Queen Of The Lab~Jack Hodgins Love Story~ Olivia Anne Brennan Series~ Book #3

~Old Memories~

Temperance turned around from her snooping, trying to find a clue, her eyes widened up at Casey.
"Wait this is the same Baxter family?"
Olivia didn't really her sister since she was to busy go through in her mind how she was going to tell Casey that his little sister was dead.
"Yeah it's the same one."
Casey answered, letting Temperance go back to trying to find a clue or evidence that will help this family find the culprit.
~There was an explosion in the background sendings soldiers everywhere across Iraq.
"Sargent!"
A makes voice yelled out.
"I'm here."
Olivia responded, getting to the man that called out for her.
"My leg! My leg!"
He yelled. Olivia forced herself to look down at the mans knee. It was badly burned and bloodied up.
"You're going to be alright."
She assured him applying pressure to stop him from bleeding.
"Aggggghhhhh"
He yelled out in pain worse than he had had before.
"What's your name soldier?"
She asked trying to get his mind away from the pain.
"Casey Baxter Ma'am"
He struggled to say with the pain.
"Nice to meet you Casey. Names Olivia, Olivia Brennan. Also, don't call me ma'am."~
         "Olivia?"
Casey asked for her to come out of the memories from when they met.
"Casey, Mr. Baxter, I'm so sorry but we've recently discovered Mattie's body."
She struggled to say watching Casey's face go from smiling to just blank. Mr.Baxter was still crying because when they arrived he already knew what had happened.
"I'm so sorry Casey."
Olivia said getting up and hugging him letting Temperances mind wandered to the thought of them being together in the the past.
Casey sat down and Olivia say across.
"How long?"
She didn't want to finish the sentence,knowing that Mattie ran away again but this time never came back.
"A few months."
Casey responded hugging his Dad.
Temperance found a picture of a woman who looked like Mattie.
"Is this your wife?"
She asked holding the picture to David. He wasn't able to speak but a slight nod was given, as a yes.
       "Did Mattie work anywhere?"
Olivia asked, so they knew where they had to go next to investigate.
     "Yes,she worked sat the library. It wasn't a good job but she liked it."
Casey said still I shock. Olivia looked at Temperance. Her sister had a look on her face, the same one Olivia did, that meant something was up at Mattie's work place.
    "Can we look in her room?"
Temperance asked already going up the stairs with Olivia in pursuit.
    "Sure."
Mr.Baxter said. He say there and held his son crying about losing his little girl.  When Olivia walked in the room she saw purple walls with a nice bed. But something was off.
    "Hey Sis?"
Olivia said wanting to ask Temperance a question.
    "Yeah?"
         "Does her room seem.."
She trailed off not wanting to say the words out loud invade Casey heard.
      "Yeah she had it."
Olivia nodded. She tried to find Mattie's secret spot. Every teenager had a secret spot that they can put their diary. She looked I between the mattress and found a small note book.
      "Found the diary."
She said grabbing the book. Olivia sat on the dead girls bed to read her diary.
     "We need to take this with us, go back to the lab and figure out when exactly she died to check the diary."
Olivia commanded Temperance, walking out of the room before her sister could give a lecture on how she's not in the army anymore.
      ~"I'm going to get you out of here"
Olivia screamed against the explosions and screaming.
     "No! Save others. Save civs!"
He yelled for her to leave him behind. Olivia looked at him dead on.
     "No man of mine will die."
She then grabbed his arms from behind him,dragging him to her tank. She opened it up and propped him up and started to drive away to there base.
     "Thank you."
           "It's my job."~
Olivia walked up to Casey.
     "I'll be in touch."
She said starting to leave. She made it to the door before he grabbed her wrist and twirled her around,pulling her close to his body.
      "Casey I'm done with this."
Olivia said backing away. He sighed a sad sigh hoping to guilt her but it didn't work. Olivia sat in the car waiting for Temperance. When Temperance got in the car she started the cart and drove to the lab. After minutes of silence Temperance broke it with awkward words.
     "So that must have been hard."
Temperance said watching her sisters facial expressions closely to see any movement, any at all.
    "What?"
         "Seeing your old lover in the first place, but then having to tell him that his little sister is dead."
Olivia nodded a sad slow nod.
   "Yeah, it was hard."
The whole ride was silent after that until they arrived at the lab. When they were both on the platform, Jack was there smiling.
    "Why are you smiling?"
Olivia asked him smiling as she spook. She couldn't help it no matter what she tried to do.
     "She died 4 months, 17 days, and 6 hours ago."
Jack said handing Olivia a folder with harts. She gave a crooked smile and opened it up to double his work,and there was no need because Jack already knew he was right.
"Okay so if she was at the grave that means they need to find a car."
Olivia muttered to herself which signaled in Temperances mind to go tell Angela. Olivia opened the diary and read aloud the last entry which was written the day before she died.
"Dear Diary, he's back. I don't know how long he's been following me but every time I see him it gives me the creeps. I walked from school to home. Casey was waiting for me but I knew that he was behind me."
Olivia finished reading Mattie's diary. She wanted to cry but she held her breath and then didn't.
     "Olivia?"
She heard a male voice behind her. She slowly turned around.
      "Yes?"
She asked smiling when the curly haired doctors blue eyes hit her.
     "Are you alright?"
He asked walking forward,putting a hand on her arm. Part of Olivia smiled at the affection but the military part took over. She grabbed his wrist and was about to twist it before she caught herself dropping the mans arm. A tear going down her cheek.
    "Oh God I am so sorry, I just well it's a long story and I, ugh."
She sighed almost bursting in tears when he grabbed her shaking hand. Jack looked up at her with happy yet sad eyes.
   "Olivia does anyone else know you have PTSD?"
Jack asked her,his words soft like a cloud but still with meaning and purpose as a lightning bolt.
    "Just Angela. Not Temperance I can't let her know she'll be all weird."
She said her hand still shaking. Jack closed his hand around hers trying to make it stop shaking.
    "That won't work."
She smiled.
    ~When the two of them arrived the whole base was empty except the medic.
     "Medic!"
Olivia yelled so she would have help getting Casey out of the tank a lot quicker and more easy. The medic came and helped the Sargent out of the tank to the medic tent where he then was given proper care.
    "How long?"
Olivia asked him wanting to know if he'd worked in the army for less than 2 months but more than a year.
     "10 months. Can you not let me out?"
He asked wanting to go home more than ever seeing his little sister.
     "It won't work"
She replied sadly.~
      Jack took a step closer and so did she. They booth leaned their heads to other sides closing their eyes. Her hands grabbing onto his coat,making a fist,and pulling his lips to hers.
    ~Olivia leaned over to Casey. Her hands wrapped in his hair. He was confused but the when she leaned in with her eyes closed he closed his eyes. Her soft lips met with his and she smiled.~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Normal is just an illusion
What's normal for the spider
Is chaos for the fly