Wilhelmina Maddox

She had felt strange, coming to this forgotten corner of the city. She knew she was being followed, even stopped to wave towards Daniel Rigg's car as she got out and made her way into the apartment building.

Sing informed her the week prior about her new shadow. He meant to warn her, as if she needed to be afraid for her safety. She only felt annoyed at Hoffman for being an idiot and not just coming to her directly.

She no longer felt resentful when something new occurred with Hoffman's dealings with Toni Rosello. It didn't solve anything. Instead, she simply knew that this was a sign that things had taken a downturn and she needed to maintain vigilance.

Her cast was taken off days ago and she was still getting used to her restored freedom. She needed to take it slow, the doctor stressed, but soon she'd be able to go on her jogs and return to her self-defense sessions. She would get her strength back if she just took it slow and easy.

It was the hardest part, for her, to wait.

She opted for the stairs, glad her pace was at least twice the speed it had been while she was hobbled. Taking on two stairs at a time, she raced the floors until she reached the level.

David Tapp had begrudgingly given her this address, after pestering and rationalizing this was crucial to learning more about Hoffman. She had to insist this would possibly provide a better insight into his relationship with Toni Rosello. Really, it was Sing who compelled the old man to surrender.

"I seriously doubt Knox is going to get his panties in a bunch if you send Maddox his way. Guy's always bored and happy for company."

She knocked on the door, hard. The paint was peeling and the 1 and 3 were missing on the 313B.

"I'm coming," a gruff voice barked, muffled by the distance and walls. She heard the distinct sound of a shotgun being cocked and she jumped back with her hands held up.

"It's Will Maddox, Mr. Vernon. I'm just dropping by." She spoke loud and clear, her nerves now frayed.

"...Is that so? Is Mark with you?"

"No. No one is with me. David gave me your address."

"Interesting." The door cracked and a glint of an eyeball in the shadows greeted her. "You look better than the first time I saw you."

She gave him a humored grin. "Yeah. I was a little banged up."

He let out a chuckle before coughing, closed the door to undo the chain. She heard the rattle and click of several bolts and finally, he opened the door. "Come on, girl. Unless you're here to take me out. Then do it quick and put me out of my misery."

She followed him into his domain, the back of his wheelchair rolling down the hallway. She closed the door and locked up for him.

The place looked worn and dirty. Trash bags lined the walls, ready to be taken out. There was a faint smell of old beer, cigarettes, and rotting garbage. It gave her the sudden urge to begin cleaning.

"I'd offer you a drink but you seem the kind of cop that only does so off duty."

She entered the kitchen to see him opening his fridge, grumbling to himself at the poor selection.

"Thank you, but I shouldn't be long. Mind if I have a seat?"

"Don't need to ask. I know I come off like a cranky old coot but it's nice to see a friendly face. But I'm guessing you're not here to just have a pleasant chat? Is Mark dead?"

"No. He's not."

"Good. That's a comfort." He took out a forty and drank straight from the bottle. Will noticed some of the brown liquid dribbled down his beard. She kept a straight face. "Well, spit it out, young lady."

"You're close with Mark."

"So is his sister."

"No, not really. Not in the way I mean. You were his partner."

"And so are you."

"You worked with him much longer than I." She kept her political smile but remained stern. "I want to understand something and I hope you can help me."

"Which is?"

"I want to understand his motives better."

Vernon Knox let out a throaty laugh. "Oh dear lord."

"I don't fully understand how he got so tangled up with Toni Rosello. I was hoping you'd shed some light. I want all the information possible, especially now that things are getting personal."

"Usually, a girl just directly demands her lover to talk about their feelings."

"We're not lovers."

"Mm-hmm," Knox swished some alcohol before swallowing it like mouthwash. "I'm not much of a matchmaker here. But I know Mark is terrible at opening up. Most of us are. It's easier that way. What's this got to do with Rosello?"

"I think the only way to take Toni Rosello down is to set myself up for bait. What will Hoffman do if he finds out?"

Knox didn't blink. "Stop you."

"How?" She crossed her legs and rested her arms on the table, biting her lip.

"Depends on how you set yourself up. You gonna doll yourself up and just parade down the Crossroads?"

