Spoilers for 2x21: All Access
Taylor decided that she needed to clear her head, opting to walk to the lab. As a result, it was an hour later before she turned up, dripping wet from the pouring rain and, although she didn’t feel it, freezing cold.
She was walking numbly through the reception when Prue, the receptionist called her over. “You have a Valentine,” she told her, indicating to an enormous bouquet of red roses. “That detective must love you a lot – there’s twenty seven roses there! That must have cost a small fortune.”
Taylor was about to tell her that they weren’t from Flack, when Lindsay burst past her, Danny close behind. “Montana, hey! What’s up? Hey, this guy’s about to fold.” Danny grabbed Lindsay, who whirled around at him, fire in her eyes. “Hey-hey-hey, ease up, ease up.”
“You know what, Danny?” The fire was quickly replaced with tears. “Maybe you should just handle this case by yourself, okay?”
“Mac’s handling Stella’s situation, alright?” Danny told her slowly, as though the speed of his sentence might calm her down. “If he needs us, he’ll let us know. But until then-”
“I just wish that there was something that we could do to help.”
Taylor could relate to that, although, this time there had been something she could have done, and she’d failed.
“You know what Stella would say? What we could do to help the most? Is close this Russo case. Alright?”
Lindsay nodded, her gaze falling past Danny and onto Taylor. “Is Stella alright?” she asked hurrying over.
“Yeah,” said Taylor, “I just…”
There had been a handful of times Taylor could have kissed Danny for reading the situation in a way she would have considered almost clairvoyantly for him. This was one of them. “Damn, I never would have pegged Flack for the clichéd roses kind of guy. He’s never made that big a deal about Valentine’s Day before.”
Taylor shot him a grateful smile. “They’re not from Don.”
Danny smirked. “You got another guy on the side?”
“Yeah. My father,” Taylor admitted.
“Your dad sends you flowers on Valentine’s Day?” Danny asked with a laugh.
Lindsay smacked him in the stomach. “Mine used to do that, so leave it alone.”
“It’s not a Valentine’s Day present.”
“What did you do for your dad to send you a bunch of flowers that big? There’s got to be about thirty stems there!” Lindsay exclaimed.
“Twenty seven,” Taylor corrected quietly.
Lindsay clicked instantly. “But your birthday is tomorrow.”
Taylor sighed – it was confession time. “My birthday is today.”
“But why would you say your birthday was tomorrow?” Lindsay asked in confusion.
“Oh dear, it’s a real life cupid!” Danny exclaimed.
Taylor rolled her eyes. “That’s why.”
“Because of idiots like Danny?”
“Hey,” objected Danny.
“I wasn’t the most popular kid in school – I was… I was Nancy Drew. And my initials are TNT. And I was born on Valentine’s Day.” Taylor shook her head, “I moved to New York and the only thing I could change… I just told everyone my birthday was on the day after Valentine’s Day. Besides, everyone was always doing something coupley, so I changed the day so I didn’t have to compete for a night out. It’s not that big of a deal.”
“And the flowers?” Lindsay asked, back to admiring the enormous bouquet.
Taylor shrugged. “My parents were never going to agree to a change of birthday. Dad sends me a rose for every year of my life. It’s his joke for me being a Valentine baby. Anyway, do you mind if I go sit in your office with you?”
Danny shrugged. “We have work to do, but you’re more than welcome to go sit in there if you want.”
Taylor nodded. “I’ll catch up with you guys later,” she told them, picking up the bouquet which was actually pretty heavy.
“Hey, Cupid,” Danny called after her.
Taylor whirled around. “Call me Cupid again, and I will make sure that you will never have babies.”
Danny held his hands up. “Drew it is.”
Taylor rolled her eyes at him. “What is it, Danny?”
“You know any celebrities which own a kinkapoodle?”
“A what now?” Taylor asked, staring blankly at him.
“He means a kinkajou,” Lindsay informed her, rolling her eyes.
Taylor frowned. “Not a clue,” she apologized and headed straight for their office, taking a seat at Danny’s desk so that she could keep an eye on the door. She stared at the flowers before pulling the card out from them.
She was walking numbly through the reception when Prue, the receptionist called her over. “You have a Valentine,” she told her, indicating to an enormous bouquet of red roses. “That detective must love you a lot – there’s twenty seven roses there! That must have cost a small fortune.”
Taylor was about to tell her that they weren’t from Flack, when Lindsay burst past her, Danny close behind. “Montana, hey! What’s up? Hey, this guy’s about to fold.” Danny grabbed Lindsay, who whirled around at him, fire in her eyes. “Hey-hey-hey, ease up, ease up.”
