RK9 - Trust me, the bunnies shall never be in the same room as the laptop! I think pigs will eat anything, but I do know they need a special diet otherwise they become fat! lol No worries on that!

sparkyCSI - It feels so weird to have had a week off work, but I think that will change again next week! I will be online Sat, but I think it'll be daytime. Tay will work it out eventually, but Flack is much better!

demolished-soul - lol, Cordelia has really grown on me too, and definately a good father. But that's a way of yet! Apparently, we're looking at the beginning of April!

meadow567 - It felt like it! Darn rabbits! It's been bugging me for a while, and I was chatting with my housemate about it as she waswondering how i hadn't bought it up sooner!

Aoife - She doesn't have one - I'm not talented enough to go down that route. It's more about how she keeps throwing up after the ghosts and being put off her food. It's definately rare for Flack's soft side to be shown in the show, but on the rare moments he does, it's sweet. I have my laptop back so all is well!! I hope it is with you too?

Aphina - She's been doing it for a year and half, so it's probably about time someone noticed! I know I have Cordy asking some questions in the chapter - I was quite worried if I had handled it right! And, yum again on near naked Flack!

Madison Bellows - lol, it's not one - it's five! It's taken some work with the weaving - I have as many plot bunnies as I do real ones! She does need to eat, and at some point, she will be sent to talk to someone, but in terms of what I have planned, that's a ways off too!

Righto, spoilers. There is a mention/reference to someone in season 4, but as for the storyline that goes along with it, I will not be addressing that one for a VERY long time! There are however, more direct references to the first Shane Casey episode, which may, or may not (I forget) be called Hung Out To Dry.

I, of course, have much thanks to sparkyCSI, as always, but a little extra in this chapter (and for her parents too) for the help with Cordy's questions.

What The Eyes Can't See

Chapter 155: You can't hide from your demons, Feel them all lurking around

Taylor rushed around the kitchen, desperately throwing sandwiches together and into a bag. She had awoken early, as Flack had a 3am call out, and yet, she was still rushing around. It was Cordelia's first day at her new school, and so far, Taylor was the only one worrying… and the only one who was rushing around like a headless chicken. 'Come on,' she muttered, ushering Cordelia out of the door.

They hurried the last block and Taylor was glad to see that the bell hadn't rung by the time they got there. She was about to walk into the small playground when she was stopped by someone calling her name. She turned and looked in surprise at the person who had shouted. 'Danny?'

'What are you doing here?' Danny asked.

'I could ask you the same thing,' Taylor frowned.

'Please tell me there isn't a gh-'

'No,' Taylor said quickly, cutting him off. There was no need for Cordelia to know about that. 'I, uh…' she frowned. 'This is my niece, Cordelia. She's living with us now.'

Danny dropped to his knee and flashed a grin at the shy girl. 'Hello there. I'm Danny. How old are you?'

'Seven,' she said quietly.

'She's in the third grade, though,' Taylor grinned.

Danny whistled. 'This your first day?'

Cordelia nodded.

Danny turned. 'Ruben!' he bellowed. 'Get over here!'

A little way up the street, a boy was busy throwing a baseball up in the air, catching it in his mitt. He stopped when he heard Danny shout and ran over. 'What's up, Danny?'

'Ruben, this is Cordelia. She's going to be in your class. I want you to look after her, alright?'

Ruben looked Cordelia up and down, until his brown eyes settled on her blue. 'You like baseball?'

Cordelia shook her head.

Ruben sighed and shot a pleading look at Danny.

'I like basketball,' Cordelia said quietly.

Ruben cocked his head, staring at her. 'Who?'

'Lakers.'

Ruben twitched his mouth, as if tasting the answer, and then shrugged. 'We'll get you liking the Knicks. Come on. Kenny said he was bringing his Bumblebee Transformer in.' He grabbed Cordelia's hand and dragged her into the building.

