Sky Chaser
May. 9th, 2007 02:08 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
morgynleriWord Count: 1612
Chapter 1 - New Places
Chapter 2 - Old Friends
Commentary: Characterization, plot, appeal.
Close As Family
Horatio glanced at the phone number he'd entered once more before pressing the send button, waiting for the person he called to pick up the phone.
"Hello?" A young woman answered the phone, and Horatio licked his lips.
"Donnell Morgan, please. Tell him Horatio Caine is calling."
"Yeah, one moment." He heard her call for her dad, muffled, and the faint sound of someone replying.
A few seconds later, another voice came on the phone, one more familiar to Horatio.
"Hey, Horatio. You caught me just before I headed for my shift. Been years." Donnell paused, drawing in a breath. "What's up?"
"I.. I was wondering if you'd heard from Allison."
"She sent a letter a few weeks ago. Said she was retiring. Think she's moving down your way, she's got an old CO who retired down to Miami. A Rick Short, I think. He and his wife were real good to her after her divorce. She might give me a call once she gets settled in, but I doubt it."
"I see." Horatio paused, looking out the window of his apartment.
"Why do you ask, Horatio?" Donnell sounded worried, and Horatio smiled sadly a moment before replying.
"Just some old memories, Donnell. Just some old memories."
"If you say so. Look, I gotta go, or I'll be late for my shift. Hey, if you see her, tell her to call me. I haven't heard her voice in years."
"I'll do that." Horatio looked up at the sky a moment, wondering what had kept Allison from talking to her brother. He'd remembered them being close when they were all at high school. "You take care, Donnell."
"You too. I'll catch you later, Horatio."
"Later, Donnell." Horatio closed his phone slowly, a small frown on his face. The call had raised more questions than it answered. He tucked the cell back into its usual place on his belt before heading to his car. He needed to know more before he ran into Allison again.
~ ~~ ~
"You look like you saw a ghost, Al." Rick kept the keys to the plane in hand when he saw her step into the hanger. "What happened?"
Allison ran a hand through her hair, and gave him a tight smile. "Nothing I want to talk about, Rick. Just... I need to clear my head, and running isn't working. I promise, I won't break your lady. I'll bring her back in one piece."
"This have anything to do with your sudden certainty that you want the job?" Rick raised an eyebrow at her.
"If I tell you it does, will you let me take up a plane as soon as I can clear a flight plan, Rick?"
"Already cleared one for you. Out over the ocean and back. I'll cancel it, though, if I don't think you're up to it."
"I'm good to fly, Rick. Still have all the certs, and you know how I get once I'm up in that sky. Nothing but me, the plane, and mistress sky above and the ground far, far below me. Please, Rick. I need this."
"You going to tell me what happened?"
"I ran into an old friend, Rick. And the rest of it's none of your damned business." Allison glared at him, shifting on her feet, the sky calling to her.
"You got a time set up to talk to someone? A lunch with a friend, a shrink, someone?"
"No."
"Then no. No flying unless you're going to talk to someone. And I mean it, Al. You worried me with that call, and you're not helping your case the way you're acting."
Allison sighed, running her hand through her hair again. "You agreed to this just so you could see how I was doing, didn't you?"
"You wouldn't have come out here otherwise, Al. And I've got to run the business." Rick tucked the keys into his pocket as he took a step closer, reaching out a gentle hand to pat her on the shoulder. "You're family, Al, and I worry about you."
"Yeah." Allison sagged into his hand a moment, before straightening again. "Told you, I ran into an old friend. Someone I never expected to see again. Should have kept better tabs on where he went with his life, might have succeeded in not seeing him again."
"Old flame?"
"Something like that." Allison drew in a deep breath. "And if I can't take one of the ladies up... eh. I might as well go looking for a shrink, just so you can be sure you're not sending up a crazy lady with your sutdents."
"Crazy you're not, Al." Rick gave her a stern look. "Driven, and sometimes a little obssessive about the planes, but not crazy."
