Colin MacGregor

Colin sank down onto the dark leather sofa in CJ's apartment next to Ryan with a digusted look. Sean sat on the opposite side of the hue. CJ headed for the kitchen while Liz and Scooter escorted the muddy dog into the downstairs bathroom to try and make him presentable once again.

He leaned forward, ignoring Ryan's rapt fascination with Trading Spaces, and re-read the memo Kelly had handed them just before her assassination. It seemed T&S expected to put their recruitment efforts into high gear for the first quarter, anticipating a huge upswing in either the projection business in general or simply their own market share.

Given the company's tactics to date, such news did not fill him with pleasant thoughts of a prosperous new year for everyone in the industry. The thought suddenly struck him to wonder if the assaults on their crucible were part of an effort to either keep them from focusing on real missions or to get us off the board entirely.

It seemed possible, at least, which meant they needed to be even more on their toes than they had been.

"They mus' be planning summat, tae ge' intae the business so quickly, wi' so many new ICs." Scowling at the blood-soaked shoes sitting on a plastic bag in CJ's foyer, he continued muttering, "Summat like wiping ou' the competition, I'm after thinking."

The sound of the coffee grinder in the kitchen caught his attention and he left Ryan to stare sulkily at the television as he went to check on CJ. The brunette skimmer stood there clad in surprisingly festive Spongebob Squarepants slippers, but their cheerful demeanor was dampened by the slight red-tinge to her socks. She carefully measured the coffee into the filter basket, set it to brew, then turned the heat on beneath the kettle on the stove. Her face was nearly ashen, and a dark bruise was forming on her left temple from where she'd dived for cover after the shot rang out.

"Sean...there's tea made in here", CJ called. She pulled out the coffee pot after the first cup had dripped into the carafe and poured herself a mug.

Once the carafe was back in place, she walked slowly into the living room. "And some coffee if you need any - the pot has one of those brew stop nozzles if you take it out to pour a cup." She set her mug on the coffee table and pushed herself down into the chair, closing her eyes.

Looking up as CJ voiced the offer of a heated beverage, Sean nodded his thanks and left the others to their Trading Spaces. He stopped a moment in front of where CJ sat, looked down then back up at her face.

"SpongeBob...you? I would've at least thought Wonder Woman Underoos or something. But...SpongeBob?"

CJ smiled slightly, though her eyes remained closed as she answered in a quiet voice. "Underoos are in the bedroom - and they're Batgirl, not Wonder Woman."

"So are they the cartoon or the comic book Batgirl?" Ryan asked. "Cause you know the writers of the show took the whole Barbara Gordon principal completely out of context..."

Colin tuned out the hue's dissertation on the cartoon character and watched the wisp continue on into CJ's kitchen from his vantage point in the hallway between the two rooms. Sean opened up the pantry and searched around for a moment before calling out, "Got any chocolate syrup?"

"Yeah..." the woman's voice grew even softer, barely audible over Ryan's continuing lecture. "In the refrigerator..."

Colin smiled as he looked back into the living room and saw CJ's head nodding forwards. He stepped closer and manifested just enough to take the coffee cup back out of her hands and set it on the table.

Sean came in on the last half of Ryan's dissertation of the Batgirls which had lulled CJ to sleep and chuckled. "Wow...is that part of what your 'wail' can do or was she just out of it?"

A moment later, her soft contented snoring answered Sean's question and both he and Colin laughed. The ghost could smell the wisp's drink now that he was manifested, realizing that the man had apparently added the chocolate syrup to the coffee. He'd never been a coffee fan, but he had to admit that even the aroma seemed comforting now.

Taking a healthy swig of his chocolate coffee, Sean left the room and headed upstairs. He returned a few minutes later, sans coffee mug, and lifted the sleeping skimmer into his arms. "I'm going to put her to bed and take the guest room guys, you all going to be ok?"

Both ghosts nodded and Sean tiredly walked back upstairs with the quietly snoring ex-detective.

Ryan chuckled as he stood up and began looking about the room, pointing out a single dust-free picture. "That must be Nate. I didn't know he was black...or so cute."

Colin glanced over and smiled, since he had seen the picture on his last visit, and flipped Trading Spaces over to ESPN to catch the tail end of Sports Center. Unfortunately, the Rugby Union was hardly on the top story list in the US, and the anchors were busily arguing over whether some oversexed basketball player should be allowed to play while waiting on his rape trail to finish up.

Colin watched the score ticker intently, then swore quietly to himself as the final results scrolled by - England over Austrailia, 20-17. He flipped the channel back in time for Ryan's Queer Guy show, who never seemed to notice the change.

