Discovery
by Fluffy Rabbit
Poker night was in full swing, Taz thought opening the front door and
hearing laughter coming from the dining room. She supposed that she should
make a brief appearance if only to reassure her brother that she'd got home
safely. Maybe now would be the right time to tell him that she'd been
dropped from the gymnastics team at school, pass it off as being no big deal
after all she'd got a place on the track team which was way cooler.
Only it
was a big deal. She'd worked hard to get on the team in the first place, put
in a lot more hours of training than anyone else. And what for? To get
dropped because Melanie Warren's dad had waved his cheque book in front of
the coach. At least Melanie Warren didn't like track so she had something
that she could pour all her physical energy into without having to worry
about being kicked off the team.
„Hi." she said entering the dining room on her way to the kitchen.
„You're late." Detective Brian Rafe said looking up from the cards that he
was holding and at his sister.
„Max's mom was late picking us up from the centre," she replied, „She
dropped me off right outside, and waited until I'd opened the front door."
„So how's the gym team going?" Detective Henri Brown asked.
„I got dropped from the team a couple of weeks ago." Taz replied.
„Why didn't you tell me?" Brian asked.
„You've been busy recently. I'm cool about it. I'm on the track team
instead."
„What event?" Henri asked.
„Two hundred and four hundred. Plus I'm going to try out for the relay
team. You know what the coolest thing is?"
„No." Henri replied.
„I get to train with my best friend," she said, „Plus everyone knows that
all the seriously cute guys are into track and field." Not that they ever
paid her any attention, no they were all too busy following Melanie Warren
around.
„You haven't forgotten that we're going to get your birthday present
tomorrow have you?" Brian asked tossing several poker chips onto the pile in
the middle of the table.
„How could I." smiling at him before going into the kitchen.
„So you're still getting her that puppy." Henri said.
„Yeah," Brian replied, „A pedigree chocolate labrador. Took a while to find
one. Luckily Dobson in Vice has a dog that's had puppies. I've been
promised the pick of the litter. She's already bought the bed and food
herself. And read just about every book they had on puppies in the library."
„Would never have thought of you as being a dog owner." Captain Simon Banks
said knocking the ash off his cigar.
„It's going to be Taz's dog not mine." Brian replied.
„Which means it's going to cause chaos," Henri grinned, „Sleep on the
couch, get dog hairs on all those designer suits of yours."
„She's taking it to training classes," Brian said, „I've already signed
them up."
„Couldn't you have dressed a little better?" Brian asked the following
morning when his sister came out of her room dressed in faded jeans, a baggy
t shirt and a pair of trainers which should have been thrown out long ago,
dragging a worn-out blanket behind her.
„Puppies have accidents," Taz replied, „And he might get car sick."
„If he is, you clean it up." Nobody was going to be sick in his car,
because he'd never be able to get the smell out of the leather seats.
„Relax Bri, he'll probably sleep all the way home. Wrapped up in this,'
picking the blanket up and folding it neatly, „I've been thinking of names
for him."
„What if it's a girl?" he asked.
„I want a boy. We've got the pick of the litter so I can have any one I
want right?"
„Right." smiling at her. This was more like the old Taz, he thought,
recently he'd sensed that she had something on her mind. Not that she ever
talked to him about how she was feeling.
Taz's heart sank when she saw the black mercedes parked outside of where she was getting her puppy from. Melanie Warren had beat her to it that meant that she was going to have to take whatever puppy was left. No matter what she did Melanie Warren came along and spoilt it. At least she hadn't got her hooks into Max yet, but she suspected that it was only a matter of time before she did. After all there was no way that she could possibly compete with Melanie's long blonde hair and flawless complexion.
„Well if it isn't the freak geek." Melanie Warren smirked when she saw Taz.
„Melanie," Taz said politely, „I didn't realise that you liked dogs."
„Daddy says I should have some. And these are pedigrees, not that you would know anything about that."
„Well I just came to get my puppy." Taz said clenching her fists until the knuckles went white.
„They've all gone." Melanie gloated.
„Except for one," Robert Dobson said from behind them, „He's not the biggest one, but then his father wasn't when he was this age and he turned into the best dog I've ever had."
„I don't care as long as he's healthy." Taz said.
„Why don't I show you him." Robert suggested, leaning over into the puppy pen and carefully taking out the smallest puppy in it.
„A runt for a runt." Melanie sneered looking at the tiny puppy in Robert's hands.
„He's not a runt." Taz snapped, she didn't care how big he was because he was her puppy. And no matter what Melanie said he was the best puppy in the world.
„Why don't you hold him for a while." Robert suggested handing the puppy to Taz.
„You are so sweet," Taz said softly, cradling the puppy to her chest, „Now all I have to do is give you a name."
„I wouldn't bother if I were you. Daddy'll buy it for me." Melanie said.
„Not this one he won't," Robert said, „It's not for sale." Taz looked at him, why was he even bothering to let her hold the puppy then.
„He's a gift." Robert said.
„You can't just give him away," Melanie pouted, „It's not fair, daddy'll pay you five hundred dollars for it."
„It's okay, she can have him," Taz said, „Bri'll find me another puppy." handing it back to Robert. Nobody was going to turn that amount of money for a puppy, she thought, walking away from the puppy pen. Yet again Melanie had taken something that she'd wanted away from her.
