Accidents Happen For A Reason:
Field Work:
Devan had asked to be in the field because the case they had been handed had had to do with and old neighbor and friend of hers and she had wanted to help out as much as possible. It was Daniel that the case had had to do with. Even though Daniel and she had broken up after high school because he had left the state to pursue a military career, they had still kept in contact with each other. But now, it was the fact that Daniel was out of the military and was involved with one of the FBI's cases and she wanted to know why.
So leaving with David that day to go and question Daniel had been like going to see a friend that she hadn't talked to in years. When David pulled into the drive way of Daniel's house, she could tell that he had done well for himself. His two daughters and one son were in the front yard playing catch with a baseball they had probably grabbed from the garage. She got out and without even meaning to, hung onto the car door a little longer than she had meant. David had noticed and even though he wanted to ask, didn't figuring she had just gotten out way to fast and was a little dizzy. She had never really worked field work before, even though her name might suggest otherwise.
After shutting her door and coming around the car to see David looking at her in a way that told her he was a little worried, she walked to the door with David behind her and knocked on the door. David seemed not to mind that she was in front and nodded at the kids who were looking at them and then they were more interested in there game of catch. They were laughing but there was an edge in there voice that told David that was something was off with the family.
[AN-Changing to first person during conversation and after for the crash and everything else that happens after this chapter.]
Questions:
Daniel opened the door to see Devan standing with some guy. They flashed their badges and Daniel hugged Devan. It was just friends hugging friends, nothing more. The kids had seen their father hug the woman and would remind themselves later on to ask who she was. They knew that their mother would want to know as well, if she ever got home from work. Daniel invited Devan and David into the living room and offered some beverages.
They both declined saying that they wouldn't be there long. They sat down on the couch as Daniel sat in his chair.
"It is good to see you again Devan. But what brings you and an FBI agent to my door? What is it you think I have done?"
"It is nothing you have done Daniel, it is something that you have seen. Where is your wife Daniel?"
"I have been keeping it from the kids, but she hasn't come home in several days. I told the kids that she was at a work conference for the next few days. I'll lie tonight and tell them that she called and said she was staying the rest of the week and weekend. They listen to me, they know what I say is the truth. I don't like lying to my kids, but it is necessary. I have been trying to find my wife since she failed to come home two days ago."
"Then I'm sorry Daniel, but we have some bad news for you." David said, taking up the conversation.
"She's dead isn't she?"
"Why do you ask that Daniel?"
"I felt something was wrong when she didn't come home," he paused and looked out the window at his children playing in the yard. They were laughing. They had abandoned the baseball and glove and were playing soccer now, though they would move on to basketball soon. They were all very active children when it came to sports. "Please, tell me that she is okay."
"I'm sorry Daniel, you wife was found murdered nearly two days ago. It looks like she was on her way home when she was attacked. We do not know why she was attacked but we are looking in to it. Do you know what she was working on by chance?"
"Just that her boss was representing some big shot guy and that they were spending a lot of time trying to make sure this guy never saw the light of day again. My wife, she's the lawyer in the family, but her bosses can be a bit hard to deal with."
"And what is it you do for a living Daniel?"
"Devan, you know better than anyone not to ask what I do. We dated in high school. We didn't ask what my parents did and we don't ask what I do now. My parents had top-level security clearance as I do now. I do not know what I will be doing but until whoever hurt my wife is caught, I will be staying around here."
"Top-level my arse Daniel. Your parents were librarians. Which seems to make me think you followed in their footsteps."
"It was top-level to them Devan."
"I know Daniel."
"Thank you for your time Daniel if we need anything else from you, we'll let you know. You can call us anytime. Here is my card; my cell is on the back. I don't think I have to give you Devan's card, you two seem pretty tight."
"Well, what do you expect for her ex-boyfriend and all? We were tight in high school. I wouldn't mind getting to know you all over again Devan."
"As friends I hope you mean Daniel."
"Of course as friends. My children know about you as did my wife. They all knew how special you were to me."
"And you to me. We'll be in touch."
David and I left and headed back to the office. I was tired, had been growing tired even during the talking with Daniel and I knew that he could see it as well. He presumed that I hadn't told anyone but the look on his face after hugging him goodbye told me that he disapproved of my not telling anyone that there was something wrong with me. David tried to get me to talk on the way back to the office but I had already closed my eyes. He had also noticed how tired I had gotten and even consider what had happened when I got out of the vehicle earlier after arriving at Daniel's house.
He reminded himself that he needed to talk to Don about it when we got back to the office. It was surprising to watch David worrying about me through the slits in my semi-closed eyelids. I wasn't asleep; I just appeared to be to him. The amusement ended when we started moving again, through our green light and I noticed the truck coming at us from David's side. My eyes snapped open and I yelled at David to speed up. It did us no good.