The hue practically bounced back over to the couch as the show started and Colin shook his head in confusion. Standing slowly, the ghost started off silently down the hall to the bathroom where Liz was trying to rinse the last of the suds out of Mrrshan's fur with a handheld shower head. Standing just outside the doorway and peeking in, he gave the ex-FBI agent and the other ghost, Scooter, a wan smile.

"He behaving for ye? I'd help bu', ah, he's squirming enough in the tub wi'ou' adding me own panic tae the mix."

Liz smiled. "He's doing just fine, but thank you. We're about finished anyway, then do you mind keeping an eye on him? I want to get online with CJ's computer and do some research."

"Sure thing, lass", Colin replied. And hopefully I will nay fuck up looking after the dog.

3 December, 2003

Colin, Scooter and Ryan were watching the Wednesday morning news for any mention of their activities when a scream erupted from CJ's bedroom. Colin was on his feet first, flaring into full manifestation as the power and speed of Juggernaut raced through him. The ghost burst through the door of her upstairs room almost as quickly as thought only to draw up short at the sight that greeted him.

Mrrshan had leapt onto the bed, mussing the covers and licking the skimmer on the face. A laugh erupted out of him at the sight of the brunette in her skimpy nightshirt trying to wrestle with a seventy pound black lab, and he called out to the animal. "Mrrshan! Bad dog! Get down off o' tha' bed!"

The hulking lab ceased licking CJ's face at the sound of Colin's voice, though the spirit's command did little to sway the dog's insistent attention. When the former detective attempted to push the lab off the bed, Mrrshan mistook her attention for play, and once again pounced on her, pinning her backwards.

"Colin!" she held up her hands to fend off the large, wet, slimy tongue. "Get him..off!" A surprising giggle escaped her lips as the dog nuzzled her now exposed midsection, and Colin laughed again at the unexpected sound. CJ always struck him as so serious, Spongebob slippers or no, and this was a side of her he'd never expected.

Of course, the reveal of firmly toned muscles across her stomach and the tantalizing hint of a breast under the tangled hem of the nightshirt sent other thoughts through his head that he'd never considered regarding the skimmer. He shook that out of his mind as quickly as he could, however, knowing how little point there was to such fantasies, and just enjoyed the show. Instead, he simply leaned against the wall opposite the bed with a shit-eating grin and egged the dog on. "I take i' back, tha's a good boy!"

CJ tried unsuccessfully to push Mrrshan off of her again but, crippled by the uncontrollable laughter, she managed only to antagonize the dog further. He nuzzled her stomach again and gave a soft 'ruff' as he pulled at her sweats, eliciting another of the undesired traing of thoughts from the young skinrider.

The effort of trying to retain her pajamas proved too much of a test of coordination, and detective and dog fell together to the floor with a resounding thud.

Ryan stopped at the door of the room and collapsed from sheer amusement, joining into the general peals of laughter.

Winded, CJ fought dog and divan as she spoke, "Colin...if you don't..." She giggled breathlessly. "...get this mutt...off of me..."

"Well, all righ' lass. Jus' remember, ye asked me tae." With an evil grin, Colin took several steps towards the tangle of sheets, limbs, and paws. Closing his eyes momentarily as he touched Mrrshan's back, his form dissolved into gauzy, spiderweb like strands before settling around the dog's head and disappearing.

Quickly, Mrrshan jumped out from the tangle with a single, happy bark and licked CJ's face before sitting down and thumping his tail against the carpet.

The skimmer wiped at her now wet face with the backs of her hands. Sighing, CJ lay on her back a few seconds before looking up at the face of Mrrshan/Colin. With a wide grin, she pointed at him with the index finger of her left hand. "I'll get you for that."

Suddenly, a worried expression crossed her face and she looked around. "How did I get in my room? And into pajamas?"

A bleary eyed Sean entered the room, fastening his trousers and looking confused. He shambled past the gauzy form of Ryan curled on the floor holding himself together in fits of snorting laughter.

"CJ...you're...laughing?" The tired tone of the wisp's voice echoed the confusion in his eyes. "Still dreaming...", he muttered as he turned and left again.

With a sideways glance at the dog, CJ hoisted herself off the floor. The sheets had become wrapped about her legs and she bent over to disentangle herself.

CJ spoke, her voice a bit muffled from her position as she braced herself against her high, sleigh-bed with her right hand. When Ryan's laughter quieted down, the former detective stumbled into the bathroom, shutting the door on Mrrshan.

DON'T LOOK BACK

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Last Updated: February 12, 2004 by Blake Sorensen

Licking Our Wounds

2 December, 2003

3 December, 2003