„Don't forget your puppy." Robert said.
„But..." Taz began as she turned round.
„He's all yours if you still want him," Robert said, „I promised your brother you could have one. Just take very good care of him."
„I will," smiling at him, as she returned to take the puppy off him, „I won't ever let anything happen to him."
„A thousand." Melanie said.
„So what are you going to call him?" Robert asked ignoring the mini tantrum that Melanie was throwing.
„I don't know," she admitted, „What was your first dog called?" Maybe that would give her some idea as to what she should call hers.
„Mitch after my best friend." he replied.
„Then I'm going to call him Max after my best friend," she said, „You like that boy." stroking the puppy's head.
„You can't do this," Melanie whined, „She's a geek."
„And you're a spoilt brat," Robert said, „Your brother's got my number if you need any advice about Max."
„I'll get you for this Rafe." Melanie pouted.
„He's small." Brian said looking at the puppy his sister was holding.
„He'll grow," Taz replied, „And I've given him a name."
„What?"
„Max."
„You do realise that you're going to have to take very good care of him. He's your responsibility."
„I know that," she replied, „I'll even take him to a training school."
„You're already signed up for one." he said.
„Would it be okay if I called Max and asked him over so that he could see his namesake?"
„Max is a he! I thought..." This threw a completely different light of her just going off with Max when she felt like it. She wouldn't be going anywhere else with him until he'd met him.
„That Max was a girl," finishing his sentence for him, „He is going to love that." She could just imagine the look on her friend's face when she told him about her brother's assumption.
„Taz, I think that we need to have a talk about you and this Max," Brian said, „About just how good friends you are."
„We're buddies that's all." she said. Not that she would mind if Max asked her out on a real date.
„You're sure about that. Guys don't always see things the same way girls do."
„I know that, H's mom told me all about the difference. That if a guy doesn't respect you stay well away from him."
„In that case I think that you should invite him over." Brian said.
„You're not going to make a big deal out of this are you?" Taz asked. The last thing she wanted was for her brother to embarrass her best friend.
„Of course not." he replied. Taz looked at him, he might say that now but he wouldn't be able to help himself. As soon as he met Max he'd start asking all sorts of embarrassing questions. Her brother really needed a life of his own so that he wouldn't be so interested in hers. She couldn't remember the last time he'd had a date or spent any length of time with a woman. In fact the only person he spent any length of time with apart from her was H.
There had to be a woman out there who would like to be with someone like her brother, she thought. He was smart, funny, honest, and so what if he overdressed all the time there wasn't a great deal that she could do about that. Maybe she could take out a personal ad for him because she knew exactly what she wanted from a potential sister in law. Someone who would love Brian and take care of him when she wasn't there. She didn't want to see him end up as a sad and lonely old man.
At some point definitely before Max arrived she was going to have to tell Brian just who exactly Max really was. Or he was going to get a huge surprise when he opened the door and saw him standing there. Especially as Max's dad was coming with him.
„Max isn't his real name," she said watching her puppy sniffing at a pair of Brian's slippers, „It's his nickname. Every time he orders a burger he has it maxed. You thought H could eat, just wait until you see how much Max can put away. I guess it's because he takes after his dad."
„So what is his proper name?" Brian asked.
„Daryl," she muttered, „Max come here." tapping the floor next to her.
„As in?"
„Banks." She was in serious trouble, she thought.
„You're dating Simon's son? Does he know?"
„I doubt it," Taz admitted, „And we're not dating. You know it is possible for two people of the opposite sex to be just friends."
„And just how long have the two of you been friends?"
„Since I started going to the Stone Centre. We sort of drifted together with us both having cops in the family. Sometimes there's no-one else we can talk to." It wasn't easy having a parent or guardian who was a police officer, or sitting at home at night wondering if they were going to come home or whether there would be a phone call asking you to go to the hospital. Even worse was the fear of the knock on the door in the middle of the night to tell you that they wouldn't ever be coming home again. She'd been lucky she knew that, Brian had never got really badly hurt so far. Daryl hadn't been that lucky though, some pretty bad stuff had happened to both him and his dad.
„Taz, you know that you can always talk to me don't you."
„Sure I do, but you're not always here. And Daryl doesn't get to see his dad that often and his mom's always too busy with her latest "friend" to listen to him when he needs to talk about stuff."
„So you listen to him?" Brian asked.
„Yeah, and he listens to me. Somehow between the two of us we make sense of all the crap that goes on."
„You would tell me if there was anything wrong wouldn't you. If the two of you were..."
„Bri, we're not doing anything we shouldn't be. Besides he's kind of shy around girls." Except for her that was and that was probably because he saw her as a guy.
„But you're a..."
„I don't do girl stuff. Well except for the gym team and I got dropped from that." she replied.
This house was very familiar, Simon thought pulling up behind the red dodge viper parked outside of it.
„Are you sure that this is the right house?" he asked, maybe his son had made a mistake with the address.
„Yeah, mom dropped Taz off here last night," Daryl replied, „Why?"
„This is Rafe's house."
„He's Taz's brother," getting out of the car, „She's having a tough time at school."
„If she's in some sort of trouble..." Simon began.
„She's not in any trouble. There's this girl who keeps harassing her. She's the one who got Taz kicked off the gym team."