"No, but close to it. Rosello has been sending inquiries as to whether or not I will go on a date with him." She pulled at her fingers, fidgeting. "I think the best course of action is to honeypot him."

"The bastard does love the thrill of the chase. But as soon as you bore him, it's lights out." He took another swig. "You got a death wish, don't ya?"

"I think we all have some self-destructive tendencies," she nodded towards his drink. "It's how they recruit."

He snickered. "The boy won't like it. But I'm sure you knew that already. And a fair warning. Rosello is an ass. He'd probably parade you around for Mark to see, to get a rise out of him. You're not going to be able to keep this a secret."

She nodded, "I figured as much. What can I do to convince him to not interfere?"

Knox took out a cigarette and lit it. "On a good day, you can try to explain it to him. But if he's having a bad day, he may just shoot the bastard on one of your little dates."

"Joy."

"You should let him."

"Yeah, that's not happening."

Knox coughed in surprise. "You should. Let him take out one evil sonofabitch. It'll do the world a big favor."

"There's intel that other Rosello family associates are here in the city. I doubt Mark can shoot all of them."

"You underestimate my boy."

She noticed the endearment in his voice and the emotion in his trembling hands. "I don't want Mark to be put in prison just to be free of the Rosellos."

"Well aren't you just Joan of Arc?" Knox let out a low laugh. "This whole mess is making me think about how it all started. The boy won't like me telling you, that's for sure." He watched her warily. "But I trust you're discreet. Sometimes, we need to do what we must for the people we love, right dear?" She opened her mouth to deny but he held his hand up. "You're almost as bad as he is. Almost. If you didn't care about him, you wouldn't be here, now would you?" He scratched his jaw, the sound like sandpaper.

"What exactly got Hoffman pulled into Rosello's inner circle?" Will ignored the heat of her face and cleared her throat.

"He lost his damn self-control, that's what. We were on patrol. Typical business. And I got the order from the higher levels. It was time to bring him face-to-face with the bastard. Rosello was holed up in some strip joint that day. We ended up having to sit through while he smacked around some stripper named Angel. And you can guess how that would trigger your partner."

Will bit the inside of her cheek at the thought. "I'm assuming he reacted poorly."

"You think he has poor impulse control now? Well, imagine that boy in his early twenties. It had only been a year since his parents died and he was particularly overprotective of his sister. Not that he wasn't already."

"What exactly did he do?"

"He tried to throw a punch and deck the prick. And that was all it took."

"So it's safe to assume that no matter how we break it to him, he's going to not take this well."
"When you tell him the news, if he behaves like a damn fool then send him my way. I'll straighten him out." He sighed. "If you were a man, he'd probably not be so damn reckless."

"Yeah, but we wouldn't be here talking about seducing Toni Rosello if I was a man."

"True. Still, you be careful missy. I like you. Don't let that piece of shit kill you."

"I won't. Thanks for seeing me. Would you like me to take some of these trash bags off your hands?"

"Bless you, darling."

(Power of Will)

The sound of the shower lulled her awake. She got up and stretched, surprised she had slept through the night. It had been a long time since she spent a night with no dreams to remember.

Going out to the kitchen, she saw her younger brother, Bram Maddox, making coffee. He had grown out his brown hair to his shoulders, the flyaways making him look like a teenaged rock star. He turned and smiled. "'Morning."

"Good morning," she went to retrieve a mug. "Still want to stay here?"

"Yeah. I don't need to crash your friend's bridal shower. Besides, we've been doing stuff every day since I got here. I need to just sit around and do nothing for a day."

She nodded, putting a loving hand on his shoulder. "You've been such a wonderful help. Thank you."

"That's what I'm here for," he forced a grin. "But one of these days we need to sit down and have a talk about Dad."

She went to pour coffee, hoping he'd change the subject. Instead, there was a period of silence that cornered her. "Fine. We can talk about it now."

Bram looked taken aback. "Oh. Okay. Well, I was thinking of Dad and myself moving here."

It was her turn to look concerned. "What about school? You need to graduate."

"Okay. Then after that."

She nodded, "Good." She lowered her eyes before adding, "Of course you can move here if that's what you want."

"I just think Dad would like-"

"Dad's in a coma, Bram. For years. I don't think Dad has any preference if he's in San Diego or here."

