Detectives Danny Messer, Don Flack, and Mac Taylor entered a now evacuated Economics 1331 class room. There had been a 9-1-1 call of a possible poisoning of a young woman. As they went into the room, Danny caught a glance of the young woman who was being wheeled out of the room on a gurney. He just caught a glance at her as she was whisked by towards the elevator. He stared at the now closed doors of the elevator. Mac Taylor had to snap him out of his reverie. “Come on Danny we’ve got a crime scene to process,” he said.
Danny turned on his heels and followed Mac into the classroom. Don was interviewing the students. About ten minutes into the process another man joined the group. “Hey Mac, do you need an extra hand?” he asked. Mac turned to face the speaker. “There is not much to go on but help yourself, Hawkes,” he replied. Hawkes joined the group and was covering the area where the young woman had collapsed.
Meanwhile, the young woman was being rushed to New York Presbyterian Hospital. She got there within fifteen minutes and was placed in the Emergency Room and was immediately treated. About thirty minutes later Danny and Don arrived at the hospital to question the young woman. Don spoke to a nurse at the ER station. “Do you know where I can find the young woman who was brought in here thirty minutes from Cornell University?” he asked. The nurse began to type away on the keyboard looking up at the screen periodically. “She is in room 345, she just came out of the ER,” she answered.
Don thanked her then led the way to the room. In the room, the young woman slept some as she waited for the anesthesia to wear off. Don found the room but paused as he looked at the name on the white board. The name on the white board read “T. Woods-Messer”. He turned to look at Danny then back to the room number. Sure enough they had the right room. “What’s the hold up?” Danny asked a little impatiently.
Danny caught a glance of the white board. He did a double-take before slightly pushing Don into the room. He peeked at the bed and noticed the young woman from the gurney from Cornell University. She was an African American woman. Well that is what she looked like at first glance. Don cleared his throat which woke up the young woman. Her vision was a bit blurry but then it came into focus.
“We are with the CSI team. I am Detective Don Flack and this is Detective Danny Messer. May I ask what your name is?” he supplied. She blinked a few times before shifting her attention to Danny. “My name is Tiffanie Woods-Messer,” she said quietly. Danny asked the next question, “Who is your father?” She shrugged as she said, “I never met my father.” Danny doubted what she said was true. “What is your background?” he asked.
Don sighed as he listened to his partner question Tiffanie. “I’m a half &half…half African American half Italian. My mother is African American. My aunt is Dr. Alexx Woods…she used to be the ME for Miami-Dade CSI,” she said. Don’s eyes flickered at the mention of the CSI team from Miami. Don pulled Danny by the shoulder out into the hallway.
“When we get back to the lab get Adam to run a DNA test against Tiffanie’s until then not a word to anyone. Once you get the results go straight to Mac. Don’t tell anyone else,” he said eyeing Tiffanie. Danny took a deep breath then slowly let it out. “Fine, not a word to anyone but Mac,” he said. Once Don was sure of Danny’s word, the two of them went back into the room. Tiffanie watched as both of them began to pull out equipment.
Don photographed while Danny bagged and tagged her clothes. During the process Tiffanie asked, “Are we related?” Danny paused while Don looked between the two of them. Danny did not answer her question. Don turned his attention back to and said, “We will worry about that when the time comes.” Tiffanie nodded as watched Danny finish up. When they both finished Danny burst out of the room leaving Don to talk to Tiffanie.
“I think there is a fifty-fifty chance that you are related to Danny. But we will have to do a DNA test,” he said. She nodded remembering Don had used a swab to swab for DNA. He waved then left the room. She sighed as she glanced out the window. She felt her eyes begin to droop but she tried to fight the Sand Man. Soon there was a knock on her door.
She turned to find her aunt standing in the doorway. “Hi Auntie Alexx,” she said quietly. Alexx walked in then stood by the bed. “I just found out an hour ago what happened. Horatio got me a helicopter to bring me here. How are you feeling?” Alexx said. Tiffanie let out a slow sigh as she said, “Tired but that is normal seeing as I am taking nineteen hours.” Alexx’s eyes widened at the mention of that.