'Um, thanks,' Taylor muttered as Danny stood upright.

'No problem,' he shrugged.

'Who's Ruben?' she blurted out.

Danny laughed. 'Kid in my building. I help his mom out sometimes. Cordelia?'

Taylor sighed. 'She's my niece. Her mom and grandmother didn't want her, Chris is still in jail, and, well, here she is.'

'That's crap,' he stated. 'I mean, about her mother. Some people shouldn't have kids.'

'Tell me about it,' Taylor muttered. 'Aren't you at work?'

Danny nodded. 'On my way. We had a call out to the Greeks this morning.'

Taylor held her hand up. 'If it involves dead things, I don't want to know.'

Danny laughed. 'I'll be going then.'

Taylor shuddered and hurried off.

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By late afternoon, she was back at the school, Wilbur in tow, ready to meet Cordelia. 'How was your first day?' she asked her as she appeared in the throng of children.

Cordelia just nodded.

'And what about Ruben?' Taylor pressed as the pair walked away.

Cordy smiled. 'I like him.'

Taylor grinned happily to herself. 'How about we head to the park?' she asked her.

Cordelia nodded.

Taylor sighed inwardly. She wasn't exactly expecting the child to be laughing and joking with her every five minutes, but she was hoping she'd open up a little more than she had.

They soon reached the park and Taylor settled down under a tree, passing Cordelia the soccer ball she had bought on the way.

A while later, Cordelia flopped down next to her, pulling a book out of her bag.

'You want to go home?' Taylor asked her.

Cordelia just shook her head.

Taylor sighed again and leant back onto her elbows, watching Wilbur forage around at her feet. And then it was like he picked up on a scent. Taylor smiled to herself. He was actually kinda cute.

He started to wander off, and Cordelia was up, chasing after him. 'Cordy!' Taylor shouted, getting to her feet and running after her herself.

She found her pulling Wilbur away from a stone he was desperately scratching it.

'He's found something,' Cordelia told her as she tried to hold onto his collar.

Taylor frowned and sank to her knees, pulling the rock out of the way. The moment she saw the blood, she dropped the rock and turned to Cordelia. 'Cordelia, go stand over there for me,' she ordered.

Cordelia looked down at the think Wilbur had found. 'What is it?'

'Cordelia!' she repeated sharpishly.

Cordelia nodded and moved away, keeping in Taylor's line of sight. Taylor sighed and dug her hands into her pocket, pulling out a pen. Carefully, without touching the fabric, she lifted a corner away. Her stomach lurched as she worked out what it was and allowed the fabric to drop. She moved away, back to the child and pig, pulling out her phone.

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'Taylor?' Flack cried, somewhat alarmed at the sight of his girlfriend, her niece, and a pig at the crime scene he had been sent to. 'Please tell me you've not chased an osts-ghay to a ead-day ody-bay.'

Taylor blinked. 'Did you just talk to me in Pig Latin?'

Flack flashed Cordelia a bright grin, before leading Taylor away by the elbow. 'Did you follow a ghost here with Cordelia?'

Taylor's mouth dropped open as she slapped Flack's arm with the back of her hand. 'What do you take me for?' she asked, outraged.

'Sorry,' Flack muttered, rubbing his arm. 'I just,' he shrugged. 'You know?'

Taylor sighed. 'Expect me to screw up as much as I do?' she offered softly.

Flack pulled out his notebook. 'What happened?'

Taylor shrugged looking at the piglet. 'I think we have a sniffer pig.'

'Is that like a spiderpig?'

Taylor snorted. 'A sniffer pig. Like a sniffer dog. Wilbur. He found… that,' she pointed at the ground.

Flack looked over at the incriminating article. 'Did you touch it?'

'Just with a pen,' Taylor muttered, feeling her stomach churn. 'It's a head.'

'I don't know if I want it to be the one missing or another,' Flack muttered.

Taylor licked her lips. 'The one missing?' she repeated.

