted. 'As if that's going to happen in the immediate future.'

'Ah, but with your help, it can.'

'What? You want me to write an article about how you were wrongly imprisoned?' she asked sarcastically. 'Dream on.'

'Don't worry, Miss Turner. I have other things planned. But you are going to help me.'

'I'm not going to help you with anything, Sonny.'

Sony smiled. 'I will be here at the same time every week until you change your mind, Miss Turner. And you will change your mind.'

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The image of Sonny's knowing smile was still imprinted in Taylor's mind later that evening as she sat at her laptop, staring at the blank screen. When a hand touched her shoulder, she jumped out of her chair with a scream, her hand colliding with an arm, sending liquid everywhere.

'Taylor!' Marty yelled as the glass of wine he had been holding when splashing all over him.

'Marty!' Taylor yelled back, trying to calm herself down.

'Are you alright?' he asked her, more concerned about her than his now sodden state.

'Yeah,' she muttered, running her hand through her hair. 'I'm just a little jumpy, I guess.'

'A little?

Taylor sighed. 'Alright, so maybe more than a little.'

'You want to talk about it?' Marty asked as he perched on the end of her bed.

Taylor laughed. 'Not while you're dripping all over my duvet.'

'Are you avoiding the issue?' Marty asked her, eyeing her sharply.

Taylor nodded. 'Of course I am. I'm fine. I just haven't been sleeping very well recently. And I had a meeting earlier which is bugging me.'

Marty stared at her, and then wrinkled up his nose. 'Alright,' he told her, pulling the still wet football jersey he was wearing over his head. 'I'm getting a dry shirt, and then you're spilling.'

Taylor arched an eyebrow. 'I thought I already had,' she nodded at the jersey which was screwed up in his hand.

'Still a smart Alec, aren't ya?' he mock frowned at her, before walking out of her room. He returned minutes later wearing a fresh jersey and a new glass of wine in his hand, which he promptly handed over.

'Thanks,' Taylor muttered, talking a sip.

'You know,' Marty mused. 'You should be out at some 4th July celebration, a dog in one hand and a beer in the other.'

'I think the same could be said to you,' Taylor chuckled. 'And I'm not a beer drinker, as you well know.'

Marty wafted his hands. 'Meh. Technicalities. So what's wrong?"

Taylor let out a long, deep breath. 'Nothing. I'm fine.'

Marty pursed his lips. 'Outta curiosity, do you open up to Flack?'

'What are you talking about?' Taylor demanded.

'You know what? Never mind,' Marty sighed. 'But seriously, stop keeping things to yourself. Because you're going to end up going grey prematurely. And you're going to shut people out completely.'

Taylor watched him leave with a frown. There were some things that people shouldn't know. Besides, what exactly could Sassone do from prison?

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It was midnight when Taylor looked up from her laptop next. She needed a folder with some figures in it, and the last time she had seen it was when she had handed it to Flack who had put it in his locker before they had dashed out to a crime scene.

Taylor sighed, glancing at the clock. He would still be at work. Sighing again, she rose to her feet and grabbed her jacket.

Figuring she wanted some air, she walked, rather than drove, and arrived at the precinct fifteen minutes later. Flack was the only person in there, other than Cruz and Angell. Taylor took a deep breath and shuffled over to Flack's desk.

He looked up from the paperwork he was busy writing up. 'Taylor?'

'I need that folder I left in your locker.'

Flack nodded and pulled out his locker key, barely looking at her as she took them off him. She bit her lip, wanting to talk to him, but with Cruz glaring over, she changed her mind and headed for the locker room.

The locker room was darker than normal – one of the bulbs was out – but Taylor didn't care. Frankly the lighting was matching her mood. She headed over to the locker and pulled it open. Catching her eye, taped to the door, was a picture of her and Don from when they'd been to Vegas, or rather, the Grand Canyon.

She was smiling at it as she stuck her hand into the locker. And then something sank its teeth into her.

Taylor screamed, snatching her hand out as a rather large, bad tempered rat leapt out of the locker. Taylor screamed again, trying to jump backwards out of its way, only to trip over the bench in the middle of the room, catching her head on the corner of a locker.

I realised something yesterday when I was in work. I'm tired. All the time. And there's a reason behind it: I don't actually get a day off in a week. And four out of the seven days I end up working over 12 hours. So, I know I don't update half as often as I would like, but that would be the reason behind it. That's not a feel sympathetic for me thing - I just want y'all to know why my updates aren't regular and consistent like I would like them to be. I'm sorry guys. You have no idea how much I am looking forward to Christmas when the University is closed and I only have one full time job. Oh, and classes are cancelled too! Yes. That would be nice.

However, if you do feel that was something of a sympathy vote, I have no problems with you reviewing and brightening my day by telling me how amazing I am. Or alternatively how much I suck, you can do that too! And now I am going to sleep - only six hours until the next job!