“You know what, Danny?” The fire was quickly replaced with tears. “Maybe you should just handle this case by yourself, okay?”
“Mac’s handling Stella’s situation, alright?” Danny told her slowly, as though the speed of his sentence might calm her down. “If he needs us, he’ll let us know. But until then-”
“I just wish that there was something that we could do to help.”
Taylor could relate to that, although, this time there had been something she could have done, and she’d failed.
“You know what Stella would say? What we could do to help the most? Is close this Russo case. Alright?”
Lindsay nodded, her gaze falling past Danny and onto Taylor. “Is Stella alright?” she asked hurrying over.
“Yeah,” said Taylor, “I just…”
There had been a handful of times Taylor could have kissed Danny for reading the situation in a way she would have considered almost clairvoyantly for him. This was one of them. “Damn, I never would have pegged Flack for the clichéd roses kind of guy. He’s never made that big a deal about Valentine’s Day before.”
Taylor shot him a grateful smile. “They’re not from Don.”
Danny smirked. “You got another guy on the side?”
“Yeah. My father,” Taylor admitted.
“Your dad sends you flowers on Valentine’s Day?” Danny asked with a laugh.
Lindsay smacked him in the stomach. “Mine used to do that, so leave it alone.”
“It’s not a Valentine’s Day present.”
“What did you do for your dad to send you a bunch of flowers that big? There’s got to be about thirty stems there!” Lindsay exclaimed.
“Twenty seven,” Taylor corrected quietly.
Lindsay clicked instantly. “But your birthday is tomorrow.”
Taylor sighed – it was confession time. “My birthday is today.”
“But why would you say your birthday was tomorrow?” Lindsay asked in confusion.
“Oh dear, it’s a real life cupid!” Danny exclaimed.
Taylor rolled her eyes. “That’s why.”
“Because of idiots like Danny?”
“Hey,” objected Danny.
“I wasn’t the most popular kid in school – I was… I was Nancy Drew. And my initials are TNT. And I was born on Valentine’s Day.” Taylor shook her head, “I moved to New York and the only thing I could change… I just told everyone my birthday was on the day after Valentine’s Day. Besides, everyone was always doing something coupley, so I changed the day so I didn’t have to compete for a night out. It’s not that big of a deal.”
“And the flowers?” Lindsay asked, back to admiring the enormous bouquet.
Taylor shrugged. “My parents were never going to agree to a change of birthday. Dad sends me a rose for every year of my life. It’s his joke for me being a Valentine baby. Anyway, do you mind if I go sit in your office with you?”
Danny shrugged. “We have work to do, but you’re more than welcome to go sit in there if you want.”
Taylor nodded. “I’ll catch up with you guys later,” she told them, picking up the bouquet which was actually pretty heavy.
“Hey, Cupid,” Danny called after her.
Taylor whirled around. “Call me Cupid again, and I will make sure that you will never have babies.”
Danny held his hands up. “Drew it is.”
Taylor rolled her eyes at him. “What is it, Danny?”
“You know any celebrities which own a kinkapoodle?”
“A what now?” Taylor asked, staring blankly at him.
“He means a kinkajou,” Lindsay informed her, rolling her eyes.
Taylor frowned. “Not a clue,” she apologized and headed straight for their office, taking a seat at Danny’s desk so that she could keep an eye on the door. She stared at the flowers before pulling the card out from them.
Every time I manage to convince myself that you’re still my baby, I find it’s the time of year that I have to send you these.
Happy birthday, Taylor.
All my love, Dad.
P.S. I’ve sorted you out with a car – you should be getting a letter about it soon, if you haven’t already.
Happy birthday, Taylor.
All my love, Dad.
P.S. I’ve sorted you out with a car – you should be getting a letter about it soon, if you haven’t already.
* * *
Taylor was staring out of the window, watching the rain fall when the room went cold. She turned around and found Maddy and Aiden, both looking worried. “Um, we have a problem,” said Maddy.
Taylor could feel the knot in her stomach, which had yet to disappear, grow tighter. “Be a little more specific,” she told her slowly.
“Frankie.” Aiden said.
“Stella?” Taylor asked instantly.
“She’s alright,” Aiden assured her.
“Then what’s the problem?” Taylor asked.
“He’s, um, disappeared.”
Taylor felt faint. “What do you mean, he’s disappeared?”
Aiden sighed. “We…The Powers That Be made a mistake. He’s not supposed to be going to a nice happy place.”
“What do you mean, they made a mistake?” Taylor repeated.
