For prodigalmess

[thatsfascinating]

Edrisa has always loved the fascinating cases, the ones that crackle with mystery, the puzzles that invite the team to match waits with a killer before he or she strikes again! They got even better when Malcolm Bright became part of the team, brought in for just such cases. And now that the two of them are together, it's the best! She loves working with him, delving into a case together, so in tune with one another.

The hardest part is trying to be discreet and professional. To be fair, she's never been good at that.

This crime scene, in a wooded area in Central Park, is a doozy. At a distance the body looks like a life-sized doll with curly blonde hair, a blue gingham dress, and patent leather shoes. Up close, though, it's a woman who has been strangled, exanguinated, and posed. The hair is a wig on a head that has been roughly shaved, and the eyes have been sewn open to display bright blue contacts.

It's a whole mess of weird. And Edrisa is on the scene examining the body and looking up periodically, hoping to see Malcolm. He's going to love this!

Comments

[prodigalmess]

Malcolm sits down next to her, gently taking her hand. "We can set up a bed for you over in the living room area," he says. "That way I won't accidentally wake you up if I have a nightmare."

He hates that she has to go through this, and it leaves him feeling worried. Both of them are tired, and he'll be glad to let Edrisa sleep once they have this sorted out.

[thatsfascinating]

"Are you sure?" she whispers. She opens her eyes and looks over at him, so tired with a strong undercurrent of her own worry. "There's no way of knowing how long I'll need to...recover." To be looked after is what she means and what she won't say, but trusts Malcolm knows. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

[prodigalmess]

He furrows his brow. "Edrisa... of course I do. I love you. I'm not going to just leave you to fend for yourself."

Malcolm is surprised she would even think that, but chocks it up to her still recovering from her ordeal.

[thatsfascinating]

She's afraid. Afraid of the memories, afraid that something's going to go wrong and she's going to die after all, afraid she'll never recover.

He loves her. She knows that. But she's afraid.

She nods a little, and her eyes well with tears.

[prodigalmess]

Malcolm leans in kisses her forehead before resting his very gently against it. "I'm going to take care of you," he whispers to her. He knows it probably won't be easy every day, but she's worth it.

[thatsfascinating]

She closes her eyes as he kisses her forehead, tears running down her cheeks, and takes a shuddering breath.

"Thank you," she whispers. "I love you. So much."

[prodigalmess]

Malcolm kisses her lips.

"I love you too. Everything's going to be okay."

He would take care of her to the best of his ability, even if sometimes he didn't know how to take care of himself.

[thatsfascinating]

She kisses him back and sighs with bone-weary relief, her body relaxing. She loves him and trusts him and believes him that everything will in fact be okay, that he's got her and will care for her.

"Sleepy," she whispers, almost inaudibly.

[prodigalmess]

"It's okay. Go to sleep."

She has a long recovery ahead of her, but she's safe now. Malcolm's not going to let anything happen to her.

[thatsfascinating]

She gives a slight nod, already drifting off.

"I love you," she whispers once more, very softly, before consciousness slips entirely from her fingers and she sinks into a warm darkness.