“You know smoking is bad for you, don’t you?" Taylor asked as she rounded a corner and spotted Louie having a sneaky one out back.
“I keep meaning to quit,” Louie shrugged at her.
“If you meant to, you would.”
Louie took another drag. “Fair point. So I don’t want to quit. Sue me.” He glanced down at the paper Taylor was carrying. “You write some big spread?”
“Wrong day of the week,” Taylor told him, shaking her head. “Apartment hunting.”
“You ditching Marty?”
Taylor grinned. “Something like that. Don and I are going to get our own place.”
“Does that require a congratulations, or should I be sending Flack a commiserations card?”
“Hey!” Taylor objected, punching Louie on the shoulder.
“Definitely the latter,” he muttered, rubbing his shoulder. “So what brings you to the morgue?”
“Came to say hello to various people on my way up to see Don: see if we can go view some places…” she trailed of as Maddy appeared in front of her, accompanied by the ghost of someone who looked like they had been executed – half of their face was blown away as though someone had shot him in the back of the head.
“Are you alright?” Louie asked her, noting how ashen her face had gone. Taylor clamped a hand over her mouth, shook her head, and dashed inside to the bathroom. Louie was waiting outside when she emerged a while later. “You alright?” he repeated.
Taylor nodded, “My stomach has been off this morning.”
“Taylor, you threw up yesterday morning, too.”
Taylor shrugged. “I should probably change my breakfast cereal.” She let out a long sigh. “Look, I should go. I’ll catch you later!” She waved at Peyton who had appeared and quickly headed up the stairs.
“Nice girl, just very strange,” Peyton mused, watching Taylor’s retreating back.
Louie gave her a sideways glance, “I think she’s pregnant.”
Peyton’s eyes widened in excitement. “Really?”
Louie frowned. “She’s been in here almost every morning, and she’s thrown up within ten minutes of being here: morning sickness.”
Peyton grinned, “I’m so excited for her. I hope it’s a boy!”
“I keep meaning to quit,” Louie shrugged at her.
“If you meant to, you would.”
Louie took another drag. “Fair point. So I don’t want to quit. Sue me.” He glanced down at the paper Taylor was carrying. “You write some big spread?”
“Wrong day of the week,” Taylor told him, shaking her head. “Apartment hunting.”
“You ditching Marty?”
Taylor grinned. “Something like that. Don and I are going to get our own place.”
“Does that require a congratulations, or should I be sending Flack a commiserations card?”
“Hey!” Taylor objected, punching Louie on the shoulder.
“Definitely the latter,” he muttered, rubbing his shoulder. “So what brings you to the morgue?”
“Came to say hello to various people on my way up to see Don: see if we can go view some places…” she trailed of as Maddy appeared in front of her, accompanied by the ghost of someone who looked like they had been executed – half of their face was blown away as though someone had shot him in the back of the head.
“Are you alright?” Louie asked her, noting how ashen her face had gone. Taylor clamped a hand over her mouth, shook her head, and dashed inside to the bathroom. Louie was waiting outside when she emerged a while later. “You alright?” he repeated.
Taylor nodded, “My stomach has been off this morning.”
“Taylor, you threw up yesterday morning, too.”
Taylor shrugged. “I should probably change my breakfast cereal.” She let out a long sigh. “Look, I should go. I’ll catch you later!” She waved at Peyton who had appeared and quickly headed up the stairs.
“Nice girl, just very strange,” Peyton mused, watching Taylor’s retreating back.
Louie gave her a sideways glance, “I think she’s pregnant.”
Peyton’s eyes widened in excitement. “Really?”
Louie frowned. “She’s been in here almost every morning, and she’s thrown up within ten minutes of being here: morning sickness.”
Peyton grinned, “I’m so excited for her. I hope it’s a boy!”
* * *
Taylor meandered into the lab. She had really wanted to start house hunting, but that was obviously going on a back burner. Dumb ghost.
“Keep out of this.”
Taylor whipped her head around to see a ghost, bullet wounds in his chest, glaring at her. She swallowed and took a step back. “Aiden?”
