The Sparkling Series...Parts 27-30
Title(s): Discovery (Part 27), Prison (Part 28), Guilty (Part 29), Home (Part 30)
Pairing/Characters: Colby, Megan, David, OFC-Callie, Gary Walker
Rating: PG for language
Summary: The search continues...he's promised to get her home.
Word Count: 300 x 4
Spoilers: none.
Notes/Warnings: The girl with the math degree and a PhD in chemistry can't count. This is actually Part 27, 28, 29 and 30/33 in The Sparkling Series. Just one big finale post left. I hope it doesn't disappoint. Warning: It's getting schmoopy. Just so you know. I ♥ my beta, julietm! Comments & criticisms welcome! Enjoy. :)
Disclaimer: If you recognize it, regrettably - it's not mine.
Discovery Part 27:
Colby resolved, with hope, that Callie could not be heard because she wasn’t in the immediate area. She had to be hidden away from the noise of the raid and out of earshot for hearing her response.
“David… Megan…” Colby called, nodding in a forward direction to signal that he was moving.
His teammates shared a look but followed him at the ready for whatever lay ahead. He wasn’t sure where he was going. He just knew that he had to look elsewhere and that he had to listen for any sound from her.
The first level of the warehouse had many crevices and they searched every one, calling for her - hoping she would respond. With every echo of their voices with no response, Megan and David began to fear more for Colby than for Walker… knowing he would be less than himself if anything happened to her.
At the end of a long hallway, Colby opened a door and found stairs leading down into a dark and damp forgotten hole. He signaled to his teammates to follow him, weapons and flashlights drawn as he carefully made his way down the slippery concrete steps.
The musty smell and the sound of dripping water only added to his nausea, but he kept going - scanning with his flashlight as he went until he reached the bottom of the stairs.
All that was in the room were two pine boxes, one on top the other… both shut tight.
“Callie?” he called and felt every thing tighten inside him. There was silence. “Callie!” he called again.
Silence… and then a shuffle. Colby’s eyes shot back to David and Megan, asking if they heard it. They nodded and Colby stepped closer to the boxes. “Callie?”
A moan… and then another shuffle. She was inside!
Prison Part 28:
Within minutes, Colby was prying furiously at the lid of the top box. He knew Callie hated closed spaces. Being inside this box would be her personal hell, motivating him to move faster until the box was flung open.
She wasn’t there!
He heard another shuffle, and his stomach lurched as he realized she was in the bottom box! The other had been filled with bricks to keep her from knocking the lid off her own!
With a shove, the top box crashed to the floor, bringing Colby to his knees as he worked to open the one remaining. Frantically he pried until with a loud creak of nail leaving wood he tossed the lid aside.
David’s flashlight instantly illuminated Callie’s tear stained face, finding her bound and gagged with no chance of escape.
Her eyes flinched against the light, showing briefly the panic she felt being trapped inside. This look gave way to relief at the sight of her rescuers.
Colby quickly flicked opened his switch blade, cutting the ties that bound her hands and ankles. But, despite her new freedom, she didn’t move as his hands carefully slipped the gag from her mouth.
“It’s okay, Callie. It’s over. You’re safe,” he sighed, taking her face in his hands to caress her cheeks with tender thumbs. “Can you move?”
She shook her head, having little feeling in her arms and legs after being bound for too long.
Colby reached into the box, scooping her up into his arms. She offered him little assistance as she tried to move her arms about his neck… failing as they fell against her stomach.
“It’s okay,” he whispered, his lips touching her forehead. “I’ve got you,” he breathed, holding her tight to comfort her as he made his way out of the cellar.
Guilty Part 29:
Feeling returned to her arms and legs, leaving Callie a report of only minor injuries following a medical exam at the scene.
During the examination, she gave her statement detailing everything that happened since her abduction. And all the while, Callie watched Colby hovering within view - periodically glancing her way to check on her. An endearing gesture, she mused, as she caught him looking at her again.
He instantly looked away with a boyish grin, opening his phone to make a call.
As his smile went straight to her heart, she admitted she’d been lost the moment she laid eyes on him… watching him now while the agents finished her interview.
Finally alone, she started to stand and found Colby within arms length before she could.
She smiled softly at him, about to speak but silenced when he handed her the phone.
