"Happiness is..." - Chapter 1
Chapter: 1 ~ “Strike One”
Author’s Notes: For Robin!
*~*~*
Calleigh and Eric were processing a scene where they thought the occupants had been kidnapped or abducted. The door frame had been busted open. The furniture had been tossed about. The landlady of the apartment complex had been the one to bring attention to the fact that the occupant and her daughter were missing. The ex-husband of the occupant had a TRO against him and had shown up just the same at the complex and the child’s school on several prior occasions.
“What do we know about the scene?” Calleigh asked Eric letting him run out what he thought had occurred.
“Well,” he started, “The ex-husband, Derek Norton, has a history of breaking the TRO. I called it in; he’s tried to kidnap the daughter from school several times. He has been arrested for domestic disturbance when they were married. The wife, Maureen Norton, always dropped the charges.”
“Typical abused wife,” Calleigh commented with a sigh.
“The child is five, just had her birthday last week. Her name is Isabel. She goes to kindergarten at the school down the street. Maureen hasn’t reported into work and Isabel hasn’t shown up for school either.” Eric looked around before looking up at Calleigh, “I think the ex, Derek Norton, broke through the door. He’s probably been learning their routines since his last attempt didn’t work. Instead of just grabbing Isabel at school - probably too many witnesses - he decided it was better to nab her here and take Maureen as well… He may want to pretend to have some dysfunctional diluted perfect family thing…”
“Or he could have killed Maureen…he’s obviously tried before,” Calleigh added.
Eric nodded, “But we need to find out if it really was him… The kid doesn’t need to be exposed to any more than she’s already been exposed to.”
“Agreed.” Calleigh moved onto looking over the busted door frame and the door itself. Running her gloved hand along the door, she looked for any possibly spec of evidence. There was a piece of splintered wood hanging out of the door, and Calleigh underestimated the sharpness and potential danger of it. It sliced through the white cotton of her blouse sleeve and penetrated her skin. She let out a small cry as she pulled away fro the threatening object. “Shit,” she breathed as she looked at a now contaminated piece of evidence and covered her bleeding wound with her hand quickly putting pressure on it.
Eric’s head shot up, “Calleigh? You okay?” he asked getting up from the spot where he’d been collecting evidence.
“I’m fine,” Calleigh snapped quickly and defensively.
As he neared her, he noticed that wasn’t the case. Her white sleeve was stained crimson with her blood. “We should have you looked at.” He reached out and took a hold of her arm to get a better look at it. “This really needs some attention, Cal.”
Pulling her arm from his grasp, “I’m fine, Eric,” Calleigh repeated as she cradled her arm against her chest. She heard footfalls and noticed Frank Tripp had entered the room.
“You’re hurt,” Eric said quietly.
“I’m fine, Eric. Let’s get back to work,” she told him sternly. “We have a woman and her little girl to find.”
“Calleigh,” Frank spoke up before Eric could speak. “What’s wrong with your arm?” he asked spotting her posture and the red stain.
“I’m fine,” Calleigh snapped and walked into the other room.
Frank followed Calleigh after seeing the exasperated and worried look on Eric’s face. He figured that Eric had already tried to talk to Calleigh, it obviously hadn’t worked well. “I’ll go try to talk some sense into her,” Frank said quietly before following Calleigh into the other room. He walked in to see her putting on her white blazer. Her gloves were off and bagged next to her. “It’s gonna bleed through the jacket, too,” Frank spoke up receiving a glare instantly. It wasn’t that he was trying to pester her, he was just concerned. As was Delko.
“I’m fine,” Calleigh repeated. “I can do my job.”
“Look, Alexx should be here any minute to release the body. Have her patch you up or I’ll call Rescue.”
“I’m processin’ a scene,” Calleigh told him putting on a fresh pair of gloves. She wasn’t about to stop doing her job because of a little cut.
“You’re not processing this scene further until you get that cleaned up,” Frank told her pushing aside concern. “You could potentially contaminate evidence.”
Calleigh took a step towards him, “I know my job, and I would never contaminate evidence. I’m a detective, same as you, not a green cadet.”
Frank was shocked. That didn’t sound like the Calleigh Duquesne that he’d been working with for so long. “You’re out of line, and I’ll call Horatio if I have to.”