The ghost disappeared seconds before Aiden appeared. “What’s up, chica?”
“Either Maddy’s not doing her job properly, or you aren’t.”
Aiden frowned, “Maddy has an execution.”
“Well, it’s you who’s not doing their job, then. Because a ghost just appeared, and he’s not going to fall into the Casper category any time soon.”
Aiden pursed her lips. “I’ll be around. Don’t worry.”
Taylor nodded as Aiden left. “Great,” she muttered to herself.
“Talking to yourself, Drew.”
“Keep up with the Drew, and I will be,” Taylor growled at Danny.
Danny grinned. “You know you love it.”
“Yes,” Taylor agreed, deadpan. “The death threats are my way of showing affection.”
“I knew it,” Danny smiled. “So what brings you to the lab?”
“What normally brings me to the lab?” Taylor asked him, wearily. "Casper and his not-so-friendly ghost friend.”
“How’d he die?”
“Looks like a bullet to the side of the head.”
Danny nodded. “You’ve got Lindsay and Hawkes. They’re at the scene now - over in Staten Island.”
Taylor looked at her watch and sighed. “You think they’re going to be a while?”
“Probably. Why?”
“I was hoping to view an apartment.”
Danny arched his eyebrows. “You moving?”
Taylor grinned. “Don suggested that it was time we found our own place.”
“Congrats,” he frowned. “Does this mean no watching sports all night long with Flack anymore?”
“Oh, because I’m going to have the power to stop that,” Taylor said as she rolled her eyes. “No, you two can watch sports all night long if you want. I’ll keep in the study.”
“There’s going to be a study? What about a game room?”
“Is this our apartment you’re discussing, or mine and Don’s?”
Danny pouted. “Flack will want a games room too.”
Taylor shook her head. “Is he around?"
“Nope,” Danny told her. “He’s in Red Hook with Mac and Stella.”
“And you got left behind?” Taylor chuckled. “What did you do to annoy Mac this time?”
Danny glared at her. “If you leave now, you might beat the lunch time traffic,” he told her, pointedly ignoring the question.
“I knew it,” Taylor laughed to herself as she turned and headed back for the lift.
“Keep out of this.”
Taylor whipped her head around to see a ghost, bullet wounds in his chest, glaring at her. She swallowed and took a step back. “Aiden?”
The ghost disappeared seconds before Aiden appeared. “What’s up, chica?”
“Either Maddy’s not doing her job properly, or you aren’t.”
Aiden frowned, “Maddy has an execution.”
“Well, it’s you who’s not doing their job, then. Because a ghost just appeared, and he’s not going to fall into the Casper category any time soon.”
Aiden pursed her lips. “I’ll be around. Don’t worry.”
Taylor nodded as Aiden left. “Great,” she muttered to herself.
“Talking to yourself, Drew.”
“Keep up with the Drew, and I will be,” Taylor growled at Danny.
Danny grinned. “You know you love it.”
“Yes,” Taylor agreed, deadpan. “The death threats are my way of showing affection.”
“I knew it,” Danny smiled. “So what brings you to the lab?”
“What normally brings me to the lab?” Taylor asked him, wearily. "Casper and his not-so-friendly ghost friend.”
“How’d he die?”
“Looks like a bullet to the side of the head.”
Danny nodded. “You’ve got Lindsay and Hawkes. They’re at the scene now - over in Staten Island.”
Taylor looked at her watch and sighed. “You think they’re going to be a while?”
“Probably. Why?”
“I was hoping to view an apartment.”
Danny arched his eyebrows. “You moving?”
Taylor grinned. “Don suggested that it was time we found our own place.”
“Congrats,” he frowned. “Does this mean no watching sports all night long with Flack anymore?”
“Oh, because I’m going to have the power to stop that,” Taylor said as she rolled her eyes. “No, you two can watch sports all night long if you want. I’ll keep in the study.”
“There’s going to be a study? What about a game room?”
“Is this our apartment you’re discussing, or mine and Don’s?”
Danny pouted. “Flack will want a games room too.”