“Sweetie, that’s a lot of work between classes, studying, and doing homework. How many hours of sleep do you get?” she asked. Tiffanie shrugged not really knowing the answer to her question. Alexx sighed as she gave her niece’s hand a loving squeeze. “I think that you should take a break from school and come move in with me and the kids,” she said. Tiffanie sighed a big sigh but surprisingly agreed. “That may be the best decision I ever make,” she said.
A few hours later…
Tiffanie was being released from the hospital. She and Alexx were heading back to her apartment to start packing some of her things. While she was in the middle of packing her undergarments, her cell phone rang. “Tiffanie Messer,” she said propping her cell phone between her ear and shoulder. On the other end was Detective Flack. “Tiffanie, this is Detective Don Flack. How are you feeling?” he asked. She sighed as she answered, “I’m taking a break from school and moving to Miami to live with my Aunt.”
Don looked through his window as Danny paced back and forth. Since they had gotten back from the hospital, Danny found out that Louie had a daughter. That made him an Uncle. Danny wasn’t sure what to do let alone what to tell Lindsay. “Are you sure about that?” he asked, “I mean you just met Danny and…” Tiffanie stopped what she was doing then slipped out into the hallway. “Look I don’t know what happened but it seems to me that this Messer…”
“Danny” “Danny does not want anything to do with me. I mean you saw how he acted before you two left,” she said. Don nodded even though he knew she could not see his action. He sighed before speaking, “Listen Tiffanie, I know it may seem like that is the reason but it is not. He is just overwhelmed by all of this. I mean the guy did not know that his brother had a daughter let alone that Louie stayed with someone long enough to produce a child.”
Tiffanie looked at her neighbor’s door as she absorbed the information. “So that is his name, Louie, Louie Messer,” she said. Don noticed as Danny stopped pacing back and forth since Lindsay had showed up. He pulled her into a hug before breaking down crying. Lindsay ushered him into the break room then closed the door. Don finally spoke, “I know you may not seem to think that Danny wants anything to do with you but trust me he will. It is just a matter of time before he comes around. Please just come see him before you leave.”
By this time Cora, Tiffanie’s neighbor, had opened the door. “What?” she mouthed. Tiffanie shook her head before turning towards her own door. “I got to go,” she said finally. Don interjected, “Please say you will think about it. I don’t want you to regret not getting to know Danny before you leave.” Tiffanie opened her door then said, “I’ll think about it.”
And with that she ended the call. Inside her room Alexx looked at her then continued. Silence filled the room between the two of them. When they finished, they had about two hours before their flight left for Miami. Well the helicopter ride. They were going to ship Tiffanie’s stuff and she was bringing a suitcase full of necessities to get her through until her stuff arrived. “So what you want to do before we head back to Miami?” Alexx asked.
Tiffanie shrugged as she looked at her reflection. Her reflection was decent as she smoothed out her outfit. She wore a turquoise ballerina top with black jeggings. On her feet she wore turquoise gladiator sandals. Her hair was long and dark brown but looked black. Normally she would have had medium length but since she was part Italian she got the long hair length. She was five foot eight and weighed in at a buck sixty.
She looked down at her cell phone in her hand. She let out a sigh then decided to go see Danny. She and Alexx went down to see Bethany, the RA, to have her stuff shipped to Miami. Once they finished they grabbed a cab and headed for Precinct 12. When they got there the two of them thanked the cabbie then made their way to the door. Tiffanie paused a moment as she braced herself before going inside. Inside it seemed like time froze as everyone stopped to look at her and Alexx.
Just as quickly as it happened it ended. Alexx nudged her then the two of them made their way through the maze of desks. They found Detective Mac Taylor’s office. He was there talking to Lindsay. Mac was listening to Lindsay until he glanced up to see Tiffanie. Lindsay noticed that Mac’s attention had been shifted. So she looked in the same direction as he was.
Her mouth dropped as she put two and two together. She stood up then went to the door. “Tiffanie Messer, I presume?” she asked. Tiffanie looked at Alexx before answering. “Actually it is Tiffanie Woods-Messer,” she said. She looked into the eyes of the woman scared for what was to happen next. “Don said you might stop by,” she said before embracing Tiffanie in a hug.
