Flack and Taylor were sharing yet another car journey in silence. Taylor, for once, didn’t know what to say. Flack, on the other hand seemed to know exactly what it was he wanted to, but was struggling with himself to not say whatever it was that was on his mind. It wasn’t until they had arrived at the lab and were in the elevator that Taylor decided that she would pry. “Spill it.”
Flack glanced down at her. “It’s not important,” he told her, before returning his attention to the climbing numbers.
Taylor looked dubious. “There’s something you want to say. Say it.”
“I said, it’s not important,” Flack told her, stubbornly staring up.
“Flack, every time you open your mouth, you stop. It’s like you’re scared of what you have to say,” Taylor told him.
“Scared?” Flack repeated, rounding on her, his eyes dark with anger.
Had Taylor not been leaning against the wall, she would have taken a step backwards. He had a look in his eyes which was reminiscent of the one Danny had, seconds before he had shouted at her. Taylor wasn’t wrong.
“Scared?” he exploded. “No, Taylor. Scared was what I felt when they pulled that bag off your head. Scared was what I felt when I saw that gash on your head.” He turned so that I he was stood directly in front of her. “Scared was what I felt when I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!” he roared at her.
Taylor stared up at him with tears in her eyes.
“Do you realise exactly how stupid you were to go running in Central Park at NIGHTTIME. For all intents and purposes, you deserve to be dead for that act of complete stupidity!” Flack continued, punching the wall.
Behind them, the door pinged open to their floor. Taylor let out a sob as she ducked under his arms and bolted. She heard the sound of Flack’s shoe bouncing off the side of the elevator as he kicked it, followed by Danny shouting after her. So she went to the one place they couldn’t go – the ladies bathroom.
Well, where she thought they couldn’t go.
“Drew?” Taylor sat on the toilet seat hoping Danny would just leave her alone. Of course, there was no such luck. “Taylor…? I saw you come in here, you know?”
“This is the ladies bathroom, Messer,” Taylor pointed out miserably.
“Point out the lady and I’ll leave,” he retorted.
He was stood right outside her cubicle – she could see his feet. “What do you want?” she demanded.
“To see if you were alright?” he replied, as though that was obvious.
Taylor snorted. “Alright? I have a broken arm which won’t stop itching, a gash on my forehead which is going to leave a scar the size of the Grand Canyon, a pounding headache, I got attacked and spent a night unconscious in the Park, and Flack has just shouted at me for it. So I’m sat crying in the bathroom. Yeah – I’m fine, thanks for asking.”
There was silence and the feet disappeared from her sight. Taylor waited for the sound of the bathroom door closing, but it didn’t come. Instead…
“Well, he has a point, to be fair.”
Taylor looked up and found Danny hanging over the side of the cubicle, staring down at her. Unlike Flack, however, he wasn’t angry. Only upset.
Taylor sighed and allowed her head to sink into her hands, “I know,” she told him, her voice muffled by her palms.
“So, are you going to open the door, or am I going to have to climb over.” Taylor looked up in time to see Danny’s boot hovering next to him. She got to her feet and left the cubicle quickly before a second person had to walk around with a cast… well, as he probably would have broken his leg, a better term would have been hobbled. Danny jumped down and smiled at her. “Sorry. I would have sent Lindsay or Stella in, but they’re both out. And I didn’t think you would appreciate a random lab tech being sent in.”
Taylor walked over to the sink and sighed at her blotchy reflection,” Flack’s right. I am an idiot.”
Danny walked over to her and gave her a sympathetic smile. “Yeah, you are.” Taylor managed a small smile. “And for the record, you are probably going to get a lecture off Mac and Stella,” he added, giving her a hug.
“I know,” Taylor sighed into his shoulder.
The door to the bathroom opened and a lab tech walked in. She froze when she saw the two, “I… I… I’m sorry,” she stuttered before bolting back out.
Taylor and Danny looked at each other and laughed.
Flack glanced down at her. “It’s not important,” he told her, before returning his attention to the climbing numbers.
Taylor looked dubious. “There’s something you want to say. Say it.”
“I said, it’s not important,” Flack told her, stubbornly staring up.