Taylor shook her head. “Is he around?"
“Nope,” Danny told her. “He’s in Red Hook with Mac and Stella.”
“And you got left behind?” Taylor chuckled. “What did you do to annoy Mac this time?”
Danny glared at her. “If you leave now, you might beat the lunch time traffic,” he told her, pointedly ignoring the question.
“I knew it,” Taylor laughed to herself as she turned and headed back for the lift.
* * *
It took Taylor the best part of an hour to get to the crime scene – the traffic on the I-278 was slow moving. Finally, she pulled up outside the address Danny had given her, to be greeted by Angell. “Taylor? What are you doing here?”
“I, uh, need to see Sheldon,” she told her, fishing for an excuse. “It’s, um, personal?” she offered, hoping that Angell wouldn’t press further. Much as she liked the woman, she was done explaining to people she could see ghosts.
Angell looked her up and down, but nodded. “You can’t cross the tape. Wait here and I’ll go get him.”
Taylor nodded – it was probably the best result she could have hoped for, all things considered. Hawkes hurried over almost instantly, looking very concerned. “Taylor? Are you alright?”
“Ghost,” she shrugged, as Maddy and the Casper turned up right on cue.
“Be careful,” the ghost told her, holding a bullet up.
Taylor’s mouth dropped open. “Are you kidding me?”
“What?” Hawkes asked in alarm, looking around as though he expected something to leap out at him.
"I drove all the way for that?”
“What?” Hawkes repeated.
Taylor turned to Hawkes and pulled a face. “Your vic? He was killed by a bullet.”
Hawkes frowned. “Yeah, the bullet wound in the side of his head kinda gives that fact away.”
“I noticed,” Taylor said grimly. “Sorry, I was expecting something a little less obvious than that.”
Hawkes placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Sorry you had to come all the way out here.”
Taylor sighed. “It’s alright. Driving is still a novelty. Guess I should head back.”
“Hey Taylor,” Hawkes called after her. “You’re looking a little peaky. Maybe you should drink a bit more
orange juice.”
Taylor forced a smile and got into her car.
“I, uh, need to see Sheldon,” she told her, fishing for an excuse. “It’s, um, personal?” she offered, hoping that Angell wouldn’t press further. Much as she liked the woman, she was done explaining to people she could see ghosts.
Angell looked her up and down, but nodded. “You can’t cross the tape. Wait here and I’ll go get him.”
Taylor nodded – it was probably the best result she could have hoped for, all things considered. Hawkes hurried over almost instantly, looking very concerned. “Taylor? Are you alright?”
“Ghost,” she shrugged, as Maddy and the Casper turned up right on cue.
“Be careful,” the ghost told her, holding a bullet up.
Taylor’s mouth dropped open. “Are you kidding me?”
“What?” Hawkes asked in alarm, looking around as though he expected something to leap out at him.
"I drove all the way for that?”
“What?” Hawkes repeated.
Taylor turned to Hawkes and pulled a face. “Your vic? He was killed by a bullet.”
Hawkes frowned. “Yeah, the bullet wound in the side of his head kinda gives that fact away.”
“I noticed,” Taylor said grimly. “Sorry, I was expecting something a little less obvious than that.”
Hawkes placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Sorry you had to come all the way out here.”
Taylor sighed. “It’s alright. Driving is still a novelty. Guess I should head back.”
“Hey Taylor,” Hawkes called after her. “You’re looking a little peaky. Maybe you should drink a bit more
orange juice.”
Taylor forced a smile and got into her car.
* * *
Detective Angell wandered into the morgue some hours later, looking for
Peyton. “Hey girl. You got an ID on my vic?”
Peyton looked up from the paperwork she was pouring over and nodded, “I do indeed.” She pushed some folders around until she found the one she was looking for, “Davin Loeffler.”
“Cheers,” Angell muttered as she noted the name down.
“Hey, have you heard?”
Angell stared at her expectantly. “Heard what?”
“Taylor’s pregnant.”
“No way!” Angell exclaimed.
“Yeah, Louie said she’s been throwing up all week.”