“I’m glad you did, however, Danny is away at the moment,” she said finally. Tiffanie’s eyes shifted towards Mac. Lindsay stepped back from Tiffanie and examined her. “So what happened earlier today?” Lindsay asked. Tiffanie looked down, seeing as she was taller than Lindsay but not by much. “I am taking nineteen hours this semester. Meaning I am studying a lot, doing a lot of homework, and having very little sleep.
I guess I went overboard and just passed out from the lack of sleep,” she said. By now she was sitting in the chair that Lindsay had occupied just moments earlier. Mac took the liberty to ask her what her major was. “I’m working to becoming a Medical Examiner like my Aunt Alexx,” she in an affirmative tone. Alexx stood next to her and added her input. “It’s in her blood to follow Forensics. Before her mother met Alphonse, she and her mother lived with me and my kids,” she said.
As they continued talking an hour had passed and Lindsay was getting anxious. Soon her cell phone was ringing. The caller ID read Don Flack. She stepped out of the room and said, “Where are you guys? Tiffanie is here and has been for an hour.” Don looked over at Danny who was driving. “We are going as fast as we can Lindsay but there is bumper-to-bumper traffic,” he said. Lindsay took notice that Tiffanie was looking at the clock that hung behind Mac’s desk.
She nudged her Aunt and pointed with her head. Alexx looked up then nodded. “Listen and listen good, Tiffanie and Alexx are leaving soon and when they do they will be long gone. Alexx lives in Miami and I am not sure if Tiffanie will up to meeting Danny later on down the road. I can’t lose her, Don, I can’t. I just met her and I am not ready to let her go. So do me a favor and get your hiney back here, pronto,” she said in a I’m-going-to-kick-your-butts-if-you’re-late tone.
Don gulped audibly as he said, “We’re going as fast as we can.” This made her snap back, “Well move faster, bucko!” And with that she slammed the cell phone shut. She placed her hand to her head. She looked up to see Mac, Tiffanie, and Alexx looking at her. She shuffled off down the hallway to clear her mind. She ran into Sheldon was looking for Mac.
“Lindsay have you seen Mac?” he asked. She was obviously out of so he slightly shook her. “Lindsay, earth to Lindsay,” he said. She stopped muttering then said, “Sorry I was just…what can I do for you, Hawkes?” she asked. She had to stop herself from telling him what she planned to do to Don and Danny if they did not get there before Tiffanie and Alexx left. “Yeah he is with Tiffanie and her aunt Alexx,” she said. Sheldon raised an eyebrow and asked, “Tiffanie, isn’t that the girl from Cornell University?”
She nodded as she replied, “Yeah how did you know?” He chuckled as he said, “I gave lectures there and she was one of the few students who volunteered when I needed it.” Lindsay was soon filled with questions. But before she could utter a single word, Alexx and Tiffanie were leaving Mac’s office. They were heading to front of the building heading for the exit. Lindsay saw everything in slow motion. She followed after them, bumping into other detectives along the way.
By the time she got outside Alexx and Tiffanie had gotten into a cab and were being risked off to the helicopter awaiting them. Just as the cab left Danny pulled up to the curb. Soon tears filled Lindsay’s eyes. Danny ran to her and asked, “Montana, what’s wrong?” Lindsay pointed down the street as she squeaked out between sobs, “Tiffanie just left for the helicopter that brought Alexx from Miami.” Danny ran his hands through his hair as he sighed. Don heard the whole thing.
He moved over to the driver’s seat and started the truck. “Danny, get in now!” he yelled. Danny turned to look at Don. He turned back to kiss Lindsay on the head then jumped into the truck. As soon as the door closed, Don floored it as he flipped on the lights and sirens. Danny prayed that they wouldn’t be too late. Alexx and Tiffanie got there twenty minutes early.
Tiffanie was ready for a brand new start. So she and Alexx grabbed her stuff and hunkered down as they rushed to the helicopter. The pilot took the suitcase and messenger bag and placed in the back. Alexx helped Tiffanie inside then allowed the pilot to help her. Just as they closed the door, Danny and Don arrived. Danny tried to get the pilot’s attention but could not since he and girls were wearing headphones. Danny punched the truck as he watched as they were being whisked away.