“Flack, every time you open your mouth, you stop. It’s like you’re scared of what you have to say,” Taylor told him.
“Scared?” Flack repeated, rounding on her, his eyes dark with anger.
Had Taylor not been leaning against the wall, she would have taken a step backwards. He had a look in his eyes which was reminiscent of the one Danny had, seconds before he had shouted at her. Taylor wasn’t wrong.
“Scared?” he exploded. “No, Taylor. Scared was what I felt when they pulled that bag off your head. Scared was what I felt when I saw that gash on your head.” He turned so that I he was stood directly in front of her. “Scared was what I felt when I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!” he roared at her.
Taylor stared up at him with tears in her eyes.
“Do you realise exactly how stupid you were to go running in Central Park at NIGHTTIME. For all intents and purposes, you deserve to be dead for that act of complete stupidity!” Flack continued, punching the wall.
Behind them, the door pinged open to their floor. Taylor let out a sob as she ducked under his arms and bolted. She heard the sound of Flack’s shoe bouncing off the side of the elevator as he kicked it, followed by Danny shouting after her. So she went to the one place they couldn’t go – the ladies bathroom.
Well, where she thought they couldn’t go.
“Drew?” Taylor sat on the toilet seat hoping Danny would just leave her alone. Of course, there was no such luck. “Taylor…? I saw you come in here, you know?”
“This is the ladies bathroom, Messer,” Taylor pointed out miserably.
“Point out the lady and I’ll leave,” he retorted.
He was stood right outside her cubicle – she could see his feet. “What do you want?” she demanded.
“To see if you were alright?” he replied, as though that was obvious.
Taylor snorted. “Alright? I have a broken arm which won’t stop itching, a gash on my forehead which is going to leave a scar the size of the Grand Canyon, a pounding headache, I got attacked and spent a night unconscious in the Park, and Flack has just shouted at me for it. So I’m sat crying in the bathroom. Yeah – I’m fine, thanks for asking.”
There was silence and the feet disappeared from her sight. Taylor waited for the sound of the bathroom door closing, but it didn’t come. Instead…
“Well, he has a point, to be fair.”
Taylor looked up and found Danny hanging over the side of the cubicle, staring down at her. Unlike Flack, however, he wasn’t angry. Only upset.
Taylor sighed and allowed her head to sink into her hands, “I know,” she told him, her voice muffled by her palms.
“So, are you going to open the door, or am I going to have to climb over.” Taylor looked up in time to see Danny’s boot hovering next to him. She got to her feet and left the cubicle quickly before a second person had to walk around with a cast… well, as he probably would have broken his leg, a better term would have been hobbled. Danny jumped down and smiled at her. “Sorry. I would have sent Lindsay or Stella in, but they’re both out. And I didn’t think you would appreciate a random lab tech being sent in.”
Taylor walked over to the sink and sighed at her blotchy reflection,” Flack’s right. I am an idiot.”
Danny walked over to her and gave her a sympathetic smile. “Yeah, you are.” Taylor managed a small smile. “And for the record, you are probably going to get a lecture off Mac and Stella,” he added, giving her a hug.
“I know,” Taylor sighed into his shoulder.
The door to the bathroom opened and a lab tech walked in. She froze when she saw the two, “I… I… I’m sorry,” she stuttered before bolting back out.
Taylor and Danny looked at each other and laughed.
* * *
Danny had been right. Mac had spotted her when the two of them had walked out of the bathroom (he’d raised his eyebrows at that one, but hadn’t said anything) and called her to his office, where he had proceeded to give her a fifty eight minute lecture. The only reason he had stopped was because he had received a page.
As she had left Mac’s goldfish bowl of an office, she had been spotted by Stella, who had just gotten back. Stella had dragged her into the break room, shouted at her for thirty six minutes, cried with her for another ten and followed it all up with a lecture to rival Mac’s, of fifty seven minutes.
She had only stopped when Danny had come in and pointed out that no one had been confident enough to walk into the break room to disturb them and there were many lab techs with rumbling stomachs, and just as many CSIs needing a caffeine fix.
Finally, Taylor was left on her own again. For all of thirty seconds.