“Oh.” A look of understanding washed over the detective. “It all makes sense.”
“What does?” Peyton asked her, sitting back in her chair.
“She came to the crime scene today, looking for Hawkes. For personal reasons.”
“We should at least get them a card. Do you think it’s a boy or a girl?”
Angell bit her lip. “I don’t know. I think it would be sweet if they had twins.”
“Is either one of them a twin?”
Angell shook her head. “Taylor has an older brother, and Flack has a brother and two sisters, but I don’t think any are twins.”
Peyton frowned. “It’s probably not likely then.”
Peyton. “Hey girl. You got an ID on my vic?”
Peyton looked up from the paperwork she was pouring over and nodded, “I do indeed.” She pushed some folders around until she found the one she was looking for, “Davin Loeffler.”
“Cheers,” Angell muttered as she noted the name down.
“Hey, have you heard?”
Angell stared at her expectantly. “Heard what?”
“Taylor’s pregnant.”
“No way!” Angell exclaimed.
“Yeah, Louie said she’s been throwing up all week.”
“Oh.” A look of understanding washed over the detective. “It all makes sense.”
“What does?” Peyton asked her, sitting back in her chair.
“She came to the crime scene today, looking for Hawkes. For personal reasons.”
“We should at least get them a card. Do you think it’s a boy or a girl?”
Angell bit her lip. “I don’t know. I think it would be sweet if they had twins.”
“Is either one of them a twin?”
Angell shook her head. “Taylor has an older brother, and Flack has a brother and two sisters, but I don’t think any are twins.”
Peyton frowned. “It’s probably not likely then.”
* * *
Taylor was back at her apartment, writing an email to Greg in Vegas, when her phone rang. “Hi Don,” she smiled as she stared at the caller ID. “I came by to see you earlier.”
“Tay, is there something you want to say to me?”
Taylor frowned. That was a bit of a loaded question. There were plenty of things she wanted to say to him. Only she couldn’t. “Not really. I only wanted to see if you wanted to view an apartment.”
There was silence on the other end of the phone. “You know I love you, don’t you?”
“Is there something you want to say to me?” Taylor asked him, starting to get worried.
Flack sighed, “I don’t get off for ages. Can you come back to the station?”
“Be careful.” Taylor glanced at the ghost who had appeared, still holding the bullet. “Looks like I’m coming back that way anyway.”
Taylor hung up and shut her computer down. She grabbed the empty glass she had been drinking from and headed into the kitchen. Just as she placed it on the side, she felt the temperature drop. “I’m going, ready,” she muttered, turning. Except it was the second ghost standing there, glaring at her.
“Keep out of this!” he bellowed at her, the glass shattering beside her.
Taylor let out a squeak and dove past him, heading straight for one of the cupboards. She had managed to clasp her fingers around the salt shaker when the ghost shoved her to the ground. “Aiden!” she screamed, flinging salt at the ghost which was standing over her.
As the ghost disappeared, Aiden appeared. “I’m on it,” she told Taylor, disappearing instantly.
She had just about managed to stop shaking as she dropped into the chair opposite Flack’s desk. “Hi Don,” she greeted him, feeling very happy to see him. “All done in Red Hook?” Don put his pen down and stared at her. "What?” she asked him, fingering her necklace nervously.
Without saying anything, but with an unreadable expression on his face, Flack leant over and pulled something out of his desk drawer, placing it on the desk in between them.
Taylor eyed the items suspiciously. “Since when did you start smoking cigars?” Flack arched an eyebrow at her. Still baffled, Taylor picked it up, noticing the card underneath it. “Congratulations on… twins?” Taylor spluttered as she read the card. “What the hell?”
“Angell handed it over earlier,” Flack told her, finally speaking.
“Don, I’m not pregnant,” Taylor told him in amazement.
"So you haven’t been throwing up every morning for the past fortnight?” Flack asked her, although he sounded slightly relieved.
“No. Yeah. On and off,” she frowned. “Maybe four mornings over the past fortnight? Dumb ghosts like to turn up how they are found. And some of them aren’t pretty.”