„I thought that she was dropped." At least that's what she'd told her brother the previous night.
„Taz doesn't want her brother to make a big deal out of it," Daryl said,
„But everyone knows that this girl's dad paid the gym coach five grand for Taz's place on the team. Rumour has it that she's going after Taz's place on the track team next."
„Maybe she was better than your friend," Simon suggested, „Sport is very competitive."
„Dad, Taz won this huge trophy a couple of months ago. And this girl doesn't even bother going to practice. If it was just that she was better than her Taz wouldn't mind. She'd work harder to get her place back. It's the way that she got her place on the team. What's the point in training when you know that someone can buy your place."
Simon looked at his son, he had a point, he thought, there wasn't much point in working hard and doing your best if you could just hand over a cheque and get what you want.
„Have you spoken to your principal about this?"
„He wouldn't believe us even if we had proof. This girl's dad has a lot of power." Daryl replied.
„Max, no," Taz said scooping the puppy up before he had a chance to squat on her slippers, „We do that outside." carrying him out of the living room, and through the kitchen before opening the back door and putting him on the ground outside. She was going to have to keep a close eye on him until he learnt that he had to go to the back door if he wanted to go out.
„Good Max," praising him when a puddle formed under him, „Whose a clever puppy. Come here boy." Max walked unsteadily over to the back door, then tried to get up the back step that was taller than he was.
„Here you go," bending down and picking him up, then putting him down on the kitchen floor, „Want some dinner? I've got some nice puppy food for you," opening the bottom cupboard closest to the back door, „And Maxie has got his own dishes, yes he has. He is such a lucky puppy."
He'd better get that, Brian thought when he heard the doorbell go. This would have been a lot easier if it was a total stranger who was Taz's best friend. He would have been able to find some fault with them and ban Taz from ever seeing them again. But it wasn't a total stranger, it was Daryl.
Simon's son, his boss's son and that could cause him some serious problems at work. It wasn't that he didn't like Daryl, he was a decent young man who had never been in any trouble, but in his opinion Taz was just too young to have boys as friends never mind having one as her best friend. When he'd been growing up girls where what you dated, you certainly didn't have them as your friends. Hopefully Simon would see things the same way he did and they'd both be able to talk some sense into Taz and Daryl.
„Rafe." Simon said when the front door opened.
„Simon, Daryl, or should I say Max," Rafe said, „Come in Taz is in the kitchen feeding Max." It was going to get confusing with two Max's, he thought so he was going to call Daryl, Daryl.
„Max?" Simon asked entering the house followed by Daryl.
„Taz's nickname for me," Daryl explained, „It's like everyone calls Taz Taz even though it's not her proper name."
„So what is her proper name?" Simon asked.
„I don't know," Daryl admitted, „Even the teachers call her Taz."
„It's Johanna Hope," Brian said, „Not that she'll answer to it. Daryl why don't you go through into the kitchen it's..."
„I know the way." Daryl said finishing his sentence for him before heading in the direction of the kitchen.
„Hi." Daryl said entering the kitchen.
„Hi," Taz replied, „So what do you think of him?" looking at the puppy who was busy filling his stomach.
„He's small."
„He was the only one left. She was there and she bought all the others."
„So how much was he?" casually leaning against the door frame.
„Nothing, he was a gift."
„She must have loved that." he said,
„She threw a fit, said her dad would pay a thousand bucks for him," Taz said, „Can you imagine what it would be like for him living with her?"
„Pretty bad," Daryl replied, „I think it's sort of cool that you gave him my nickname."
„You're my best friend so why wouldn't I?"
„I just thought you might want to call him something else."
„Like what?"
„I don't know. Maybe David." he suggested. David! Why would I want to call my dog David?" That just didn't make any sort of sense to her at all.
„You know after David Peters. The two of you have been seen together a lot."
„And that means what exactly?" she asked frowning slightly.
„Ross said that David Peters was going to ask you out."
„He did," Taz replied, „But I turned him down."
„You did! Why?"
„Well for a start he's a total creep, and secondly he's dated Melanie Warren. Like I'd ever date someone she had."
„So you and David Peters aren't..."
„Totally no way," she said, „But if the right guy asked and he hadn't dated Melanie then I'd probably say yes. Not that there's much chance of that happening though."
„Why not?" Daryl asked.
„Because they're all chasing after Melanie and the rest of the Barbie clones." It would be a long time if ever before she got that sort of attention.
The one thing that was instantly noticeable about the photos in the living room was a lack of recent ones of them with their parents, Simon thought.
„They died when Taz was two." Rafe said when he noticed what Simon was looking at.
„You can't have been much older than Daryl at the time." Simon said.
„A few years older," he replied, „And I had some help. My uncle took Taz in while I went to the academy. Then H's family sort of adopted us. Taz is a good kid so I must have been doing something right. She's never given me any serious trouble, an honour roll student, straight A's all the way through school. And now she's tutoring at the Stone Centre."
„That explains why Daryl's grades have gone up since he started going there," Simon said, „You should be proud of her."
„I am," Rafe replied, „There are a lot of kids from "normal" families who aren't doing half as well as she is. In fact she'll be graduating soon, two years early."
„Daryl talks about her a lot according to Joan," he said, „If I'd known it was your sister I would have..."
„Likewise. The thing is what are we going to do about it? Taz is too young to be seeing anyone right now. Maybe in a year or two."