"You're not wrong. But don't you miss him?"

"Of course I miss him." Will looked upon her brother with newfound sorrow. He should be worrying about girls and grades. Not this. "But visiting… an empty shell is not the same."

Bram bit his lip. "He could wake up one day."

"Oh, Bram."

"I smell coffee!" Allison popped in with a towel wrapped in her hair. "Can we keep him, Will? I love how he's always got the kitchen up and running by the time I get up." She ruffled his hair before pouring herself a cup.

Bram gave a flutter of his eyebrows and a grimaced smile before retreating into the living room to watch some TV.

Will sighed in relief, glad for the reprieve. "What time are we leaving for Angie's?"

Angelina Acomb

Muted greens and silver streamers decorated Angelina and Peter Acomb's residence. Angelina was weary from all the preparations and planning of her special day but she kept pushing forward. It would all be worth it. Totally.

She sometimes thought it would have been better to just elope.

Already, Tracy Rigg, Jane Matthews, and Rachel Acomb had arrived. Her future mother-in-law, Sarah, was helping prep the snacks in the kitchen. Angelina wasn't quite ready to join in the festivities as most of the other guests but once the doorbell rang and the high-pitched screams of joy made the presence of Will and Ally known, she was eager to get out and let her hair down for a few hours.

"Oh, Angie," Sarah appeared with a tray of mojitos. "You seriously need to take a seat and prop your feet. You've been working too hard."

"You're so sweet, Mom," Angie grinned at the woman who beamed back. It was a perfect day for a party. The sun shined through her apartment windows and upbeat trip-hop played on the speakers.

"Go, have fun. I'll finish up here." Angelina found herself shooed out of her own kitchen but relieved that a competent chef was taking the reins.

"Angie," Ally pulled her into a great tight hug. "Five more months!"

She smiled ruefully, both excited and dreading the many more tasks that needed to get done before the wedding.

"Uh-oh," Will snapped her fingers in front of her eyes. "Come back to us Ange. Don't worry about the wedding. That's why we're here."

"Yeah," Ally took Angelina by the wrist and pulled her to the living room. "Time to play, 'Who Can Make The Best Cocktail'!"

After several drinks and various bridal-themed games such as Telephone Wedding Toast and Tie The Knot, it was time to open presents.

Tracy had crocheted her a beautiful merino wool cardigan. Jane gifted various cooking utensils. "You can never have too many spatulas," Jane nodded intensely, a seasoned fighter in the kitchen. Ally and Will had made a coupon book, complete with 'Get Out Of Jail' cards and 'No Questions Asked Favors' which made the group laugh at the idea.

"Maybe you'll need to bury a body," Jane quipped. The idea was ludicrous and hilarious. And, of course, all cards held checks to help pay for the wedding. Angelina brushed tears from her eyes, overwhelmed by the generosity.

"Thanks so much, everyone. You're all the best." Many hugs were shared and sentiments were expressed.

Well past sunset, though it was just before five o'clock, the party began to disperse.

Saying their goodbyes, Will leaned in close and whispered, "if you need anything, just ask."

And with the final guest gone, Angelina began to clean up.

Though she had fun, she just wanted the wedding to happen. She shut her eyes and reminded herself to be patient. All good things come to those who wait.

Wilhelmina Maddox

"Walk? Are you sure?" Ally was hovering at her car door, eager to get out of the cold but not quite enough to get in. "It's freezing!"

"Doctor's orders. I need to keep moving on the leg and I haven't had a chance to do my daily walk. I'll be fine. I'm sure Daniel Rigg is somewhere around here."

"He left with Tracy."

"I'm packing." When Ally didn't budge, Will rolled her eyes. "Oh my God, not you too. I'll be fine."

Ally pouted. "Fine. Page me in an hour. If I don't hear from you, I'm sending the works and tearing this city apart."

"Won't have to come to that." Will waved and began the three-mile journey to her apartment. Despite the cold, her pace helped her warm-up. She was enjoying studying the architecture of the buildings, always envious of Angelina's neighborhood.

She heard the idle hum of an engine as a car slowly rolled beside her. "Rigg, go home," she turned to give the SWAT newbie a piece of her mind. When she realized it was a black limo and the window lowered to reveal the most dangerous man in her city, she immediately rested her hand on her weapon.

