Spoilers for 2x23: Heroes
Taylor had returned with her father to the USS Nimitz, the ship he was now practically in charge of, but he had disappeared into his office instantly, leaving Taylor to wander the decks. For the most part, she didn’t recognise any of the seamen onboard, but they seemed to recognise her, as none of them asked what she was doing there and let her be. She was stood right at the hull, staring out at the sea when she sensed someone behind her. Expecting her father, she was very surprised to find Maddy accompanied by a beautiful Latino woman. “Oh!” Taylor exclaimed.
“Hi Tay,” said Maddy quietly. “How’s the captain?”
Taylor frowned. “Busy dealing with a dead marine. Who’s this?” she asked indicating to the ghost, who was showing no clear sign of COD, and yet, felt oddly familiar. Taylor racked her brain trying to work out why she felt she knew who she was, but drew a blank.
Maddy shrugged.
“I need you to help them get him for me,” the other ghost told her.
Taylor nodded and froze as bruises appeared over the ghost, her body jerking as if some invisible force was attacking her, and yet, plastered on her face was a grin the Cheshire Cat would have been proud of. Taylor was about to tell Maddy to do something, when the ghost lit up in flames, charring her beautiful features away. A few minutes later, and she was charred beyond recognition.
Only one thing stood out against the black – her white, still grinning, teeth. The now charred ghost held out her hand and showed Taylor a gold police badge.
Taylor turned around and threw up over the side of the ship. She had never witness anything so horrific or violent in her life. It seemed so real that she could still smell the burnt flesh. Just the thought of it made her throw up again. When her stomach was empty, she wiped away her tears and turned back around. Both ghosts had gone.
Taylor wiped her mouth and shut her eyes. This was the first time she had seen her father for the best part of six years, yet she knew she had to help the officer. She hurried inside to tell her father that she was going to the crime lab.
“Hi Tay,” said Maddy quietly. “How’s the captain?”
Taylor frowned. “Busy dealing with a dead marine. Who’s this?” she asked indicating to the ghost, who was showing no clear sign of COD, and yet, felt oddly familiar. Taylor racked her brain trying to work out why she felt she knew who she was, but drew a blank.
Maddy shrugged.
“I need you to help them get him for me,” the other ghost told her.
Taylor nodded and froze as bruises appeared over the ghost, her body jerking as if some invisible force was attacking her, and yet, plastered on her face was a grin the Cheshire Cat would have been proud of. Taylor was about to tell Maddy to do something, when the ghost lit up in flames, charring her beautiful features away. A few minutes later, and she was charred beyond recognition.
Only one thing stood out against the black – her white, still grinning, teeth. The now charred ghost held out her hand and showed Taylor a gold police badge.
Taylor turned around and threw up over the side of the ship. She had never witness anything so horrific or violent in her life. It seemed so real that she could still smell the burnt flesh. Just the thought of it made her throw up again. When her stomach was empty, she wiped away her tears and turned back around. Both ghosts had gone.
Taylor wiped her mouth and shut her eyes. This was the first time she had seen her father for the best part of six years, yet she knew she had to help the officer. She hurried inside to tell her father that she was going to the crime lab.
* * *
She had found Mac on the deck, talking to Captain Flood and waited for him to finish talking to him before she had joined him. “Hi, Mac.”
“Taylor?” Mac questioned, taking in her pale face.
Taylor sighed, “Look, I… I need a favour.”
“What’s the matter?”
“I know you are busy with this case, and I know you don’t believe me, but I was visited by ghost, and I’m sure she was a cop, and because you’re busy, I was hoping that you’d just let me run through the police database and try and find out who she is, and if it comes to nothing, I’ll leave it, but Mac, I saw how she died, and-”
“Taylor,” said Mac sharply, cutting her off. “For some reason you seem agitated by this, so you can check the database. But I can’t waste manpower on this if it is nothing more than a whim.”
“Mac, trust me when I say, I never want to see what I saw, again, and on top of that, my dad is here until tomorrow evening. I’d rather be spending my time with him, but this ghost…”
Mac nodded and led her to his SUV, giving her a lift to the crime lab.
Taylor headed straight upstairs to the computer and brought up the police files, the image of the ghost still burned to her mind. She fought with her stomach at her poor choice of phrase, but managed to stay seated. It was mid afternoon when she found a match.
Aiden Marie Burn.
DOB, 12-28-76
Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY.
As Taylor’s eyes read the note explaining how she had been fired from Mac’s team of CSIs only weeks before she had seen her first ghost, for tampering with evidence, everything began to fall into place. She was Aiden. The Aiden. Danny’s best friend Aiden. The woman who had been in Flack’s photograph.
Taylor’s head only just made it to the metal trash can as she threw up again. She was one of them. And now Taylor had to go deliver the bad news.
She grabbed a print out and dashed out of the door, charging down the corridor to Mac’s office, which she stormed into, without knocking. Mac glared at her impatiently, “Taylor-”
“It’s Aiden, Mac. Aiden Burn. The ghost I saw was Aiden Burn,” she told him, slapping the print out on the table.