„How old is she?"
„Sixteen next month," Rafe replied, „Last week some boy asked her out but she turned him down."
„Rafe, they're just friends." Simon said.
„And how many girls did you have as friends at Daryl's age?" Simon looked at him, he had a point, he thought. But between him and Joan they'd raised Daryl to know the difference between right and wrong and to always respect other people.
„I don't like telling Darly who he can and can't be friends with, unless there's a damned good reason. And I can't think of one." Taz was the sort of friend he and Joan actually encouraged Daryl to make.
„If it wasn't for the age difference I wouldn't have a problem."
„It's only two years which isn't that big a difference," Simon said, anyone would think that Daryl and Taz were dating instead of being friends.
„You know what you said about all the guys chasing after Melanie and the Barbie clones." Darly said walking over to where Taz was now sitting on the kitchen counter.
„Yeah." she replied kicking her hells against a cupboard door.
„Not all of them are. Believe it or not there are some guys who wouldn't touch Melanie Warren or the Barbie clones with a ten foot pole."
„Only because she hasn't wiggled her butt in their direction yet."
„That's not true."
„Sure it is. I've seen it happen. No guy has ever turned her down." Why would they when Melanie would give them everything they wanted. No-one could compete with Melanie and the Barbie clones, they had it all and would do anything to keep it that way. „I've even seem you looking at her."
„No way." he replied.
„Yes way. She's beautiful, so why wouldn't you look." It was only natural that he would, after all he was a guy and that's what guys did.
„She's not beautiful inside. The way she treats you is really bad. You should tell your brother."
„Which would do no good at all. Bri would make a big fuss about it and then he'd get kicked off the force," Taz said, „A couple more months and I'll be rid of her." She could handle it knowing that once she'd graduated she wouldn't have to see Melanie Warren on a daily basis.
„So are you going to do this going to work day thing?"
„If Bri lets me I will," she replied, „I still haven't told him that I want to be a cop yet."
„There's no rush, you're going to have to wait a couple of years before they'll let you into the academy," Daryl said, „My mom doesn't even want me to be one, and my dad says that I have to go to college first."
„I'm going to college, eventually all cops will have some sort of degree. The crooks are getting smarter so the cops have to be even smarter than them." smiling at him.
„Would you like some coffee?" Brian asked, it would give him the perfect opportunity to check on Taz in the kitchen. It wasn't that he thought that she was doing something that she knew she shouldn't be, but he wanted to make sure that she knew that he was going to be keeping a close eye on her and Daryl from now on.
„Please." Simon replied.
Rafe was being too over protective, Simon thought, still having raised his sister by himself he was bound to be. Not that that was going to make it easy for Daryl to continue his friendship with Taz. Perhaps there was something that he could do about it, maybe suggest that they had a third person with them when they went anywhere at least until they went to college. In his opinion trying to stop them from being friends wasn't going to do anything except make them even more determined to see each other.
„Everything okay in here?" Brian asked entering the kitchen and seeing Taz sat on one of the counter.
„Yeah," she replied, „I've fed Max, I'll put him out in a few minutes. I can't wait until I take him for his first walk."
„He has to have all his shots first," he said, „Why haven't you offered Daryl a drink?" He'd taught her better manners than that.
„He knows where they are if he wants one."
„Third shelf in the fridge." Darly said moving slightly as Max began sniffing his trainers.
„I know where everything is at his mom's," she said, „And H knows where we keep all the snacks." As far as she could see there wasn't that big a difference between H knowing and Daryl knowing, „Mrs Brown was here every time Max came over." She had a pretty good idea what her brother was thinking, that Max was coming over when there was nobody else there.
„Let me know next time okay." Brian said.
„Okay," smiling at him, „Have you decided whether I can go to work with you or not yet?"
„My dad's letting me go," Daryl said, „There's going to be a crime for all the kids to try and solve."
„Doesn't it clash with your school trip?"
„Going to work day's after that," Taz sighed, „You know it would be pretty cool to hang out with you all day."
„We'll see. I'm sure that Cap, Simon doesn't want the department over run with teenagers."
„It's just going to be me and Taz in Major Crimes," Darly said, „My dad'll even let us hang out in his office if we want to."
This really sucked, Taz thought getting onto the bus. She'd planned on sitting next to Daryl on the way there, instead Melanie Warren was and to make matters even worse she was flirting with him. Daryl shrugged his shoulders apologetically as she walked past him to the rear of the bus. Still at least she'd be able to spend some time with while they were at the camp site. That was something that they hadn't been able to do recently, not alone anyway. Ever since her brother and Daryl's dad had found out that they were friends they'd both been keeping a pretty close eye on them. Like they were even going to think about doing something that they shouldn't while they were being watched.
„I don't see how you can like someone like that," Melanie pouted as all her efforts to flirt with Daryl failed, „She doesn't even wear eyeliner."
„Exactly." Daryl replied, that was just one of the reasons why he liked Taz as much as he did. She didn't act like all the other girls at school, she wasn't afraid that she was going to ruin her makeup or break a nail if he wanted to shoot hoops with her. With Taz what you saw was what you got. He didn't even mind that some of the guys at school teased him because he was friends with a girl. They were the ones missing out, he thought, and it wasn't as if there was huge queue of girls waiting for him to ask them out.