“About time they left you alone,” complained Maddy as she appeared with her arms folded tightly under her breasts, Robert at her side.
“You could have appeared with Stella or Mac in the room, you know,” muttered Taylor as she swallowed some pain killer. Somewhat unsurprisingly, a few hours’ worth of, albeit deserved, lectures had left her with another headache.
“I could have, but then they would have sent you to hospital because they would have thought you were hallucinating. They can’t see me, you know,” Maddy reminded her.
Taylor frowned. “You and me are going to have serious words about that rule, Maddy.”
“Later. As it stands, I feel I should be lecturing you about your complete stupidity, however,” she added quickly at the pained expression on Taylor’s face, “Casper here has something for you.”
“You can’t keep calling all the ghosts Casper, Maddy,” Taylor sighed in exasperation. “It’s disrespectful.”
Maddy shrugged, “I haven’t had any objections.” Taylor shook her head in disbelief, before turning her attention to Robert. He was holding a slip of paper with a telephone number on it.
“Help me,” he told her, as Taylor wrote the number down on her cast – it had its uses. As the two ghosts disappeared again, Taylor left the break room and headed to the office Danny and Lindsay shared. Neither were in but she sat down at a desk anyway and picked up the phone and dialled the number.
As soon as the person on the other end of the phone answered, she knew what Robert had been trying to do.
As she had left Mac’s goldfish bowl of an office, she had been spotted by Stella, who had just gotten back. Stella had dragged her into the break room, shouted at her for thirty six minutes, cried with her for another ten and followed it all up with a lecture to rival Mac’s, of fifty seven minutes.
She had only stopped when Danny had come in and pointed out that no one had been confident enough to walk into the break room to disturb them and there were many lab techs with rumbling stomachs, and just as many CSIs needing a caffeine fix.
Finally, Taylor was left on her own again. For all of thirty seconds.
“About time they left you alone,” complained Maddy as she appeared with her arms folded tightly under her breasts, Robert at her side.
“You could have appeared with Stella or Mac in the room, you know,” muttered Taylor as she swallowed some pain killer. Somewhat unsurprisingly, a few hours’ worth of, albeit deserved, lectures had left her with another headache.
“I could have, but then they would have sent you to hospital because they would have thought you were hallucinating. They can’t see me, you know,” Maddy reminded her.
Taylor frowned. “You and me are going to have serious words about that rule, Maddy.”
“Later. As it stands, I feel I should be lecturing you about your complete stupidity, however,” she added quickly at the pained expression on Taylor’s face, “Casper here has something for you.”
“You can’t keep calling all the ghosts Casper, Maddy,” Taylor sighed in exasperation. “It’s disrespectful.”
Maddy shrugged, “I haven’t had any objections.” Taylor shook her head in disbelief, before turning her attention to Robert. He was holding a slip of paper with a telephone number on it.
“Help me,” he told her, as Taylor wrote the number down on her cast – it had its uses. As the two ghosts disappeared again, Taylor left the break room and headed to the office Danny and Lindsay shared. Neither were in but she sat down at a desk anyway and picked up the phone and dialled the number.
As soon as the person on the other end of the phone answered, she knew what Robert had been trying to do.
* * *
“He was trying to help get you clean, wasn’t he?” Taylor had gone straight to the cell where Amanda was being held. Amanda, who was clearly going through a withdrawal, nodded miserably. “And what? You told him you were trying and secretly seeing your dealer.
Amanda nodded again. “He wanted me checked into rehab and go cold turkey, but I was scared, so I went for a few hits to last me,” she let out a sob. “When he found my supply, he told me he was going to make sure that I couldn’t buy anymore. He washed it down the sink. I’m not worth it.”
Taylor sighed. “Amanda, he died to save you. He clearly thought you were,” she paused. “He had you down to check into a rehab the day after tomorrow.”
“It’s a bit late for me now,” Amanda sobbed.
Taylor shook her head. “Help the detectives get your dealer and the only charge you’ll have is an assault charge. Use the time to get clean.”
“I can’t,” Amanda whispered, petrified.
Taylor frowned. “If I can think of something, will you please promise me, and your brother that you will get yourself clean?”
Amanda stared at her warily through her tears. “How are you going to do that?”