Allison chuckled a little. "Maybe, Rick. Maybe not." She turned away, fingering her car keys as she headed out of the hanger.
Rick frowned, shaking his head as he furrowed his brow in concern. "What's gotten into you, Al?" he murmured, before returning to the inspection he'd been doing when Allison arrived.
~ ~~ ~
"I don't know Sergeant Morgan very well, Mr. Caine." Corienne grabbed her son as he bolted through the kitchen, firmly reminding him that he wasn't to run in the house before letting him go. "Emily knew her longer, but she probably can't help you. Her memory isn't always very good anymore."
"I understand, Mrs. Short. Is there anything you can tell me?"
"I know my in-laws first met her while she was getting a divorce. And they've kept in touch with her ever since." Corienne shook her head, shrugging. "Really, Mr. Caine, I don't know much. You could ask Rick when he gets back from the hanger. He's hoping to hire her to help him with the students, and he speaks highly of her. As a pilot, and a technician." She paused, a small frown tilting the corners of her mouth down a moment. "If you don't mind me asking, how do you know Sergeant Morgan?"
"We..." Horatio tilted his head slightly, a wistful smile coming to his face. "We went to high school together. I ran into her this morning, and she... was a bit upset, I think."
"I wouldn't be surprised. Emily didn't recognize her when she came for dinner last night. I think she took it pretty hard." Corienne shook her head. "So, high school. It has to be a long time, then. Loose contact?"
"Something like that. I'd rather not talk about it. Would you know when Rick will be home?"
"He usually gets back about seven. The hanger closes at five, but he stays around to make sure the planes are put away. His ladies, he calls them. Takes almost as good care of them as he does Emily. Why don't I give him your number, and have him call you?" Corienne turned, picking up the pad and pen sitting on the counter behind her, and holding them out to Horatio.
"Thank you, Mrs. Short."
~ ~~ ~
Allison rubbed her arms as she stood on the balcony of her apartment, looking out over the street without really seeing it. Despite the sultry heat of the June evening, goosebumps prickled her skin.
The wind blew steadily off the ocean, the coast a bare five minute walk away from the hotel. She wrapped the blanket tighter around her shoulders, leaning against the balcony door, her eyes drawn up to the sky above her. They sky she'd always dreamed of soaring through, and loved since she was little.
The door shifted behind her, and she shifted her weight so she wouldn't sprawl backwards once it opened.
"Allison, are planning on staying out there all day?"
"Why not? I haven't seen the sky so... free. So empty of clutter. It's beautiful."
"You have seen it that open, Allison."
"Not since last summer. And... not like this." She shook her head. "I don't want to go to the beach, granma. I just..."
She heard her grandmother shift, and a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I know. I'm not going to tell you it will be all right. But you made your choice, and you have to live with it. One way or another."
"Yeah." Allison closed her eyes a moment. "I just... I don't know what I'm going to tell Horatio. We were so careful."
"As I would expect of you."
"He thinks this is... a last summer trip with my granma for me before I go off and enlist. I... don't know if I can tell him the truth. He..."
"Does he love you?"
"I... don't know, granma. I think he does. He says he does. But...." Allison gestured helplessly.
"You don't know, and you're frightened?"
"What if he hates me for this?" Allison twisted around to look at her grandmother, fightin back the tears that welled up in her eyes once more. "What if he doesn't understand?"
"Then he's not worth you crying over." She smiled, wrapping an arm around Allison a moment. "But, if he really is the young man he acts he is, I'd think he'd find it in himself to understand your decision to end the pregnancy, Allison. And he'd support you."
Allison sighed, leaning her head against her grandmother's shoulder a moment. "I... I'll figure it out when we get back to New York. Before I leave."
"You do that, sweetheart. Now, how about that walk on the beach?"
"I should have told him, granma," Allison murmured, drawing in a shuddering breath. "I should have told him, and I should tell him now, but... I don't know if I have the strength to do so. Forgive me, but I don't know if I can."