„But she's ugly." Melanie whined playing with her long blonde hair. Daryl smiled politely at her, after his parents had taught him that if you couldn't say anything nice it was better not to say anything at all. Taz wasn't ugly though, she was pretty and she was fun to be around. He knew that it was only a matter of time before some other guy realised that and asked her out, she would say yes and that would be the end of their friendship.
The house was just too quiet without Taz in it, Brian thought letting Max out into the back garden. Still he supposed that he'd better start getting used to it because sooner or later Taz would be leaving home. Hopefully later thought, because she was still too young to be living away from home. H would say that he had to get a life, that somewhere out there just waiting for him to come along was the perfect woman.
The only problem was that he didn't want to find a woman. It had all been so much easier when Taz had been younger, after all there were very few women who were prepared to taken on a little sister. Now though there was no excuse for him to turn down dates, except that he didn't want to go on them. and how was he supposed to explain it to Taz, explain that she was more likely to end up with a brother in law than a sister in law. She was going to be really upset that he'd kept something this big from her, after all they weren't supposed to have secrets.
„I hate mud," Melanie whined as her heels sank into the ground, „My shoes."
„Why do you think we were supposed to wear boots?" Taz asked from behind her, fighting the urge to push Melanie face down in the biggest mud puddle that she could find.
„Come on," Daryl said taking hold of one of her arms and pulling her away from where Melanie was, „You don't want to get sent home when we've only just got here do you?"
„Nah, she's not worth it." Taz said walking away as Melanie struggled to get her shoes free of the mud.
„Daryl." Melanie screamed as the two of them walked away.
Nobody treated her like that, Melanie thought, finally getting free of the mud. Especially when one of those nobodies was Taz Rafe. She was a geek, an ugly, parentless geek. Well she was going to show her what happened to someone who dared to try and take something away from her that she wanted. She might have got that stupid puppy, but she wasn't going to get Daryl. She was going to have to up the ante, flirting with him just wasn't going to cut it this time. No, she was going to offer him something that nobody had ever turned down before. The geek couldn't possibly compete with that, hell she was probably still a virgin.
„You shouldn't let her get to you." Daryl said.
„I can't help it, she does it on purpose," Taz said, „I mean what sort of person wears high heels to go camping in. With any luck the mud'll suck her under."
„We could always put a snake in her bed."
„I don't like snakes but I couldn't be cruel to one." she laughed.
„I was saving the seat next to me for you but..." he began.
„It's okay, sitting at the back was okay."
„All she did was talk about herself," he said, „After the first ten minutes it got boring. She didn't even notice when I fell asleep."
„Shows how dumb she really is." Daryl had never fallen asleep when she'd talked to him, but then she'd never droned on and on about herself. All of which went to show just how vain and shallow Melanie really was. Still it was that same shallowness and vanity that got Melanie so many dates, „I'd be really careful around her." Personally she wouldn't trust Melanie as far as she could spit, but apart from giving Daryl a friendly warning there wasn't a great deal that she could do."
„I'm not interested in her." he smiled.
„That doesn't mean that she's not interested in you. Last guy she got her claws into still paying for it." she reminded him.
„Not going to happen to me."
„Thought you'd be at home enjoying the peace and quiet." H said when his partner sat down at his desk and began doing paperwork.
„Just thought I'd get caught up," Brian replied, „If you have a problem with that?"
„No problem, just figured that with Taz away first thing you'd do is invite some lucky lady over. There's been a lack of them recently."
„You ever stop to think that maybe I don't want a woman."
„You're joking right. It's going to get pretty lonely when Taz leaves home."
„She won't be doing that for a couple of years," Brian replied, „And I can always get a lodger."
„You with a lodger, believe it when I see it buddy," H laughed, „I give you six months max when Taz's left home before you're engaged or married."
„Not going to happen." To begin with he couldn't get engaged to someone if he couldn't marry then, he thought. And he certainly wouldn't be as desperate for company as H was making out when Taz left home. But he would be able to invite someone back to the house without any awkward questions being asked. Although in order for him to meet someone he would have to go out. It had been along time since he'd last gone to a bar with the intent purpose of finding someone that he wanted to date and then eventually sleep with.
Things had probably changed a lot since the last time he'd dated a man. Now there were all sorts of disease out there, looking back at his younger wilder days he could see that he'd been damned lucky to catch anything. Attitudes on the force hadn't changed a great deal though, the streets could still be a very dangerous place for a gay cop who was out. Still nobody knew he was, and he'd dated enough women since joining the force that nobody would suspect it.
Looking around the log cabin Taz realised that she'd been lucky to have one all to herself. No doubt any potential room mate had decided that the stigma of sharing with the geek would be something that they could never get rid of. Not that she minded being on her own, she could do as she pleased when it came to deciding what time she went to sleep. And if she felt like it she could stay up all night if she wanted to, something Brian would never have let her do at home.
Unpacking her overstuffed back pack, she came across the notebook and pencil case she'd packed. Now that she had some time and privacy she could work on a personal ad for her brother. Sitting on the edge of one of the beds in the cabin she opened the notebook and stared at the clean sheet of paper while she tried to sort out in her mind what it was that she wanted to say. Taking a pencil out of the case, she began to write.