“I know how to process a scene, Frank. I don’t need you callin’ Horatio and tellin’ him otherwise,” Calleigh snapped.
Frank spotted Alexx and decided to look like he’d given up. “Fine, you just do whatever you want.” He left Calleigh, but quickly went after Alexx for some help. “Hey Alexx, before you release the body, could you do me a favor?” he asked.
Alexx looked up at where she was crouched down next to the body. “Depends on the favor.”
“I’ve got an injured CSI who’s determined not to get looked at and make enemies out of all of us,” Frank explained.
“Not Eric,” Alexx said surprised at the thought. “And Ryan’s looking over old case files…”
Frank smiled a bit, “Yeah…” He tilted his head a bit, “It’s Calleigh. She’s got some kind of gash. It’s already bled through her sleeve and its starting to bleed through her jacket.”
“She could contaminate evidence,” Alexx said shocked as she stood up, straightening herself.
“I know,” Frank agreed, “And I told her so.”
“Are you going to say something to Horatio?” Alexx asked.
“Don’t want to, but I’ll probably have to mention it. That is if Delko doesn’t. She went off on the both of us.”
Alexx sighed, “Alright, I’ll go make sure she’s taken care of. Thanks Frank.”
“Thanks Alexx.”
*~*~*
Alexx had brought supplies in order to clean, treat, and patch up a wound and found Calleigh taking pictures in a room alone. “Sit down, Calleigh.”
“I’ve got to finish processin’ this room,” Calleigh told her as she continued to snap pictures. “I can sit down and chat later.”
“I’m not here for a chat,” Alexx informed her. “Now sit down and let me see that arm.”
She stopped taking photographic evidence for a moment and looked over at her friend, “Did Frank send you?” When she got a nod, she shook her head and went back to work. “He blew things out of proportion, I’m fine.”
Alexx reached out and snatched the camera. She set it aside and then pointed for to a clear place for Calleigh to sit, “Sit,” she repeated calmly. She waited as it took a minute for Calleigh to comply with her orders. She watched as Calleigh peeled her injured arm out of the sleeve of the stained white blazer. Alexx frowned, “That is much more than just a cut. Frank was right to have you looked at.” She studied it for a moment, “You’re going to need stitches!”
“Can you do it?” Calleigh asked looking down at her arm. She didn’t think it was that bad. Definitely not bad enough to warrant stitches.
“No, but I’ll clean it up and cover it up,” Alexx told her. “Let me have Frank call Rescue.”
“No!” Calleigh said quickly. “Let me finish processin’ the scene.”
“Honey, Eric can finish up here,” Alexx told her friend. “No one’s going to be mad at you for taking care of yourself. In fact, I think they’d be relieved.”
“I can do my job,” Calleigh told her.
Alexx saw exactly what Frank had been talking about. She was being rather difficult. “We all know that,” Alexx said as she disinfected the wound. “And I have to say you’re lucky. Whatever you cut your arm open on didn’t break off inside…and there don’t seem to be any foreign objects of any kind.”
“I wasn’t being careful,” Calleigh explained. More so to chastise herself for not being cautious more than anything.
“Accidents happen, Honey,” Alexx said gently and smoothed in place a stack of gauze pads and taped them in place.
Pain shot up her arm, but Calleigh just bit her tongue. She didn’t want Alexx worrying more. She was fine. She didn’t see why she needed stitches. “Can I go back to processin’?” Calleigh asked.
“I’m making sure Frank and Eric know that after the scene’s been processed that you’re off to the hospital,” Alexx informed her as she closed up her kit.
“I can drive myself,” Calleigh argued.
“Calleigh Duquesne, I will call Horatio and tell him that you’re in no condition to be at the lab today.”
Why was everyone making such a big deal? “The evidence will need to be transported back to the lab.”
“So, Frank can call Rescue to pick you up,” Alexx said. “You’re not getting away that easily. She hated being so firm, but it needed to be done. Calleigh was a good friend, and she hated seeing any of her friends injured.
Calleigh pulled her blazer back on completely and got up going to her kit to get yet another clean pair of gloves.
“You’re welcome,” Alexx said emphasizing the words before heading back to the other room shaking her head as she went.