"Easy, Red. Easy. I'm not here for anything bad. Just checking in." Toni Rosello smiled pleasantly. "You need a ride?"

"No, thank you." She proceeded to continue her walk, ignoring the car as it followed her.

"It's a cold snap right now. You don't want to catch pneumonia."

"Better than getting in that car with you," she snapped, continuing to walk faster.

"You hurt me, Red. Why can't we be friends?"

The way he said it made her stop and laugh. Like a kid on the playground. "How often has that worked for you?"

"More times than you'd think." Rosello grinned back. "I got the go-ahead from your old partner and wanted to let you know."

"The go-ahead on what?"

"On taking you out for the night of your life."

She felt a wave of confusion. "Hoffman?"

"You have any other old partners?"

She approached the limo door and turned her head to hear better. "What exactly did he say?"

"Come in and find out." The door opened but she didn't get in.

"I need to walk for my injury. You're welcome to join me." She didn't expect him to accept but if he was intending to pursue her she wanted it on her terms. And around plenty of bystanders that could intervene or at least witness if he tried to pull anything.

When Toni Rosello heaved out of his seat and joined her on the sidewalk, she felt a spark of fear at his proximity. "Lead the way, Red."

She was on high alert but resumed walking, stopping at an intersection for the green light.

"I wanted to apologize for your loss. It must be hard, losing your husband."

This brought a fresh pain down her throat but she swallowed it away. "That's kind of you to say." She warily kept glancing over at Rosello, the man a notable height and mass difference from her. "But aren't you responsible for what happened?"

"Let the courts decide that. I haven't bailed out the guy who did it. Isn't that something?"

"He was your guy, though." She bit her lip, remembering this man's reputation for explosions and spontaneous violence with back-talking. The light turned green and they continued. She noticed Rosello was wheezing, clearly not used to covering much ground on foot. She slowed down for him. This is my chance. She remembered herself and what needed to be done. For Hoffman. For the good of the general public. "But thank you. For not simply covering for Mickey Lounds."

"I may be a monster, but with you, I'd like to not be." This tenderness felt like a foreign thorn in a shoe and as fake as poisoned honey.

But she pushed it down. "You're surprisingly smooth when you want to be." She gave a small smile, not too enthusiastic but enough of a bone to toss that he jumped for it.

"If you're curious as to how smooth I can be, then consider an evening with me."

"It wouldn't be appropriate," she looked away as though considering it. He wasn't an idiot. He would know her intention. "Besides, what makes you think I'd accept out of authentic interest?"

"Because I know you're authentically interested in Markie-boy."

She returned to frowning, ready for his worst. "Is that so?"

He nodded. "Don't deny it. But that's fine. See, I own him. And you want to set him free. The way I see it, you could take his place one day. Once you show me you're willing to stick around once I let him loose."

She raised an eyebrow. "What would it take for you to simply forget about Mark Hoffman?"

"Your undying devotion and loyalty."

She snorted. "That's hard to prove."

"I bet you could pull it off. And to me, that's enough."

"You don't have a good track record with women. Especially women that look like me."

"Ah, well," now Rosello looked bashful, as if he was recalling an embarrassing memory, "you see, I'm being taken into an early retirement from all that."

"I find that hard to believe."

"Believe it, honey. Here's one feather for your cap. Tell your boys in brass that Don Rosello has dethroned me. My purpose now is to find a pretty little redhead and settle down."

"And I'm the lucky girl? Swell."

Rosello laughed, hyena giggles that made a nearby walker turn their head in concern. "See, this is why I like you. You're a little firecracker."

They continued their walk. "I'm assuming you already know where I live?" Any desire to separate and diverge her route to avoid him seemed a vain point.

"Obviously."

She shook her head. She was wary of rejecting him but he had finally conceded to walking quietly next to her. So far, he had been on his best behavior. "So what's your pitch?"

"Dinner. Followed by the opera. And then an early evening, where you are returned safe at your home. No strings attached. You may even keep your gun on you the entire evening. Oh, but you will be searched for a wire. Especially if we're to have an open and honest conversation. And none of your task force escorting us. I want some privacy."

"Hm. That's surprisingly fair. But it's still putting me in danger."