„Wanted," she said aloud, „By tall," five foot eleven was tall, she thought, it was when compared to her five foot five, „Attractive," even she knew that her brother attractive, „Man in his late thirties, Female companion for evenings out and possible romance." Well she didn't want anyone who was only interested in a short term fling answering, after all one day she would like some nieces and nephews to baby-sit for. „Must like teenagers and dogs." That said just about all she wanted it to say for the time being, and she could always alter it later. If the final version of the ad didn't work she could always suggest that he date guys.
„Damien, she thought, dredging up a memory from the recesses of her mind. He'd been Brian's best friend long before H had. They'd done everything together, now she was starting to realise just what exactly everything had included. Brian was gay! No Bi, he had to be Bi because she'd met some of his dates and they'd all been women. Not that any of them had stayed over night or for more than one or two dates. She'd always thought that it was her fault that they hadn't stayed around longer, but maybe it wasn't. Tearing the piece of paper she'd written on out of the notebook she scrunched it into a ball and dropped it into the bin at the side of the bed. When she got home she was going to have to ask Brian some really searching questions.
„Sorry that seat's taken," Daryl said as Melanie tried to sit next to him at the lunch table, „Taz'll be here soon."
„She's not here now thought," Melanie replied sitting down next to him,
„Did you know that she stole my puppy? He was the cutest little thing. Daddy was going to pay a thousand dollars for him. Now Detective Dobson's looking for a new job."
Darly looked at her and pushed his lunch tray across the table. She wasn't going to go away quietly, he thought, and Taz was going to be pretty upset that Melanie was trying to butt into their friendship.
„He's going to get me onto the track team to make up for it," she smirked, „So someone's going to have to get dropped."
„Melanie, go away." She was only telling him because she knew that he would tell Taz what she was going to do. What really sucked was the fact that he knew that there was nothing that they could do to stop her from getting Taz kicked off the team. At least Taz still had the Stone Centre, that was until Melanie found out about it.
Melanie had to be really insecure to hate Taz as much as she did. After all Taz had never done anything to her. They didn't eve hang out with the same people. Come to think of it the only person Taz ever hung out with was him, she didn't seem to have any other friends. Maybe she just preferred it that way, because she was pretty serious at school. Not that she didn't know how to have fun as well.
She wasn't going to lose her temper or get upset, Taz thought on entering the lunch room and seeing Melanie sitting next to Daryl, because she would be playing straight into Melanie's hands if she did. Once Melanie decided that she wanted something or one, she wouldn't let anyone get in her way, no matter how many people got hurt in the process. And it looked as if she'd decided that she wanted Daryl.
He just didn't stand a chance against Melanie when she was in full seductress mode. By the time they went home in three days time Melanie would have chewed him up and spat him out, just like every other guy she'd ever dated. Daryl was her friend, her best friend, well the only friend that she had, but she wasn't so sure that she wanted to be the one who put him back together after Melanie had finished with him.
If she'd been prettier, or even taller she might have been able to put up some sort of fight against Melanie. But she wasn't and Daryl wasn't even remotely interested in her romantically. So for the time being she was just going to have to stand by and wait to see what happened.
A self satisfied grin spread across Melanie's face when she saw Taz taking her lunch tray over to a table where the rest of the geeks and misfits were sitting. Finally she'd learnt that no matter how hard she tried she was never going to be accepted as normal. People like Taz Rafe were there to be used and stepped on while you were going up the ladder of success. Of course they were never allowed to climb that ladder no matter how smart they were or how hard they tried.
There were always ways to stop people like Taz Rafe from getting anywhere in life, daddy had taught her that. After all it wasn't as if Taz had any family to push her name forward. No, all she had was a brother who was a lowly detective. By the time she'd finished with her Taz would be lucky to get a job flipping burgers for minimum wage.
„Another one bites the dust," Harold Barclay said pushing his thick rimmed glasses back onto his nose at Taz sat down at his table, „Sorry he's a friend of your isn't he."
„Yeah." she replied.
„Couple of days and she'll have dumped him."
„I know that." Everybody knew that Melanie never dated the same guy for more than a week.
„Bet you didn't know that he was the sixth this month." he said.
„Sixth!" She'd never even dated a single guy yet. And Brian would kill her if she tried dating six guys in a month. Doing something like that was the right way to get yourself a reputation, something that you couldn't get rid of quite so easily. „Why do guys keep going out with her if they know that she's just going to use them?"
„Because she gives them what they want."
„You mean she..." Harold nodded. „There is no way Daryl. I mean it's sick." She didn't even stand a chance of keeping Daryl away from Melanie when Melanie was prepared to go that far. „How do you know?"
„My brother dated Melanie last year," Harold replied, „A broken heart wasn't all that she left him with if you get my meaning. Do you want that?" watching her push her food around her plate with her fork.
„You can have it," pushing the tray towards him, „I'm not very hungry now." Daryl could find himself in serious trouble if he wasn't careful, she thought, but with Melanie looking as if she was going to be hanging around him all the time she wasn't going to get much of a chance to warn him about the trouble that he might be getting himself into.
„Isn't that sweet," Melanie mocked, „She's found a little geek friend to play with."
„Quit having a go at Taz," Daryl snapped, „It's not as if she's ever done anything to you." moving his chair away from Melanie's when he felt a hand touch his thigh.