*~*~*
TBC…
Author’s Notes: For Robin!
*~*~*
Calleigh and Eric were processing a scene where they thought the occupants had been kidnapped or abducted. The door frame had been busted open. The furniture had been tossed about. The landlady of the apartment complex had been the one to bring attention to the fact that the occupant and her daughter were missing. The ex-husband of the occupant had a TRO against him and had shown up just the same at the complex and the child’s school on several prior occasions.
“What do we know about the scene?” Calleigh asked Eric letting him run out what he thought had occurred.
“Well,” he started, “The ex-husband, Derek Norton, has a history of breaking the TRO. I called it in; he’s tried to kidnap the daughter from school several times. He has been arrested for domestic disturbance when they were married. The wife, Maureen Norton, always dropped the charges.”
“Typical abused wife,” Calleigh commented with a sigh.
“The child is five, just had her birthday last week. Her name is Isabel. She goes to kindergarten at the school down the street. Maureen hasn’t reported into work and Isabel hasn’t shown up for school either.” Eric looked around before looking up at Calleigh, “I think the ex, Derek Norton, broke through the door. He’s probably been learning their routines since his last attempt didn’t work. Instead of just grabbing Isabel at school - probably too many witnesses - he decided it was better to nab her here and take Maureen as well… He may want to pretend to have some dysfunctional diluted perfect family thing…”
“Or he could have killed Maureen…he’s obviously tried before,” Calleigh added.
Eric nodded, “But we need to find out if it really was him… The kid doesn’t need to be exposed to any more than she’s already been exposed to.”
“Agreed.” Calleigh moved onto looking over the busted door frame and the door itself. Running her gloved hand along the door, she looked for any possibly spec of evidence. There was a piece of splintered wood hanging out of the door, and Calleigh underestimated the sharpness and potential danger of it. It sliced through the white cotton of her blouse sleeve and penetrated her skin. She let out a small cry as she pulled away fro the threatening object. “Shit,” she breathed as she looked at a now contaminated piece of evidence and covered her bleeding wound with her hand quickly putting pressure on it.
Eric’s head shot up, “Calleigh? You okay?” he asked getting up from the spot where he’d been collecting evidence.
“I’m fine,” Calleigh snapped quickly and defensively.
As he neared her, he noticed that wasn’t the case. Her white sleeve was stained crimson with her blood. “We should have you looked at.” He reached out and took a hold of her arm to get a better look at it. “This really needs some attention, Cal.”
Pulling her arm from his grasp, “I’m fine, Eric,” Calleigh repeated as she cradled her arm against her chest. She heard footfalls and noticed Frank Tripp had entered the room.
“You’re hurt,” Eric said quietly.
“I’m fine, Eric. Let’s get back to work,” she told him sternly. “We have a woman and her little girl to find.”
“Calleigh,” Frank spoke up before Eric could speak. “What’s wrong with your arm?” he asked spotting her posture and the red stain.
“I’m fine,” Calleigh snapped and walked into the other room.
Frank followed Calleigh after seeing the exasperated and worried look on Eric’s face. He figured that Eric had already tried to talk to Calleigh, it obviously hadn’t worked well. “I’ll go try to talk some sense into her,” Frank said quietly before following Calleigh into the other room. He walked in to see her putting on her white blazer. Her gloves were off and bagged next to her. “It’s gonna bleed through the jacket, too,” Frank spoke up receiving a glare instantly. It wasn’t that he was trying to pester her, he was just concerned. As was Delko.
“I’m fine,” Calleigh repeated. “I can do my job.”
“Look, Alexx should be here any minute to release the body. Have her patch you up or I’ll call Rescue.”
“I’m processin’ a scene,” Calleigh told him putting on a fresh pair of gloves. She wasn’t about to stop doing her job because of a little cut.
“You’re not processing this scene further until you get that cleaned up,” Frank told her pushing aside concern. “You could potentially contaminate evidence.”
Calleigh took a step towards him, “I know my job, and I would never contaminate evidence. I’m a detective, same as you, not a green cadet.”
Frank was shocked. That didn’t sound like the Calleigh Duquesne that he’d been working with for so long. “You’re out of line, and I’ll call Horatio if I have to.”