“We were under the impression he was,” Aiden frowned. “I wouldn’t go so far as to say he was good, but technically, he was murdered.”
“By Stella!” Taylor exploded. “You know Stella! It was hardly in cold blood.”
“The point is, Taylor, there are rules. And normally, these rules work. But every so often there is an exception. And in this instance, Frankie was an exception.”
“Well, find him!” Taylor snapped.
Maddy bit her lip. “That’s the problem. We can’t.”
“You can’t? You’re ghosts. Where exactly can he hide?” Taylor asked in disbelief.
“In someone.”
“In some… you mean he’s possessed someone?” Taylor asked. The two ghosts nodded. “Well what are we going to do about it?”
“We need to un-possess whoever he has possessed,” Maddy told her.
“Exorcise his spirit,” Taylor corrected her.
Maddy nodded. “You need to find a holy person.”
“A priest?”
Aiden frowned. “Technically, that wouldn’t work. Well, it would, but the Catholic Church rarely admit to a possession. Few religions do. You’re going to have to go outside the loop on this one.”
“How am I…?” Taylor trailed off. “Will a witch doctor do?”
“You can find a witch doctor?” Maddy asked in disbelief. Taylor nodded. “Damn, I need to keep a better eye on the company you keep.”
“Maddy!” Taylor exclaimed. There was a time and a place and this wasn’t it.
“Once you find him-”
“Her,” Taylor corrected her friend.
“Her. Once you find her, she should know what to do. But then you’re going to have to find Frankie.”
Taylor rubbed at her temples. “You need to keep an eye on Stella.”
“You think he’ll go after her again?” Aiden asked.
Taylor sighed. “I hope not, but I’ve had this funny feeling all day that I can’t seem to shake, and something is telling me that we need to keep an eye on Stella.”
* * *
A while later Taylor was in Harlem, staring up at one of the old buildings, hoping beyond hope that the woman she was seeking still lived there. She hurried into the building to the apartment she was looking for and started banging on the door.
It swung open in front of her. Tentatively, Taylor peeked her head around the door. “Mama Severina?” she called, stepping into the room. The candles, which lit the room, flickered. “Mama Severina,” she called again, heading for the dark living room.
“You have returned, Child.”
“Oh, thank God,” Taylor sighed in relief, hurrying over to the elderly woman’s side.
“Your aura has changed,” said Mama Severina. “You have found your purpose in life. And you allowed love into it.” Mama Severina smiled. “The blue-eyed detective.”
“How did you…?” Taylor shook her head, “That’s not important. Look, my friend.”
“The other detective who came. The woman with corkscrew curls.”
Taylor’s jaw dropped open. “Alright, that is down-right freaky.”
“Child, I can read it in your aura. It’s like a book, if you know how to read it.”
“Then you know why I am here?” Mama Severina nodded. “Can you help?”
“Yes, Child.”
“Then what do I need to do?” Taylor asked urgently.
“You need to find the evil spirit.”
Taylor frowned. “How do I do that?”
Mama Severina smiled. “You already know the answer.”
“Stella,” Taylor realised.
“Let what you seek come to you. Fight it on your ground.”
“What about the exorcism?”
“You leave that to me, Child. I need to prepare. But I will be there when the time is right.”
Taylor’s forehead wrinkled up in confusion. “But how will you know where I am?”
“You’re not the only one who can talk to spirits, Child.” Taylor nodded, somehow she wasn’t surprised. “Oh, and I gave you that gris-gris for a reason.”
“Gris-girs?” Taylor’s hand dropped into the bottom of her purse, where, after much rooting around, she found the silver dime Mama Severina had given her all that time ago.
“It protects from evil. Silver is the pure metal – the metal evil fears.”
Taylor stared at it, before rolling up her trouser leg and tying it around her ankle.
“I will see you soon."
It swung open in front of her. Tentatively, Taylor peeked her head around the door. “Mama Severina?” she called, stepping into the room. The candles, which lit the room, flickered. “Mama Severina,” she called again, heading for the dark living room.
“You have returned, Child.”
“Oh, thank God,” Taylor sighed in relief, hurrying over to the elderly woman’s side.
“Your aura has changed,” said Mama Severina. “You have found your purpose in life. And you allowed love into it.” Mama Severina smiled. “The blue-eyed detective.”
“How did you…?” Taylor shook her head, “That’s not important. Look, my friend.”
“The other detective who came. The woman with corkscrew curls.”
Taylor’s jaw dropped open. “Alright, that is down-right freaky.”