Mac looked from her to it. Without a word, he walked out of his office and straight to the AV lab, Taylor on his heels.
Inside, Hawkes was using the FASTSCAN, looking visibly disturbed. “Mac!” he cried as he spotted him.
“What have you got?”
Hawkes shook his head. “That is a sketch of the female victim from the burnt Cadillac,.” He pulled up the image on the left of the three screens. “This is a FASTSCAN image.” He pulled it up on the right hand screen.
“FASTSCAN is a digital representation,” Mac said slowly, still not ready to believe the evidence in front of him. “The resulting image is not a hundred percent accurate.”
“That’s a scale photo of the skull,” said Hawkes, pulling it up on the centre screen. “This is the photo I pulled from the official NYPD file.” He pulled the image over the skull – it fit perfectly. “It’s her, Mac.”
“Aiden,” Mac admitted, quietly.
He looked from the screen to Taylor and sighed.
“Taylor?” Mac questioned, taking in her pale face.
Taylor sighed, “Look, I… I need a favour.”
“What’s the matter?”
“I know you are busy with this case, and I know you don’t believe me, but I was visited by ghost, and I’m sure she was a cop, and because you’re busy, I was hoping that you’d just let me run through the police database and try and find out who she is, and if it comes to nothing, I’ll leave it, but Mac, I saw how she died, and-”
“Taylor,” said Mac sharply, cutting her off. “For some reason you seem agitated by this, so you can check the database. But I can’t waste manpower on this if it is nothing more than a whim.”
“Mac, trust me when I say, I never want to see what I saw, again, and on top of that, my dad is here until tomorrow evening. I’d rather be spending my time with him, but this ghost…”
Mac nodded and led her to his SUV, giving her a lift to the crime lab.
Taylor headed straight upstairs to the computer and brought up the police files, the image of the ghost still burned to her mind. She fought with her stomach at her poor choice of phrase, but managed to stay seated. It was mid afternoon when she found a match.
Aiden Marie Burn.
DOB, 12-28-76
Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY.
As Taylor’s eyes read the note explaining how she had been fired from Mac’s team of CSIs only weeks before she had seen her first ghost, for tampering with evidence, everything began to fall into place. She was Aiden. The Aiden. Danny’s best friend Aiden. The woman who had been in Flack’s photograph.
Taylor’s head only just made it to the metal trash can as she threw up again. She was one of them. And now Taylor had to go deliver the bad news.
She grabbed a print out and dashed out of the door, charging down the corridor to Mac’s office, which she stormed into, without knocking. Mac glared at her impatiently, “Taylor-”
“It’s Aiden, Mac. Aiden Burn. The ghost I saw was Aiden Burn,” she told him, slapping the print out on the table.
Mac looked from her to it. Without a word, he walked out of his office and straight to the AV lab, Taylor on his heels.
Inside, Hawkes was using the FASTSCAN, looking visibly disturbed. “Mac!” he cried as he spotted him.
“What have you got?”
Hawkes shook his head. “That is a sketch of the female victim from the burnt Cadillac,.” He pulled up the image on the left of the three screens. “This is a FASTSCAN image.” He pulled it up on the right hand screen.
“FASTSCAN is a digital representation,” Mac said slowly, still not ready to believe the evidence in front of him. “The resulting image is not a hundred percent accurate.”
“That’s a scale photo of the skull,” said Hawkes, pulling it up on the centre screen. “This is the photo I pulled from the official NYPD file.” He pulled the image over the skull – it fit perfectly. “It’s her, Mac.”
“Aiden,” Mac admitted, quietly.
He looked from the screen to Taylor and sighed.
* * *
Twenty minutes later, after receiving a very cryptic message, Stella, Lindsay and Danny had joined them in the AV lab. Stella was staring in horror at the image blaring at her on the screen. Taylor turned her attention, discreetly, to Danny. As a solitary tear escaped his red rimmed eyes, he turned and stormed out of the lab.
“We’re going to get the son of a bitch who did this,” said Stella, the determination shining through the tears.
Taylor turned to Lindsay, ignoring the rest of the conversation, who gave her a nod of the head you go.
Taylor complied and left, heading straight for the men’s bathroom. She walked straight in, praying her assumption was right – thankfully it was. The only person in there was Danny, his phone to his ear.
“Aid, it’s Danny. Are you there? I need you to pick up.”
“Danny,” Taylor spoke softly.”
“Pick up the phone, Aid.”
“Danny!”
“Aiden, pick up the damn phone. This isn’t funny!” Taylor bit her lip and pulled the phone from him, snapping it shut. “What are you doing?” Danny snapped, snatching the phone back and flipping it open. “Aiden, it’s me. I tried you at home, but… look I need to speak to you urgently. If this is some wind up on your part, it isn’t funny, so stop pissing around and answer the fucking phone.” His voice broke and he crumpled back against the wall. “Why isn’t she answering?” he sobbed, as Taylor wrapped her arms around him.