The truck hit the passenger side door of the driver's side and flipped the vehicle over. Our SUV flipped a few more times before coming to a stop. Traffic had already stopped moving as soon as the truck had hit us. I felt myself flying through the air with each flip but was unable to look over at David, who was closest to the impact. I knew that he might be injured, but didn't know how badly. I knew no more as the vehicle came to a stop and I passed out.
Accident Scene:
David woke up and looked around. The sound of sirens could be heard all around as if rescuers were just showing up to help and get the bystanders out of the way. He looked over at Devan and unbuckled himself. If it hadn't been for her yell, the truck would have hit his door instead of the side of the SUV behind him. He made a mental note to thank her later.
Once unbuckled, he did his best to crawl over to her, through the wreckage of the vehicle. He checked her pulse, noticing that she was unconscious and not moving. He wanted to make sure that she was alive. He breathed a sigh of relief when he felt her pulse but worry overtook him again when he realized that the pulse was weak, very weak, way too weak for the accident that they had been in.
David had minor injuries, but with Devan still unconscious, he wasn't willing to move from her side. He managed to get his phone out of his pocket and called Don, who was probably wondering where the two of them were. He had called Don when he was sitting at the red light just before the accident to let them know that they would be back at the office in about thirty minutes. But judging by the time on his phone, he knew that it had been nearly an hour since his last call and he needed to let the team know what had happened. The phone rang a few more times before Don picked up.
"David, where the hell are you guys? You said you'd be here over an hour ago, we have some new information on the case."
"There's been accident Don. Some truck didn't adhere to its red light and slammed into our vehicle. Rescue crews are working to get the vehicle upright now."
"And how's Devan? I'm talking to you so that means you're not hurt that much." The statement about David being injured brought everyone's heads up especially Colby's as he walked over to Don. The question was in his eyes, all of their eyes as they listened more to what their boss was talking about.
"She's alive, but barely. I'm not a doctor, but I know her pulse shouldn't be as weak as it is. I don't know why it's so weak, all I know is that if it hadn't been for her yelling at me to speed up, she'd be the one calling you as I would be the one unconscious. She saw the truck before I did and yelled at me to speed up. The truck hit the door behind me and flipped our vehicle. Look, just get here as soon as you can. I'll let the medics know that they are to take us to UCLA Medical Center. If you want to meet us there, then fine. I've got to get off the phone; one of the firefighters is trying to talk to me. I'll keep an eye on her."
David got off the phone and put it back in his pocket, then turned his attention back to the firefighter.
"Sir, I need to know if you are hurt in any way. If not, can you tell me the extension of your partner's injuries?"
"I'm fine, but Devan is unconscious. She has a pulse, but it is weak, very weak actually. She has a laceration on her forehead but I don't know if anything is broken."
"Alright, we are going to try and flip the vehicle back over so that it is on its wheels. I need you to keep her neck as straight as possible. And I need you to hold on as you might hit a seat or two when we flip the vehicle."
"I'll do my best to hold on. And I'll keep her neck as immobile as I can."
"Thank you sir. Now, hold on, it'll be about ten minutes before we have the vehicle righted again."
"Thanks for getting here so fast."
David did his best to brace himself and keep Devan's neck as straight as possible as the rescuers flipped the car back over so that it was sitting on its wheels. Once that was done and David was out of the vehicle, the medics got right in and started working on Devan. That's about the time that David noticed Don and the team at the edge of the scene. They must have shown up when the vehicle was being righted.
One of the medics was looking David over when Don and the team walked up with the Fire Chief in charge of the scene. Don thanked him and walked to where David was watching the medics work on Devan.
"David, it's good to see that you are not too injured. How's Devan?"
"Don't really know. She was alive in the car and the medics are working on her now, but other than the head laceration, I don't know about any other injuries."
"Well the two of you will be checked over at UCLA and I have Charlie picking up dad so that he can meet us there. You are riding with Devan aren't you?"
"If they let me Don, I'll ride with her. She saved me from being squished Don. I thought she was sleeping, but she only had her eyes closed so that she could keep an eye out on me. I think she was watching me watch her and figured that even though she just started field work, that I was worried about her. I'm worried now that's for damn sure."
"We called her parents. They are on the way to UCLA. They'll get there around the time Charlie, dad and Co get there. And we'll follow the ambulance as it goes to make sure it gets there in one piece."
"That's probably the best bet. Don't want to get stuck at any red lights or anything like that."
When the medics were done working on Devan inside the vehicle they put her on a backboard (with C-Spine collar already on) and moved her to the ambulance. David got in on the side of the ambulance and sat up front with the second paramedic while the other medic and one firefighter got in the back to continue to work on Devan.
More to come in next chapter…
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