She looked at him curiously, placing a hand over his arm before he could leave while greeting the person on the other end.
Her eyes widened when she heard the voice, feeling Colby slinking away - a guilty smile across his lips. She tightened her hold on him, speaking, “I’m fine, dad… really. Yeah, he is… ” and her face registered shock, eyeing Colby warily.
She spoke a few more words and then a quiet moment passed as Callie looked at the phone in confusion before answering. “I… love you too, dad.”
She hung up and as she handed the phone to Colby, she asked, “How the hell does my dad know about us?”
Before he could answer, she held up her hand. “You know what, I don’t want to know,” she sighed in resignation, exhaustion setting in. “I just want to go home. Can we do that?”
“Yeah… we can do that,” Colby smiled, offering her his arm.
Home Part 30:
Colby gave Callie her space as she stepped tentatively through the only remaining door to her house. He heard the same crunch of glass and wondered what she was thinking - knowing her home had been vandalized, not only by her abductors but by the host of FBI agents searching for evidence.
He had offered to take her back to his place, at least until morning when the damage might not seem so bad. But she wanted to go home...
He watched as she ran her hand over the wall where ERT retrieved the bullet, taking a step closer. He knew she was strong and that she could handle almost anything - but he didn’t know enough to read her thoughts or to know what she needed from him.
Anxiously, he rubbed the back of his neck with one hand tucked into his back pocket. He didn’t know what to say or if he should say anything. Instead, he just kept his distance - ready if she needed him, watching her walk around her house.
He noticed her biting her lip - and while it was an adorable habit, he could tell it was something she did when she didn’t want to be upset.
“I’m sure tomorrow it won’t look so bad, and we can clean every thing and fix it,” he offered.
She smiled appreciatively before turning to straighten a picture on the wall.
“Is that offer to stay at your place tonight still on the table?” she quietly asked, brushing her fingers over the crack in the frame.
“Of course,” he answered, still rubbing the back of his neck.
She nodded as her smile softened across her lips. “I’ll be just a minute,” she sighed before he watched her walk into her bedroom to gather the things she’d need for the night.
<< Survival, Part 26 Shift, Part 31/Support, Part 32/Future, Part 33>>
Pairing/Characters: Colby, Megan, David, OFC-Callie, Gary Walker
Rating: PG for language
Summary: The search continues...he's promised to get her home.
Word Count: 300 x 4
Spoilers: none.
Notes/Warnings: The girl with the math degree and a PhD in chemistry can't count. This is actually Part 27, 28, 29 and 30/33 in The Sparkling Series. Just one big finale post left. I hope it doesn't disappoint. Warning: It's getting schmoopy. Just so you know. I ♥ my beta, julietm! Comments & criticisms welcome! Enjoy. :)
Disclaimer: If you recognize it, regrettably - it's not mine.
Discovery Part 27:
Colby resolved, with hope, that Callie could not be heard because she wasn’t in the immediate area. She had to be hidden away from the noise of the raid and out of earshot for hearing her response.
“David… Megan…” Colby called, nodding in a forward direction to signal that he was moving.
His teammates shared a look but followed him at the ready for whatever lay ahead. He wasn’t sure where he was going. He just knew that he had to look elsewhere and that he had to listen for any sound from her.
The first level of the warehouse had many crevices and they searched every one, calling for her - hoping she would respond. With every echo of their voices with no response, Megan and David began to fear more for Colby than for Walker… knowing he would be less than himself if anything happened to her.
At the end of a long hallway, Colby opened a door and found stairs leading down into a dark and damp forgotten hole. He signaled to his teammates to follow him, weapons and flashlights drawn as he carefully made his way down the slippery concrete steps.
The musty smell and the sound of dripping water only added to his nausea, but he kept going - scanning with his flashlight as he went until he reached the bottom of the stairs.
All that was in the room were two pine boxes, one on top the other… both shut tight.
“Callie?” he called and felt every thing tighten inside him. There was silence. “Callie!” he called again.
Silence… and then a shuffle. Colby’s eyes shot back to David and Megan, asking if they heard it. They nodded and Colby stepped closer to the boxes. “Callie?”
A moan… and then another shuffle. She was inside!