“I’ll think of something,” she reassured her. Amanda thought about it and nodded. Taylor left her wondering exactly what it was she was going to do.
Her head was still in the clouds as she headed back to Danny’s office, until she caught a whiff of a conversation drifting out of one of the labs. The only thing that had made her stop and eavesdrop was the fact she had heard her name.
“…Spent the night unconscious in the Park.”
“Yeah, he was so worried.”
“Worried?” laughed the first voice. “He went into the bathroom to comfort her. I tell you, had I walked in a few minutes later, I think it would have turned into an x-rated moment.”
“I guess we were wrong about that pool – we should have had money going on her instead of Monroe.”
Taylor bit back a chuckle – this was rather entertaining.
“I know,” piped up a third voice. “But then again, look at his record – it was coming.”
“What do you mean?” asked the second.
“Well, he has a history, you know. He has connections to Tanglewood.”
Taylor frowned. This was a new development.
“What has that got to do with him sleeping with the journalist?”
“Well, apparently, her attack was gang related. He’s probably done something to upset the gang leaders – like becoming a cop.”
“So, they go after his girlfriend?” gasped the first.
“Yup. I told you there would be a price to pay to be with someone that divine.”
“If I could sleep with him,” sighed the second. “I would gladly risk anything.”
Well, thought Taylor, its official. They’re crazy. Deciding to break up the conversation, she walked into the room, which instantly fell into an awkward silence. “Hi ladies, sorry to bother you when you’re busy working, but have you seen Danny anywhere?”
The first lab tech looked at the other two with an I told you so look. “I think he’s in his office.”
“Thanks,” smiled Taylor as she walked back out of the room. She headed back to his office and sat down in Lindsay’s chair, putting her feet up on the desk, with a smug smile plastered on her face.
Danny looked over from his computer, “What?”
“Guess who’s the hottest new couple, and obviously, topic of gossip in this here lab?” she asked him. Danny shrugged. “You and me,” Taylor laughed.
“What are you talking about?” Danny asked.
“I just caught a conversation between three of your lab techs, one of whom walked in on us earlier. Apparently we were about to get down to doing the dirty in the bathroom.”
Danny laughed. “That’s priceless.”
Taylor smirked. “I know. We should wind them up. Their lives must be so boring.”
Danny smirked back, “Maybe we will.” He turned his attention back to the computer.
Taylor glanced at the small bruise that had formed where Amanda had smacked him. “How’s your cheek?”
“Fine. How’s your head?”
“Dosed up on painkiller,” Taylor sighed.
Danny looked up again and frowned. “Alright, what’s on your mind?”
Taylor swung her feet of the table and sat upright. “Robert was trying to help Amanda get clean. He had her booked into a rehab clinic.”
Danny frowned, “And?”
“Well, his death seems to have hit her, and I think she’s willing to give it a try,” Taylor shrugged.
Danny pulled a face. “Once a junkie, always a junkie, Drew.”
“You don’t believe in second chances?” Taylor asked, surprised.
Danny shook his head at her. “Of course I do. Lord knows I have had enough given to me, but with drugs it’s different. She’ll get clean, end up in prison, and then she’ll get hooked again.”
“What if she didn’t go to prison?” Taylor asked him, a small idea beginning to form.
“You want me to drop the assault charges?” he asked her. “It wouldn’t do much good if we found out that she was withholding information about Biggs, or whoever her dealer is.”
Taylor gazed at him thoughtfully. “What if she testified against him?”
Danny sighed, “It’s a nice idea, but she would be dead before it came to trial.”
Taylor sat back in her chair and closed her eyes. Danny was right. From her research, she had learnt that even those who had gone into witness protection had never made it to the trial. Maybe she was actually way over her head on this one.
Amanda nodded again. “He wanted me checked into rehab and go cold turkey, but I was scared, so I went for a few hits to last me,” she let out a sob. “When he found my supply, he told me he was going to make sure that I couldn’t buy anymore. He washed it down the sink. I’m not worth it.”
Taylor sighed. “Amanda, he died to save you. He clearly thought you were,” she paused. “He had you down to check into a rehab the day after tomorrow.”