„She's not like us," she replied, „People like her are never going to be accepted. It's better that she learns that now." Darly looked at her, nobody had the right to write off anybody else, he thought. Especially not when that person was his best friend.
„Just what exactly is wrong with Taz?" he wanted some solid reason why she didn't like Taz, to have the nerve to assume that she would never be accepted.
„Where do you want me to start?" she asked, „She's ugly, a geek. And just look at what she's wearing. Those clothes look like something a bag lady would throw out."
„This is a camping trip not a fashion show." he reminded her.
„At least someone cares." Brian said as Max raced up to greet him after opening the front door. Not that a puppy helped to fill the growing feeling of loneliness inside of him. Eating a lot alone wasn't some thing that he was looking forward to. Normally he and Taz ate together mostly to make sure that they both ate something. Mealtimes were also when they talked about their days. Not that he always told her the truth, there were some things that she didn't need to know about, the dead bodies, the junkies. He'd do his damnedest to keep her from ever seeing those.
Taz was a lot better at school work than he'd ever been. There'd be no pounding the beat waiting for a chance to get her gold shield. No, she was going to go into either business or science. Some job where she didn't have to worry about getting shot at. He'd decided along time ago that she wouldn't be having anything to do with the darker side of life.
Yawning Taz opened her cabin door. An early morning and an afternoon of trekking through the woods were starting to take it's toll on her. Closing the door behind her she looked it just in case anyone was in the mood for playing practical jokes. After turning on the lamp she closed the curtains before getting ready for bed.
Putting her sweats on she thought about how little time she'd been able to spend with Daryl. Melanie had clung to him like a limpet all day. She'd even tried following him when he'd needed the bathroom during their trek through the woods. Right now Daryl was probably taking full advantage of what Melanie was offering. Still that was up to him, it wasn't as if she could force him to stay away from her. At least tomorrow she wouldn't have to put up with Melanie simpering over Daryl because they were going caving and Melanie wasn't booked to go on the trip.
He'd made a terrible mistake, Brian thought entering the club. This wasn't really his sort of place. He wasn't even sure why he'd even come here, maybe to try and erase a little of the loneliness that was starting to overwhelm him. His heart skipped a beat when he saw a familiar figure from the station standing at the bar with a group of young men. He had to get out of here before he was seen otherwise the fact that he'd been here would be all over the station by lunch time tomorrow.
Too late! Blair had seen him and was coming over. Better have an explanation ready, he thought, and it was going to have to be a damned good one.
„Hey Rafe," Blair said, „Fancy seeing you here," grinning at the obviously uneasy detective, „Come here often."
„First time," Brian replied, „I was just going, not exactly my type of place if you know what I mean."
„Why don't you stay for a drink? H was saying that you could probably use some cheering up with your sister away."
„The house does feel empty," he admitted, „And clean and tidy." There was no life in it with Taz away.
„So what do you say to a beer?" Blair asked.
„Sure why not." He didn't have anything to lose and he could always leave after he'd drunk it.
„Oh god." Brian groaned the following morning. His head felt like there was a jack hammer in it and his tongue had suddenly grown fur. Stumbling out of bed he staggered across the bedroom and towards the bathroom.
Blinking at his dishevelled reflection in the bathroom mirror, he turned on the cold water tap and splashed some onto his face. Feeling only slightly better he opened the bathroom cabinet, took two aspirins from the bottle in it and swallowed them. He was going to need a lot of black coffee, he thought leaving the bathroom. And then he was going to have to try and remember just how exactly he'd got into this state.
Sitting at the kitchen table cradling a mug of strong black coffee vague memories of the night before started coming back to him. He could remember accepting Blair's offer of a beer and of being introduced to the young's man friends. In particular he remembered a young man about Blair's height with short dark curly hair, who had seemed more than a little interested in getting to know him better. He hadn't been able to say anything with Blair being there otherwise he would have asked for his phone number.
After that there had been a few more beers and a few more after that. He could definitely remember being put into a cab at some point late in the evening so he couldn't have done anything too embarrassing, he thought. Still he couldn't help but wish that he'd been able to pluck up enough courage to ask that young man for his phone number.
„You know just because they're moving your desk in today it doesn't mean that you've got to do the same." Tommy said taking a box from the rear seat of the dark blue jeep.
„The sooner I do it the less likely I am to change my mind." Jessica replied getting out of the front passenger side of the jeep.
„I still think you're pushing yourself too hard." watching her use her walking stick to steady herself.
„I'm going to be teaching a couple of classes a week. Maybe give the odd outside lecture, that's all." She was going to ease herself into teaching.
„Just remember that you get tried easily and no carrying heavy objects."
„So tell me more about this guy you met last night." changing the subject before he could give her another of his lectures about taking better care of herself.
Taz's heart sank when she saw Melanie joining the group that was going caving. There went her chance to spend time with Daryl, she thought. And it looked as if Melanie had got her claws well and truly hooked into him. Well she certainly wasn't going to waste anymore of her time on someone who was dumb enough to get involved with Melanie Warren. Brian would be happy about it thought as he'd been wanting her to spend less time with Daryl.
„Oh look, your little friend's sulking," Melanie cooed clinging to Daryl's arm despite his best efforts to shake her hold off him, „I wonder why? She couldn't possibly be jealous of me could she?"