"Then perhaps you'd consider a chaperone?" There was a smirk on the man's face.

"Who did you have in mind?" She already knew. Knox had anticipated this.

"Markie-boy, of course."

She swallowed, imagining all the ways the night could go wrong. Most of them involved Hoffman losing control and then proceeding to get harmed by Rosello or one of his likely bodyguards that would be nearby.

But this was what needed to be done. She needed Rosello's trust. "Fine."

"Splendid!" Rosello declared breathlessly as he snapped his fingers and the limo pulled up beside them. "Enjoy the rest of your walk, Red. I'll pick you up this Saturday at 5." And the man drove off.

Eric Matthews

"You went and put yourself in danger as well as jeopardized this operation without consulting me first!" Tapp was angrier than he had seen in a long time. And it was the first time Matthews had seen Tapp angry at anyone besides him.

Mad Max stood head downcast and with her hands at her hips while she got reamed by the old man, spittle flying out of his mouth as he got up to her face and bellowed like a drill instructor in boot camp. The rest of the task force was spread throughout the room. Matt Gibson kept stealing glances over at the spectacle before shyly looking down at his coffee. Peter Strahm and Lindsay Perez seemed to silently communicate with each other with passive glances and folded arms.

Matthews exhaled some smoke and crossed his arms to enjoy the show. If only I had some popcorn.

Ally elbowed him sharply and he jumped. Looking over, she gave a stern, 'You better intervene and fix this' glower, making him moan in disdain.

"I have a mind to have you taken off the force and have Grissom consider suspending you without pay!"

"David," Matthews grumbled as he approached the man.

"You compromised the integrity of this investigation and clearly have no respect for the hard work your colleagues have put into his case."

"David," Matthews raised his voice and put a hand on the man's back with a smarting smack. "Give the kid a break."

Tapp spun around with renewed fury and directed it in his direction. "Oh? I'm surprised you, of all people, think I should be giving Maddox here a break."

"I think she made the right call." Matthews stood toe-to-toe with Tapp, the two men glaring at each other as though sizing each other for a fight.

"She should have run it by you first," Sing joined in, adding, "but it's not like she planned for Rosello to just pull up to her and ask her out. We should take advantage of this opportunity. We've got no leads. We've got nothing new except this."

"It's not just about catching the bad guy, Sing," Tapp lectured, "The safety of our peers needs to be protected."

"And it will be," Kerry stood up. "We have prepared for almost a year now. We'll be cautious. But I think it's time to let us use the little advantages we have over this guy."

"Which is, what, exactly?" Tapp snapped.

"His obsession with Maddox," Peter Strahm threw in. "It's clear he has developed a fixation on her and we have a more concise profile. He's desperate for a maternal figure that holds authority over him that resembles his mother. Which, Will here, has full capability of emulating."

Tapp looked around at the room, searching for anyone on his side of the argument. Matthews felt for the guy. It sucked when it felt like the whole world was against him.

"If Will is aware of the risks and still wants to put herself out there to catch the guy, I think we should let her," Perez softly muttered before looking away from Tapp's furious stare.

"Well I don't. There has to be a better way. Will could die." Gibson's cheeks turned pink when the entire room turned to glare at him. "Just saying."

"So that's one no. And you, Fisk?" Tapp looked over to Fisk who had been quiet in the corner. Fisk's shoulders slumped. "If anything happened to Will, it would be a sad day." Tapp nodded vigorously, eager for him to continue. "But we all signed up for this knowing the risks. We come to work every morning with the possibility we won't go home. But if we don't take those risks, there will be more Rosellos out there to hurt innocent people. More people will die if we don't do whatever is necessary to stop the bad guys. That's my two cents." Fisk folded his arms and looked away.

Tapp let out a deep growl but bowed his head. "Fine. We'll do it your way, Maddox. But mark me, girl, you will follow my orders and will not disobey them. Or you're off. Do you hear me?"

"Yes, I do." Maddox looked thrilled.

Matthews took another drag of his cigarette, going to sit back with Kerry. "You happy?" He whispered into her ear.

"Very. Thank you." Ally reached a hand and squeezed his forearm, the touch loving. He blinked, feeling a smile crack his mouth. At least this all finally blew over.