“And what did you need to see Sheldon urgently about?”
Taylor wrinkled up her face, trying to think what he was talking about. “Oh,” she said, quickly working it out. The ghost this morning was from the body at the crime scene he was working. Angell doesn’t know about the ghosts, and Lindsay doesn’t believe me. So it was him I had to talk to.” She leant back in her chair, “Don, if I was pregnant, you’d be one of the first to know, and trust me, if it’s in the immediate future, there would be much freaking out.”
Flack leant over and grabbed her hand, lacing his fingers through hers. “I needed to make sure.”
“Don, trust me, I would tell you if I was pregnant.” She picked the card up. “Although this is cute. But twins?”
“Hey, Jesse and Ellie are cute.”
“Be careful.”
“Argh!” Flack yelped as Maddy appeared beside them.
Taylor sighed. “And work beckons.”
“Tay, is there something you want to say to me?”
Taylor frowned. That was a bit of a loaded question. There were plenty of things she wanted to say to him. Only she couldn’t. “Not really. I only wanted to see if you wanted to view an apartment.”
There was silence on the other end of the phone. “You know I love you, don’t you?”
“Is there something you want to say to me?” Taylor asked him, starting to get worried.
Flack sighed, “I don’t get off for ages. Can you come back to the station?”
“Be careful.” Taylor glanced at the ghost who had appeared, still holding the bullet. “Looks like I’m coming back that way anyway.”
Taylor hung up and shut her computer down. She grabbed the empty glass she had been drinking from and headed into the kitchen. Just as she placed it on the side, she felt the temperature drop. “I’m going, ready,” she muttered, turning. Except it was the second ghost standing there, glaring at her.
“Keep out of this!” he bellowed at her, the glass shattering beside her.
Taylor let out a squeak and dove past him, heading straight for one of the cupboards. She had managed to clasp her fingers around the salt shaker when the ghost shoved her to the ground. “Aiden!” she screamed, flinging salt at the ghost which was standing over her.
As the ghost disappeared, Aiden appeared. “I’m on it,” she told Taylor, disappearing instantly.
She had just about managed to stop shaking as she dropped into the chair opposite Flack’s desk. “Hi Don,” she greeted him, feeling very happy to see him. “All done in Red Hook?” Don put his pen down and stared at her. "What?” she asked him, fingering her necklace nervously.
Without saying anything, but with an unreadable expression on his face, Flack leant over and pulled something out of his desk drawer, placing it on the desk in between them.
Taylor eyed the items suspiciously. “Since when did you start smoking cigars?” Flack arched an eyebrow at her. Still baffled, Taylor picked it up, noticing the card underneath it. “Congratulations on… twins?” Taylor spluttered as she read the card. “What the hell?”
“Angell handed it over earlier,” Flack told her, finally speaking.
“Don, I’m not pregnant,” Taylor told him in amazement.
"So you haven’t been throwing up every morning for the past fortnight?” Flack asked her, although he sounded slightly relieved.
“No. Yeah. On and off,” she frowned. “Maybe four mornings over the past fortnight? Dumb ghosts like to turn up how they are found. And some of them aren’t pretty.”
“And what did you need to see Sheldon urgently about?”
Taylor wrinkled up her face, trying to think what he was talking about. “Oh,” she said, quickly working it out. The ghost this morning was from the body at the crime scene he was working. Angell doesn’t know about the ghosts, and Lindsay doesn’t believe me. So it was him I had to talk to.” She leant back in her chair, “Don, if I was pregnant, you’d be one of the first to know, and trust me, if it’s in the immediate future, there would be much freaking out.”
Flack leant over and grabbed her hand, lacing his fingers through hers. “I needed to make sure.”
“Don, trust me, I would tell you if I was pregnant.” She picked the card up. “Although this is cute. But twins?”
“Hey, Jesse and Ellie are cute.”
“Be careful.”
“Argh!” Flack yelped as Maddy appeared beside them.
Taylor sighed. “And work beckons.”
Originally posted 01/09/2007