Supernova Stories

short 9, part 1

this story is in the most modern times in Nova's life, where Redwood has died due to a criminal attack, and Nova has since been bumped up in the ranks of a detective to Chief Medical Examiner (OCME)

credits to my friend Pat for the creation of Simon Pottsdell!!!

Professions in the criminal justice system have layers. Way more than one may think. In forensics alone, there are about 10-15 different divisions most of the time. This being said, the criminal justice system is never black and white, it's never just fat cops and detectives in brown coats sitting around and eating donuts. There are autopsies, there are gruesome crime scenes, there are interrogations. There's a trace lab, there's an anatomical division, and there's a chief medical examiner. Who would know all about this? Celine Arnette DeCourt, but that's only if someone knew her personally. She started as a police detective, worked with forensics for a while, and became a forensics detective. She had a doctoral degree, she worked in the trace lab, she worked in the anatomical division, and now she was here. She was the Chief Medical Examiner, or OCME if someone would want to shorten it. She was known everywhere, in every department, in every division, in every state. When she was called somewhere for a case, she went. When she needed to perform an autopsy, she went. She had no choice. When someone's put on a pedestal that high, it's hard to just step back down. She had eyes on her at all times, which made the community's reaction that much worse when her investigative partner, Redwood, died. Celine fought for days to get a measly week off on 'vacation' so she could process the fact that her childhood best friend, near boyfriend, and best detective partner had died. Right in front of her. Nobody cared. The cops were sad, but not like Celine's level of sadness. This event could've very well been the end of it for her, she could've stopped there. She could've ended it all and never come back; had her dignity, confidence, and promises not gotten in the way of that plan.

She was alone now, she traveled solo. When she was called to different cases around the U.S., she drove or flew there alone. She was assigned a partner when she got to where she needed to be. Otherwise, she would travel everywhere with Redwood, but she was beyond that now. It was no longer an option.

Celine sighed, walking into, yet another, police department. Somehow she always got called back there, maybe due to the fact she grew up there, maybe not. Either way, it was an inescapable hell. All she hoped for was to see Redwood walking out of the armory with his goofy little grin and the blue, silk scarf he always wore. Celine didn't have enough quiet time to dream this time around, her attention was too caught on a different man, one she had never met. He seemed like he worked there, but based on his yelling at the receptionist, she second-guessed the idea.

"Ma'am, I have been looking for her for two weeks! I've been doing it all by myself, none of you will do anything for me, and I'm uncertain as to why!?" His voice couldn't have been any louder than it was at the current moment.

He's yelling at a receptionist. Celine couldn't help but think. Someone who doesn't leave the damn desk she's assigned to. How the hell is she going to know where your missing case is?

The older woman behind the desk made sudden eye contact with Celine in a 'pleading for help' sort of way. Celine was barely through the door, but she was there now. No going back then.

"Excuse me, sir---"

"Are you here to help me?" He suddenly turned his body to face the blonde woman, who, to him, was new. Even though it should've been the other way around.

"I'm not sure", Celine started again, struggling to keep her French accent as suppressed as it usually is when she's not angry. She hated getting interrupted. "I haven't gotten a very good description of what I'm here for this time around."

"Oh. well you're probably here to help me, this lady isn't doing anything for me," he then turned to the receptionist, "no offense." then he turned back. "...Are you... French? That's weird. Were you born there? Y'know, in France? Is your hair natural? Or did you dye the red parts?"

Celine's brain felt like it was about to explode. She was smart. Very smart. If she had known that this random, brown-haired, messy-locked, seemingly mentally-deranged boy was going to be who greeted her at her usual department, she wouldn't have come at all.

"This is nothing less of an inappropriate conversation to be having, sir." she paused for a moment. "No offense," she said then, almost mimicking the man.

"U-Um, ma'am?" The receptionist opened her mouth for the first time since Nova had walked in. Nova turned her head, and her attention to the woman behind the desk, her eyes flamed up and set ablaze with anger. Nova swore she saw the woman's soul leave her body before she spoke again. "Nova, isn't it? I have your file...the one you were called here to work on?"

"Wow, so your name's Nova?" the younger man started up again, barely even giving Celine any time to think about how she was going to respond to the receptionist. "Sounds made up."

"It is." Celine then said, grinding her teeth together.

She reached over and grabbed the file that the woman in front of her was holding out, refusing to waste more time on this boy than she had to. It was like talking to a toddler whenever he decided to open his mouth. Celine flipped open the cover of the file and started skimming through the pages contained in the file, to no surprise when she only found two pieces of paper waiting for her. She sighed. "I'm assuming I'm getting a partner this time around as well?"

If Celine could choose, she'd just choose to work by herself. Under no circumstances would she rather get assigned someone she's most likely never met in her life. She started running through the names of the detectives that she knew in this department, trying to assume who she would get paired up with this time around.

The receptionist nodded slowly in response to Celine's question and her eyes darted to the younger, brown-haired male beside the famed investigator in front of her.

"Simon, this is Nova. Nova, this is Simon." the receptionist seemed to hesitate as she pushed these words out.

The brunette boy turned his head back to Nova with a grin on his face. "We're working together? Cool--"

"I think I'll just work by myself," Celine spoke quickly, unaware of if what she was saying was targeted towards the receptionist or Simon or both. She started walking off even faster with the file in her hand, gripping it against her body, practically praying that Simon wouldn't follow her. She supposed she forgot she wasn't religious, and praying in general wouldn't do anything for her.

"Hey, French Lady, wait up!" Simon seemed to yell down the corridor as Celine continued speed-walking away. At the words 'french lady' anyone in the immediate area turned their heads, not only due to the loud volume but also due to the idea that Dr. Nova had returned. She could tell based on the look in the cop's and investigator's eyes that they were waiting expectantly for Nova and her male companion to turn their heads and wave in sync, but the male that followed behind Nova wasn't the one they were waiting for. The woman started walking quicker now, lowering her gaze to the floor in hopes that nobody would notice or say anything about Redwood's absence, but she knew they would eventually.

Maybe it wouldn't have been such a bad idea to leave this world with Redwood after all.