Prison Part 28:
Within minutes, Colby was prying furiously at the lid of the top box. He knew Callie hated closed spaces. Being inside this box would be her personal hell, motivating him to move faster until the box was flung open.
She wasn’t there!
He heard another shuffle, and his stomach lurched as he realized she was in the bottom box! The other had been filled with bricks to keep her from knocking the lid off her own!
With a shove, the top box crashed to the floor, bringing Colby to his knees as he worked to open the one remaining. Frantically he pried until with a loud creak of nail leaving wood he tossed the lid aside.
David’s flashlight instantly illuminated Callie’s tear stained face, finding her bound and gagged with no chance of escape.
Her eyes flinched against the light, showing briefly the panic she felt being trapped inside. This look gave way to relief at the sight of her rescuers.
Colby quickly flicked opened his switch blade, cutting the ties that bound her hands and ankles. But, despite her new freedom, she didn’t move as his hands carefully slipped the gag from her mouth.
“It’s okay, Callie. It’s over. You’re safe,” he sighed, taking her face in his hands to caress her cheeks with tender thumbs. “Can you move?”
She shook her head, having little feeling in her arms and legs after being bound for too long.
Colby reached into the box, scooping her up into his arms. She offered him little assistance as she tried to move her arms about his neck… failing as they fell against her stomach.
“It’s okay,” he whispered, his lips touching her forehead. “I’ve got you,” he breathed, holding her tight to comfort her as he made his way out of the cellar.
Guilty Part 29:
Feeling returned to her arms and legs, leaving Callie a report of only minor injuries following a medical exam at the scene.
During the examination, she gave her statement detailing everything that happened since her abduction. And all the while, Callie watched Colby hovering within view - periodically glancing her way to check on her. An endearing gesture, she mused, as she caught him looking at her again.
He instantly looked away with a boyish grin, opening his phone to make a call.
As his smile went straight to her heart, she admitted she’d been lost the moment she laid eyes on him… watching him now while the agents finished her interview.
Finally alone, she started to stand and found Colby within arms length before she could.
She smiled softly at him, about to speak but silenced when he handed her the phone.
She looked at him curiously, placing a hand over his arm before he could leave while greeting the person on the other end.
Her eyes widened when she heard the voice, feeling Colby slinking away - a guilty smile across his lips. She tightened her hold on him, speaking, “I’m fine, dad… really. Yeah, he is… ” and her face registered shock, eyeing Colby warily.
She spoke a few more words and then a quiet moment passed as Callie looked at the phone in confusion before answering. “I… love you too, dad.”
She hung up and as she handed the phone to Colby, she asked, “How the hell does my dad know about us?”
Before he could answer, she held up her hand. “You know what, I don’t want to know,” she sighed in resignation, exhaustion setting in. “I just want to go home. Can we do that?”
“Yeah… we can do that,” Colby smiled, offering her his arm.
Home Part 30:
Colby gave Callie her space as she stepped tentatively through the only remaining door to her house. He heard the same crunch of glass and wondered what she was thinking - knowing her home had been vandalized, not only by her abductors but by the host of FBI agents searching for evidence.
He had offered to take her back to his place, at least until morning when the damage might not seem so bad. But she wanted to go home...
He watched as she ran her hand over the wall where ERT retrieved the bullet, taking a step closer. He knew she was strong and that she could handle almost anything - but he didn’t know enough to read her thoughts or to know what she needed from him.
Anxiously, he rubbed the back of his neck with one hand tucked into his back pocket. He didn’t know what to say or if he should say anything. Instead, he just kept his distance - ready if she needed him, watching her walk around her house.
He noticed her biting her lip - and while it was an adorable habit, he could tell it was something she did when she didn’t want to be upset.
“I’m sure tomorrow it won’t look so bad, and we can clean every thing and fix it,” he offered.
She smiled appreciatively before turning to straighten a picture on the wall.
“Is that offer to stay at your place tonight still on the table?” she quietly asked, brushing her fingers over the crack in the frame.
“Of course,” he answered, still rubbing the back of his neck.
She nodded as her smile softened across her lips. “I’ll be just a minute,” she sighed before he watched her walk into her bedroom to gather the things she’d need for the night.
<< Survival, Part 26 Shift, Part 31/Support, Part 32/Future, Part 33>>