“Child, I can read it in your aura. It’s like a book, if you know how to read it.”
“Then you know why I am here?” Mama Severina nodded. “Can you help?”
“Yes, Child.”
“Then what do I need to do?” Taylor asked urgently.
“You need to find the evil spirit.”
Taylor frowned. “How do I do that?”
Mama Severina smiled. “You already know the answer.”
“Stella,” Taylor realised.
“Let what you seek come to you. Fight it on your ground.”
“What about the exorcism?”
“You leave that to me, Child. I need to prepare. But I will be there when the time is right.”
Taylor’s forehead wrinkled up in confusion. “But how will you know where I am?”
“You’re not the only one who can talk to spirits, Child.” Taylor nodded, somehow she wasn’t surprised. “Oh, and I gave you that gris-gris for a reason.”
“Gris-girs?” Taylor’s hand dropped into the bottom of her purse, where, after much rooting around, she found the silver dime Mama Severina had given her all that time ago.
“It protects from evil. Silver is the pure metal – the metal evil fears.”
Taylor stared at it, before rolling up her trouser leg and tying it around her ankle.
“I will see you soon."
* * *
Taylor found herself marching through the hospital with a purpose. Helping the dead was one thing, but right now, she could do something proactive. Save a friend. Alright, so, she had saved Flack, but that was by being nothing short of a stubborn mule. This was different.
She met Mac as she headed towards Stella’s room. “Evening, Taylor.”
“Hi, Mac. Are you here to pick Stella up?” Mac nodded. “Mac,” Taylor bit her lip. “Do me a favour and keep an eye on her.”
Mac frowned. “Why?”
“Because she needs a friend,” Taylor told him, trying to think on her feet.
“I’m going to make sure she gets home alright.”
Taylor nodded and followed him into Stella’s room where she and Flack were talking.
“Thank you,” said Stella, pulling on her jacket. “Thanks for staying with me, Don.”
“Don’t sweat it. Flack shrugged. “It’s my job. Not to mention, you’re a friend.”
“You’re a very good friend.”
Flack leant over and wrapped his arms around Stella, giving her a tight hug.
“Should I be jealous?” Taylor asked, lightly.
Mac smiled. “I heard somewhere you were getting out of here.”
Stella nodded. “I don’t like hospitals.”
“I’ll walk you out.” Stella gave Taylor a smile and followed Mac out.
“Do you mind if I head back to the precinct?” Flack asked Taylor, who was trying to watch Stella walk out.
“Huh?” she asked flicking her eyes back to him.
“I know it’s Valentine’s Day, but I want to get this paperwork out of the way so Stella doesn’t have this hanging over her head for longer than she needs.”
Taylor had completely forgotten about what day it was, her mind obviously on other things. “Oh, yeah, that’s fine.”
“Taylor, are you alright?”
Taylor looked back at him. “Yeah.” Taylor gave him, what she hoped was, a reassuring smile, and all but ran out of the door, trying to catch up with Stella.
She met Mac as she headed towards Stella’s room. “Evening, Taylor.”
“Hi, Mac. Are you here to pick Stella up?” Mac nodded. “Mac,” Taylor bit her lip. “Do me a favour and keep an eye on her.”
Mac frowned. “Why?”
“Because she needs a friend,” Taylor told him, trying to think on her feet.
“I’m going to make sure she gets home alright.”
Taylor nodded and followed him into Stella’s room where she and Flack were talking.
“Thank you,” said Stella, pulling on her jacket. “Thanks for staying with me, Don.”
“Don’t sweat it. Flack shrugged. “It’s my job. Not to mention, you’re a friend.”
“You’re a very good friend.”
Flack leant over and wrapped his arms around Stella, giving her a tight hug.
“Should I be jealous?” Taylor asked, lightly.
Mac smiled. “I heard somewhere you were getting out of here.”
Stella nodded. “I don’t like hospitals.”
“I’ll walk you out.” Stella gave Taylor a smile and followed Mac out.
“Do you mind if I head back to the precinct?” Flack asked Taylor, who was trying to watch Stella walk out.
“Huh?” she asked flicking her eyes back to him.
“I know it’s Valentine’s Day, but I want to get this paperwork out of the way so Stella doesn’t have this hanging over her head for longer than she needs.”
Taylor had completely forgotten about what day it was, her mind obviously on other things. “Oh, yeah, that’s fine.”
“Taylor, are you alright?”
Taylor looked back at him. “Yeah.” Taylor gave him, what she hoped was, a reassuring smile, and all but ran out of the door, trying to catch up with Stella.
Originally posted 05/09/2006