Chapter 4 - Memories
Chapter 1 - New Places
Chapter 2 - Old Friends
Commentary: Characterization, plot, appeal.
Horatio glanced at the phone number he'd entered once more before pressing the send button, waiting for the person he called to pick up the phone.
"Hello?" A young woman answered the phone, and Horatio licked his lips.
"Donnell Morgan, please. Tell him Horatio Caine is calling."
"Yeah, one moment." He heard her call for her dad, muffled, and the faint sound of someone replying.
A few seconds later, another voice came on the phone, one more familiar to Horatio.
"Hey, Horatio. You caught me just before I headed for my shift. Been years." Donnell paused, drawing in a breath. "What's up?"
"I.. I was wondering if you'd heard from Allison."
"She sent a letter a few weeks ago. Said she was retiring. Think she's moving down your way, she's got an old CO who retired down to Miami. A Rick Short, I think. He and his wife were real good to her after her divorce. She might give me a call once she gets settled in, but I doubt it."
"I see." Horatio paused, looking out the window of his apartment.
"Why do you ask, Horatio?" Donnell sounded worried, and Horatio smiled sadly a moment before replying.
"Just some old memories, Donnell. Just some old memories."
"If you say so. Look, I gotta go, or I'll be late for my shift. Hey, if you see her, tell her to call me. I haven't heard her voice in years."
"I'll do that." Horatio looked up at the sky a moment, wondering what had kept Allison from talking to her brother. He'd remembered them being close when they were all at high school. "You take care, Donnell."
"You too. I'll catch you later, Horatio."
"Later, Donnell." Horatio closed his phone slowly, a small frown on his face. The call had raised more questions than it answered. He tucked the cell back into its usual place on his belt before heading to his car. He needed to know more before he ran into Allison again.
"You look like you saw a ghost, Al." Rick kept the keys to the plane in hand when he saw her step into the hanger. "What happened?"
Allison ran a hand through her hair, and gave him a tight smile. "Nothing I want to talk about, Rick. Just... I need to clear my head, and running isn't working. I promise, I won't break your lady. I'll bring her back in one piece."
"This have anything to do with your sudden certainty that you want the job?" Rick raised an eyebrow at her.
"If I tell you it does, will you let me take up a plane as soon as I can clear a flight plan, Rick?"
"Already cleared one for you. Out over the ocean and back. I'll cancel it, though, if I don't think you're up to it."
"I'm good to fly, Rick. Still have all the certs, and you know how I get once I'm up in that sky. Nothing but me, the plane, and mistress sky above and the ground far, far below me. Please, Rick. I need this."
"You going to tell me what happened?"
"I ran into an old friend, Rick. And the rest of it's none of your damned business." Allison glared at him, shifting on her feet, the sky calling to her.
"You got a time set up to talk to someone? A lunch with a friend, a shrink, someone?"
"No."
"Then no. No flying unless you're going to talk to someone. And I mean it, Al. You worried me with that call, and you're not helping your case the way you're acting."
Allison sighed, running her hand through her hair again. "You agreed to this just so you could see how I was doing, didn't you?"
"You wouldn't have come out here otherwise, Al. And I've got to run the business." Rick tucked the keys into his pocket as he took a step closer, reaching out a gentle hand to pat her on the shoulder. "You're family, Al, and I worry about you."
"Yeah." Allison sagged into his hand a moment, before straightening again. "Told you, I ran into an old friend. Someone I never expected to see again. Should have kept better tabs on where he went with his life, might have succeeded in not seeing him again."
"Old flame?"
"Something like that." Allison drew in a deep breath. "And if I can't take one of the ladies up... eh. I might as well go looking for a shrink, just so you can be sure you're not sending up a crazy lady with your sutdents."
"Crazy you're not, Al." Rick gave her a stern look. "Driven, and sometimes a little obssessive about the planes, but not crazy."