'That call out this morning was to a Greek Frat house. Dead body hanging upside down from a ceiling-'

Taylor held her hand up. 'Cordelia,' she said quickly, even though it was obvious that the child couldn't hear their hushed tones.

Flack glanced over at the child. 'You should get her home.'

Taylor nodded and made to walk over, but paused. 'Why would you want it to be the head off another body?' she asked, curiosity winning out over her churning stomach.

'Because if I have to deal with another drunk frat boy, I swear I'm going to-'

'I'll see you later,' Taylor muttered, cutting him off with a kiss. 'I think it's time to get Cordelia fed and check if she's been given any homework.'

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Flack walked in hours later, exhausted, to find Taylor curled up on the couch watching television. 'How come you're not in bed?' he asked her, dropping down next to her.

Taylor shrugged. 'I was busy watching a forensics show. I actually understood half of it for once.'

'Sorry I jumped to conclusions in the park, earlier.'

Taylor sighed, pulling herself into a more upright position. 'It's fine. Though this is why I don't want children yet. I can hardly balance my life with ghosts, never mind with a child involved too.' She sighed again, muting the television. 'She asked what Wilbur found.'

Flack loosened his tie, looking over. 'What did you tell her?'

Taylor squirmed. 'To ask you.'

Flack took a breath. 'How long ago did she go to bed?'

Taylor glanced at the clock. 'I left her reading a while ago.'

Flack rose to his feet. 'I'll talk to her. But, you know, you're going to have to answer some hard questions at some point, Tay.'

'I know, Don. But death is one thing. Decapitation is another.'

Don nodded and headed to Marty's room, knocking softly as he pushed the door open. Cordelia was still awake, reading a book, the pig stretched out next to her. 'You should probably be asleep, misses,' he told her, as he perched on the edge of the bed.

Cordy reached over for a bookmark and slipped it in place. 'I'm sorry,' she apologized.

Flack smiled. 'It's okay. I'm glad you're still awake. Taylor said you had some questions.'

Cordelia nodded, looking awkwardly at the detective. 'Are you a policeman?'

'I'm a detective,' Flack affirmed.

Cordelia bit her lip. 'What did Wilbur find?'

'It was a head,' Flack answered honestly. 'We found the body this morning.'

Cordelia frowned, blinking as she processed this. 'Will the doctor be able to fix it?'

Flack shook his head, solemnly. 'She's dead, sweetheart. You can't live without a head.'

Cordelia looked up at him, still frowning. 'Why did she die?'

Flack smiled gently. 'I'm trying to find out, Cordy.'

'Was she bad?' she asked softly.

Flack shook his head, giving her a reassuring smile. 'No. I don't think so.'

'How did her head come off?' she asked, suddenly looking worried.

Flack got up and moved positions so he was sat next to her. 'Cordelia, I promise you that nothing like that is going to happen to you. It was done by a very bad man who I'm going to find and arrest so you don't have to worry about him.'

'Will he want my head? Or Wilbur's?' she asked, wide-eyed.

Flack shook his head, wrapping his arm around her. 'No. You have nothing to worry about. I'm just sorry you had to see what you did. Do you have any more questions?'

Cordelia shook her head.

'I think it might be time for you to get some sleep,' he told her. He got off the bed and tucked her in, before switching off the light and leaving.

'I take it she was still up,' Taylor asked as he rejoined her on the couch.

Flack nodded.

'What did you tell her?' she asked.

'The truth,' Flack shrugged.

Taylor frowned. 'Was that the right thing to do?'

Flack looked over at her. 'She's seven, Tay. I think she's old enough to understand death, and I'm not about to start lying to her.'

Taylor sighed. 'I was just hoping we could protect her from all of the evil in the world.'

'I know,' he nodded. 'But the world isn't a safe place, and we shouldn't wrap our kids up in cotton wool. She doesn't need to know the details, but she needs to know to be careful.'