„Melanie, for the last time, leave me alone," Daryl snapped finally shaking her hold off, „I'm not interested." And he never would be.
„Nobody turns me down," she pouted, „You and the little geek are going to regret this."
„You don't even know when to shut up." he said walking over to where Taz was standing.
„Hey Blair," Tommy said entering Blair's office, „Sol's coming, takes her a little longer to get around these days than it used to," putting the box that he was holding down on the empty desk in the room, „I really appreciate you giving up some of your office space to her."
„No problem." Blair replied.
„She shouldn't be in your way too much, she'd only teaching part time for the next couple of months."
„Anything I need to know?"
„No sage burning, no strong after shave and don't even think about raiding her desk for snacks."
„Anything else?"
„She's pretty flexible regarding everything else." Tommy replied.
„Talking about me again?" Jessica asked limping into her new office, „Why don't you make yourself useful and make me some of that foul tasting tea you like so much."
„Yes boss," Tommy laughed, „That's the closest she'll come to admitting that she likes it."
„Watch it I'm armed," waving her stick at him, „Blair, it's good to see you again."
„You too." he replied grinning at her.
„So what can you tell me about this man Tommy met last night?" she asked.
„Which one?" Blair asked.
„Five eleven, hazel eyes, designer casual ring any bells."
„Rafe!'
„Is that his first name or last name?" limping over to her desk and sitting behind it, „My balance is still a little off. So if you find me face down on the floor I'd really appreciate a hand up." on seeing the concerned look on Blair's face.
„No problem," he replied, „I hate to break it you Tommy, but Rafe's straight."
„Still it couldn't do any harm to give him your phone number in case he changes his mind." looking at her brother.
„How much longer are you going to ignore me?" Daryl asking walking alongside Taz.
„I'm not ignoring you," she replied, „I just don't want to talk to you right now. I'm sure that Melanie would be more than happy to listen to anything you have to say."
„Taz..." he began.
„Look you want to hang out with Melanie that's fine. Just don't expect me to pick the pieces up afterwards." she snapped.
„I don't want to hang out with Melanie."
„Why not? You did yesterday."
„I tried getting rid of her, but she wouldn't go away." If it had been a guy bothering him like that he would probably have hit him, but hitting girls was wrong.
„Yeah right," she muttered, „You do know that you're the sixth guy she's dated this month."
„I'm not dating Melanie." She sounded jealous, he thought, but she couldn't be because they were just friends. Recently though with Melanie chasing him he'd begun to think that maybe he should be dating someone. A lot of guys his age were on their third even fourth girlfriend and he'd dated a grand total of zero so far. He hadn't even kissed a girl properly, although he wasn't going to admit that to anyone. The only problem was that any girl he dated wasn't going to want him hanging out with Taz and he didn't want to lose his best friend. „I'd never date anyone who didn't like you."
„Who you date is nothing to do with me." Taz frowned.
„Just because your brother..."
„Leave Brian out of it. No wonder he doesn't want me dating when there are so many jerks around." marching off ahead of him.
He'd really blown that, Daryl thought, it had all come out mixed up. When it came to talking to girls he always messed up. This time was worst of all because he'd upset his best friend. Somehow he was going to have to say sorry to her. Which wasn't going to be easy as she probably wasn't going to speak to him ever again. It was at times like these that he really wished he'd been about to talk to his dad about things. His dad probably had some great advice as to how he could put things right with Taz, but he couldn't call him so he was going to have to do it by himself.
„Yes," Jessica said when the office door opened and a rather stout African American man entered, „If you're looking for Blair I'm afraid that you've just missed him. He's gone to lunch."
„Actually I'm looking for Dr Angel," he replied, „Captain Joel Taggart, Cascade Police Department." taking out his badge and showing her it.
„Is this about the parking tickets? Only the car was stolen and written off nearly two years ago. I was promised that there wouldn't be any more."
„This isn't about parking tickets," he reassured her. „You're Dr Angel?" looking closely at the young woman sitting behind the desk.
„I was when I got up this morning," smiling at him, „What can I do for you Captain Taggart?"
„I'm currently working on a serial homicide case. And you were recommended by the FBI office in Seattle." he replied.
„Really!" she said, „Do you have the case notes with you?" Tommy wasn't going to like this one bit, she thought, but she couldn't turn them down when there were people's lives at risk.
„They're at the station, regulations." he said.
„In that case I need to need note for my brother. He tends to worry if he doesn't know where I am every minute of the day." reaching for the pen and notepad which sat on the left hand side of her desk. Quickly she scribbled a note and stuck it under her mug, knowing that would be the first place Tommy would look for one.
„If you're ready?" Joel asked.
„I just need to get my bag and a couple of reference files." she replied. They were bulky but not that heavy, she thought, and there was no need for her to take her stick with her because she wouldn't be walking that far. And people always assumed that just because she had trouble walking there was also something wrong with her brain.
When it came down to it all guys were jerks, Taz thought, and they were all only after one thing. Well she wasn't ever going to do that. As far as she was concerned they could go to the Melanie Warren's of the world for that. She'd thought that Daryl was different, and he'd turned out to be just like all the rest of them, out for what he could get from her.
And if he dared to try and apologise to her, she'd really let him have it. Nobody treated Taz Rafe like that and then still expected to be friends with her. She'd make some new friends, find a new best friend who didn't want anything from her.