“Danny, I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“She’s not dead – she can’t be!” Danny pulled away and looked at her pleadingly.
Taylor’s heart broke – seeing her friend like this was agony. “Oh, Danny,” she murmured, pulling him back to her.
As she rubbed his back, Aiden and Maddy appeared. Taylor bit her lip and prayed that Danny wouldn’t sense her, like he had with Hunter Hudson. He didn’t. Even when Aiden just grinned at her as her body was beaten and seemingly spontaneously combusted. “I need you to help them get him for me,” Aiden told her before disappearing. Maddy gave her a sympathetic smile and disappeared, following after Aiden.
She wasn’t sure how long she sat there, trying to give Danny as much support as she could, but her leg had cramped up. Finally, Danny seemed to reanimate and shook his head.
“I..” he started, searching for the words.
“Come on,” said Taylor, saving him. “Can you remember the trouble we got into the last time we were in a bathroom together?” Danny managed a weak smile as he followed Taylor out.
It took him three minutes to find out that they already had a suspect in for questioning. Taylor spotted Mac heading out of the interview room moments after Danny had started charging at him. She froze, watching as Danny’s rage took over him. “Mac, is this him? Is this the scumbag that killed Aiden?”
Mac grabbed him, restraining him, “Danny, get out of here.” Taylor could hear the tears in his voice.
“Just let me talk to him for a minute. I will get him to crack, I promise you.” Taylor found her feet and ran over, grabbing Danny’s arms and pulling him back, taking over Mac in the restraining.
“How! By tuning him up? Stella’s got the case. She knows what to do.”
“This is Aiden. She’s one of our own, Mac!” he cried, in a strangled voice.
“That’s why we can’t make any mistakes. We do this one by the book. Understand?” Mac told him, firmly.
“I just want to help,” his voice was becoming more and more choked up.
“I know. Me too,” Mac sighed. He turned to Taylor. “Get him out of here.”
Taylor nodded, grabbed Danny’s hand, and pulled him into the first available, empty layout room.
“We’re going to get the son of a bitch who did this,” said Stella, the determination shining through the tears.
Taylor turned to Lindsay, ignoring the rest of the conversation, who gave her a nod of the head you go.
Taylor complied and left, heading straight for the men’s bathroom. She walked straight in, praying her assumption was right – thankfully it was. The only person in there was Danny, his phone to his ear.
“Aid, it’s Danny. Are you there? I need you to pick up.”
“Danny,” Taylor spoke softly.”
“Pick up the phone, Aid.”
“Danny!”
“Aiden, pick up the damn phone. This isn’t funny!” Taylor bit her lip and pulled the phone from him, snapping it shut. “What are you doing?” Danny snapped, snatching the phone back and flipping it open. “Aiden, it’s me. I tried you at home, but… look I need to speak to you urgently. If this is some wind up on your part, it isn’t funny, so stop pissing around and answer the fucking phone.” His voice broke and he crumpled back against the wall. “Why isn’t she answering?” he sobbed, as Taylor wrapped her arms around him.
“Danny, I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“She’s not dead – she can’t be!” Danny pulled away and looked at her pleadingly.
Taylor’s heart broke – seeing her friend like this was agony. “Oh, Danny,” she murmured, pulling him back to her.
As she rubbed his back, Aiden and Maddy appeared. Taylor bit her lip and prayed that Danny wouldn’t sense her, like he had with Hunter Hudson. He didn’t. Even when Aiden just grinned at her as her body was beaten and seemingly spontaneously combusted. “I need you to help them get him for me,” Aiden told her before disappearing. Maddy gave her a sympathetic smile and disappeared, following after Aiden.
She wasn’t sure how long she sat there, trying to give Danny as much support as she could, but her leg had cramped up. Finally, Danny seemed to reanimate and shook his head.
“I..” he started, searching for the words.
“Come on,” said Taylor, saving him. “Can you remember the trouble we got into the last time we were in a bathroom together?” Danny managed a weak smile as he followed Taylor out.
It took him three minutes to find out that they already had a suspect in for questioning. Taylor spotted Mac heading out of the interview room moments after Danny had started charging at him. She froze, watching as Danny’s rage took over him. “Mac, is this him? Is this the scumbag that killed Aiden?”
Mac grabbed him, restraining him, “Danny, get out of here.” Taylor could hear the tears in his voice.
“Just let me talk to him for a minute. I will get him to crack, I promise you.” Taylor found her feet and ran over, grabbing Danny’s arms and pulling him back, taking over Mac in the restraining.
“How! By tuning him up? Stella’s got the case. She knows what to do.”
“This is Aiden. She’s one of our own, Mac!” he cried, in a strangled voice.
“That’s why we can’t make any mistakes. We do this one by the book. Understand?” Mac told him, firmly.
“I just want to help,” his voice was becoming more and more choked up.
“I know. Me too,” Mac sighed. He turned to Taylor. “Get him out of here.”
Taylor nodded, grabbed Danny’s hand, and pulled him into the first available, empty layout room.
Originally posted 17/07/2006