“I know how to process a scene, Frank. I don’t need you callin’ Horatio and tellin’ him otherwise,” Calleigh snapped.
Frank spotted Alexx and decided to look like he’d given up. “Fine, you just do whatever you want.” He left Calleigh, but quickly went after Alexx for some help. “Hey Alexx, before you release the body, could you do me a favor?” he asked.
Alexx looked up at where she was crouched down next to the body. “Depends on the favor.”
“I’ve got an injured CSI who’s determined not to get looked at and make enemies out of all of us,” Frank explained.
“Not Eric,” Alexx said surprised at the thought. “And Ryan’s looking over old case files…”
Frank smiled a bit, “Yeah…” He tilted his head a bit, “It’s Calleigh. She’s got some kind of gash. It’s already bled through her sleeve and its starting to bleed through her jacket.”
“She could contaminate evidence,” Alexx said shocked as she stood up, straightening herself.
“I know,” Frank agreed, “And I told her so.”
“Are you going to say something to Horatio?” Alexx asked.
“Don’t want to, but I’ll probably have to mention it. That is if Delko doesn’t. She went off on the both of us.”
Alexx sighed, “Alright, I’ll go make sure she’s taken care of. Thanks Frank.”
“Thanks Alexx.”
*~*~*
Alexx had brought supplies in order to clean, treat, and patch up a wound and found Calleigh taking pictures in a room alone. “Sit down, Calleigh.”
“I’ve got to finish processin’ this room,” Calleigh told her as she continued to snap pictures. “I can sit down and chat later.”
“I’m not here for a chat,” Alexx informed her. “Now sit down and let me see that arm.”
She stopped taking photographic evidence for a moment and looked over at her friend, “Did Frank send you?” When she got a nod, she shook her head and went back to work. “He blew things out of proportion, I’m fine.”
Alexx reached out and snatched the camera. She set it aside and then pointed for to a clear place for Calleigh to sit, “Sit,” she repeated calmly. She waited as it took a minute for Calleigh to comply with her orders. She watched as Calleigh peeled her injured arm out of the sleeve of the stained white blazer. Alexx frowned, “That is much more than just a cut. Frank was right to have you looked at.” She studied it for a moment, “You’re going to need stitches!”
“Can you do it?” Calleigh asked looking down at her arm. She didn’t think it was that bad. Definitely not bad enough to warrant stitches.
“No, but I’ll clean it up and cover it up,” Alexx told her. “Let me have Frank call Rescue.”
“No!” Calleigh said quickly. “Let me finish processin’ the scene.”
“Honey, Eric can finish up here,” Alexx told her friend. “No one’s going to be mad at you for taking care of yourself. In fact, I think they’d be relieved.”
“I can do my job,” Calleigh told her.
Alexx saw exactly what Frank had been talking about. She was being rather difficult. “We all know that,” Alexx said as she disinfected the wound. “And I have to say you’re lucky. Whatever you cut your arm open on didn’t break off inside…and there don’t seem to be any foreign objects of any kind.”
“I wasn’t being careful,” Calleigh explained. More so to chastise herself for not being cautious more than anything.
“Accidents happen, Honey,” Alexx said gently and smoothed in place a stack of gauze pads and taped them in place.
Pain shot up her arm, but Calleigh just bit her tongue. She didn’t want Alexx worrying more. She was fine. She didn’t see why she needed stitches. “Can I go back to processin’?” Calleigh asked.
“I’m making sure Frank and Eric know that after the scene’s been processed that you’re off to the hospital,” Alexx informed her as she closed up her kit.
“I can drive myself,” Calleigh argued.
“Calleigh Duquesne, I will call Horatio and tell him that you’re in no condition to be at the lab today.”
Why was everyone making such a big deal? “The evidence will need to be transported back to the lab.”
“So, Frank can call Rescue to pick you up,” Alexx said. “You’re not getting away that easily. She hated being so firm, but it needed to be done. Calleigh was a good friend, and she hated seeing any of her friends injured.
Calleigh pulled her blazer back on completely and got up going to her kit to get yet another clean pair of gloves.
“You’re welcome,” Alexx said emphasizing the words before heading back to the other room shaking her head as she went.
*~*~*
TBC…