Allison chuckled a little. "Maybe, Rick. Maybe not." She turned away, fingering her car keys as she headed out of the hanger.
Rick frowned, shaking his head as he furrowed his brow in concern. "What's gotten into you, Al?" he murmured, before returning to the inspection he'd been doing when Allison arrived.
"I don't know Sergeant Morgan very well, Mr. Caine." Corienne grabbed her son as he bolted through the kitchen, firmly reminding him that he wasn't to run in the house before letting him go. "Emily knew her longer, but she probably can't help you. Her memory isn't always very good anymore."
"I understand, Mrs. Short. Is there anything you can tell me?"
"I know my in-laws first met her while she was getting a divorce. And they've kept in touch with her ever since." Corienne shook her head, shrugging. "Really, Mr. Caine, I don't know much. You could ask Rick when he gets back from the hanger. He's hoping to hire her to help him with the students, and he speaks highly of her. As a pilot, and a technician." She paused, a small frown tilting the corners of her mouth down a moment. "If you don't mind me asking, how do you know Sergeant Morgan?"
"We..." Horatio tilted his head slightly, a wistful smile coming to his face. "We went to high school together. I ran into her this morning, and she... was a bit upset, I think."
"I wouldn't be surprised. Emily didn't recognize her when she came for dinner last night. I think she took it pretty hard." Corienne shook her head. "So, high school. It has to be a long time, then. Loose contact?"
"Something like that. I'd rather not talk about it. Would you know when Rick will be home?"
"He usually gets back about seven. The hanger closes at five, but he stays around to make sure the planes are put away. His ladies, he calls them. Takes almost as good care of them as he does Emily. Why don't I give him your number, and have him call you?" Corienne turned, picking up the pad and pen sitting on the counter behind her, and holding them out to Horatio.
"Thank you, Mrs. Short."
Allison rubbed her arms as she stood on the balcony of her apartment, looking out over the street without really seeing it. Despite the sultry heat of the June evening, goosebumps prickled her skin.
The wind blew steadily off the ocean, the coast a bare five minute walk away from the hotel. She wrapped the blanket tighter around her shoulders, leaning against the balcony door, her eyes drawn up to the sky above her. They sky she'd always dreamed of soaring through, and loved since she was little.
The door shifted behind her, and she shifted her weight so she wouldn't sprawl backwards once it opened.
"Allison, are planning on staying out there all day?"
"Why not? I haven't seen the sky so... free. So empty of clutter. It's beautiful."
"You have seen it that open, Allison."
"Not since last summer. And... not like this." She shook her head. "I don't want to go to the beach, granma. I just..."
She heard her grandmother shift, and a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I know. I'm not going to tell you it will be all right. But you made your choice, and you have to live with it. One way or another."
"Yeah." Allison closed her eyes a moment. "I just... I don't know what I'm going to tell Horatio. We were so careful."
"As I would expect of you."
"He thinks this is... a last summer trip with my granma for me before I go off and enlist. I... don't know if I can tell him the truth. He..."
"Does he love you?"
"I... don't know, granma. I think he does. He says he does. But...." Allison gestured helplessly.
"You don't know, and you're frightened?"
"What if he hates me for this?" Allison twisted around to look at her grandmother, fightin back the tears that welled up in her eyes once more. "What if he doesn't understand?"
"Then he's not worth you crying over." She smiled, wrapping an arm around Allison a moment. "But, if he really is the young man he acts he is, I'd think he'd find it in himself to understand your decision to end the pregnancy, Allison. And he'd support you."
Allison sighed, leaning her head against her grandmother's shoulder a moment. "I... I'll figure it out when we get back to New York. Before I leave."
"You do that, sweetheart. Now, how about that walk on the beach?"
"I should have told him, granma," Allison murmured, drawing in a shuddering breath. "I should have told him, and I should tell him now, but... I don't know if I have the strength to do so. Forgive me, but I don't know if I can."
Chapter 4 - Memories