“It’s a bit late for me now,” Amanda sobbed.
Taylor shook her head. “Help the detectives get your dealer and the only charge you’ll have is an assault charge. Use the time to get clean.”
“I can’t,” Amanda whispered, petrified.
Taylor frowned. “If I can think of something, will you please promise me, and your brother that you will get yourself clean?”
Amanda stared at her warily through her tears. “How are you going to do that?”
“I’ll think of something,” she reassured her. Amanda thought about it and nodded. Taylor left her wondering exactly what it was she was going to do.
Her head was still in the clouds as she headed back to Danny’s office, until she caught a whiff of a conversation drifting out of one of the labs. The only thing that had made her stop and eavesdrop was the fact she had heard her name.
“…Spent the night unconscious in the Park.”
“Yeah, he was so worried.”
“Worried?” laughed the first voice. “He went into the bathroom to comfort her. I tell you, had I walked in a few minutes later, I think it would have turned into an x-rated moment.”
“I guess we were wrong about that pool – we should have had money going on her instead of Monroe.”
Taylor bit back a chuckle – this was rather entertaining.
“I know,” piped up a third voice. “But then again, look at his record – it was coming.”
“What do you mean?” asked the second.
“Well, he has a history, you know. He has connections to Tanglewood.”
Taylor frowned. This was a new development.
“What has that got to do with him sleeping with the journalist?”
“Well, apparently, her attack was gang related. He’s probably done something to upset the gang leaders – like becoming a cop.”
“So, they go after his girlfriend?” gasped the first.
“Yup. I told you there would be a price to pay to be with someone that divine.”
“If I could sleep with him,” sighed the second. “I would gladly risk anything.”
Well, thought Taylor, its official. They’re crazy. Deciding to break up the conversation, she walked into the room, which instantly fell into an awkward silence. “Hi ladies, sorry to bother you when you’re busy working, but have you seen Danny anywhere?”
The first lab tech looked at the other two with an I told you so look. “I think he’s in his office.”
“Thanks,” smiled Taylor as she walked back out of the room. She headed back to his office and sat down in Lindsay’s chair, putting her feet up on the desk, with a smug smile plastered on her face.
Danny looked over from his computer, “What?”
“Guess who’s the hottest new couple, and obviously, topic of gossip in this here lab?” she asked him. Danny shrugged. “You and me,” Taylor laughed.
“What are you talking about?” Danny asked.
“I just caught a conversation between three of your lab techs, one of whom walked in on us earlier. Apparently we were about to get down to doing the dirty in the bathroom.”
Danny laughed. “That’s priceless.”
Taylor smirked. “I know. We should wind them up. Their lives must be so boring.”
Danny smirked back, “Maybe we will.” He turned his attention back to the computer.
Taylor glanced at the small bruise that had formed where Amanda had smacked him. “How’s your cheek?”
“Fine. How’s your head?”
“Dosed up on painkiller,” Taylor sighed.
Danny looked up again and frowned. “Alright, what’s on your mind?”
Taylor swung her feet of the table and sat upright. “Robert was trying to help Amanda get clean. He had her booked into a rehab clinic.”
Danny frowned, “And?”
“Well, his death seems to have hit her, and I think she’s willing to give it a try,” Taylor shrugged.
Danny pulled a face. “Once a junkie, always a junkie, Drew.”
“You don’t believe in second chances?” Taylor asked, surprised.
Danny shook his head at her. “Of course I do. Lord knows I have had enough given to me, but with drugs it’s different. She’ll get clean, end up in prison, and then she’ll get hooked again.”
“What if she didn’t go to prison?” Taylor asked him, a small idea beginning to form.
“You want me to drop the assault charges?” he asked her. “It wouldn’t do much good if we found out that she was withholding information about Biggs, or whoever her dealer is.”
Taylor gazed at him thoughtfully. “What if she testified against him?”
Danny sighed, “It’s a nice idea, but she would be dead before it came to trial.”
Taylor sat back in her chair and closed her eyes. Danny was right. From her research, she had learnt that even those who had gone into witness protection had never made it to the trial. Maybe she was actually way over her head on this one.
Originally posted: 25/06/2006