Facing Down Demons….

Willis and Newburn had a girl in common and her name was "Connie". She was a 42' catamaran which they had gone in on together. It always seemed like a good idea at first; then money troubles came calling and it could turn friends into enemies.

It sort of reminded Charlie of himself and Tom Seybolt. Despite the fact Tom Seybolt was ten years his senior, he'd taken Charlie on as a partner based largely on Charlie's friendliness and ability to draw customers, cops, into the bar. The bar wasn't making a lot of money, but they were holding their own. Charlie still worked full time as a beat cop and tended bar after shift and on his days off. Tom worked the bar most days, took deliveries and his wife kept the books and helped out.

They were all so young and their nights were filled with drinking, dancing, music, laughter and good times; until the night they were filled with blood and butchery.

Charlie stood on the dock looking at the boat. "Seems so simple"

"They shot each other in the middle of a major fire, over a boat?" Dani scowled.

"Seriously over a boat? That makes no sense at all" she seemed genuinely unhappy they'd solved the case.

CSI found the frames of a 38 caliber pistol and a 9mm revolver after hours of sifting through the rubbles washed from the house by the firefighting effort. The determined neighbor watched Lieutenant Newburn break down the door the house, ostensibly looking to loot it. He watched as Sergeant Willis argued with the other fireman and followed him into the house. He said he heard a series of gunshots and neither man came out.

The man cried openly, letting out the pent up fears of the past few days, as he described watching in horror as fire consumed the house, knowing the firemen were probably lying inside dead or mortally wounded, but unwilling to leave his own home unprotected. Charlie sent the man to the station to look at photos of the firefighters, which was a bit of overkill. It was pretty obvious what happened. Newburn was willing to steal and let or set a fire to cover up the theft; Willis wasn't – it turned into a quiet little gunfight between friends. But hey, this was LA, everyone went strapped nowadays even firemen.

"So who gets the damned boat now?" Dani continued grousing about the stupidity of the crime.

"Why? Do you want it?" Charlie winked at her. Dani just smirked at him.

Hours of paperwork awaited them, as they stood side by side listening to the waves lap against the fiberglass pontoons of the boat. The wind whipped around them tossing Dani's hair in her face and a light rain began to fall through the smoky, smog filled sky. The weather had cut everyone a break and showers were predicted through the afternoon and into the following morning. It wouldn't put out the fires, but it would give everyone a must needed respite.

"Are you ever gonna tell me why fire bothers you so bad?" Dani asked.

Charlie sighed. "When I was seven I almost burned down our house" He confessed quietly. "My father beat me within an inch of my life. Broke my nose, several ribs. I was playing with matches, always fascinated by fire, now it only reminds me of a time I wish I could forget."

"Always knew you were a juvenile delinquent" she joked – bypassing the reference to the abusive childhood. It was something they both shared and neither really wanted to talk about.

"Takes one to know one" he bantered back, as they turned and walked away from the marina and headed back to the station to the mountain of paperwork that followed the conclusion of any case.

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Coda……

Charlie tossed and turned in his large bed. He should be able to sleep. He was exhausted and they'd been going non-stop for the past two days. He rolled to his side facing the window where the ghostly cast from the nearby fires lit the horizon. Even with the air conditioner working full blast he felt the oppressive heat and the burdens of his past. With the case closed he should feel closure, peace and be able to rest, but he found he could not.

Charlie was beyond restless, he was feeling caged, he needed to feel free. It was too hot to sleep, too hot to dream….Nothing seemed able to ease his troubles. The only time the feeling abated was in those moments when Reese was there to beat back the flames. She was like his shade against the heat, cool water and soothing sounds. He missed her presence.

He turned and looked at the clock it read 04:58 in luminous blue digital numbers. Reese where are you? He thought. What are you doing? His earlier phone call to her had done little to assuage his fears that she too was struggling with the heat and unable to rest. His cell phone buzzed in the dark and vibrated across his nightstand. He knew without looking it was her. He answered with a question "can't sleep either huh?"

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They met for breakfast in a small quiet dinner off the 210 midway between Reese's small apartment in the city and Crews' giant house in the hills. Neither trusted themselves to the other's environs. Dani slid into the booth stiffly and Charlie stood looking at her, deciding.

He was tired of standing on the edge of life – he wanted more.

"Slide over" he said. Dani looked at him for a long moment and did just that. As Charlie slid in beside her, both of them eased. He put his hand along the back of the booth and looked down at her. She leaned into him and they both relaxed for the first time in several days. "I don't know how to do this" he confessed.

The waitress appeared and Charlie ordered them both coffee, she poured them steaming mugs, which sat before them untouched on the table.

Charlie started again only to have Dani stop him. "Don't say anything….just be still….just…."

"….breathe" Charlie finished. Dani sighed acknowledging her assent.

It was as if they were back in that orange grove again and finally able to finish their moment together. They breathed together, slowly matching rhythms and when the waitress returned they slept peacefully, Dani's head rested on Charlie's chest and his chin rested lightly on her head.

The waitress smiled softly, warmed their coffee cups and left them in peace.