CSI: Miami "Barely Breathing"

Chapter I

"Please state your identity and acknowledge your presence." stated the judge.

I straightened my black hair, and fixed my blouse before answering. "I am Jess Priscal. I am a CSI agent and work in the evidence laboratory. I live and work in Miami, Florida." I ended by exhaling loudly.

The judge looked up at me through his glasses. "What do you plead?"

"Not guilty" I replied.

The judge looked between the accused criminal, and the woman who he charged with murder. Me. The man was named Carson Raven, and he had been charged for kidnapping and murder. He wanted revenge, but nobody saw as clearly as I did. He thought that his plan would work. He had successfully tampered with the evidence to make it seem as if I was to blame. He just had to get through this trial.

"Your honor, I find it strange that Miss Priscal works in the CSI offices, and she has acess to the evidence."

"What's so strange about that?" I snapped.

Carson glared at me, "Considering this case has to do with me, and we have a history, you may have done this to get back at me."

I turned to him, looking shocked, "Your honor! This is not-"

"Order!" he commanded. "We have successful evidence recovered that you are to blame, Miss Priscal. Did you murder Mr. Ebberheart?"

I fumed. "No, I did not."

"And do you-" he was cut off as another agent raced into the room. It was agent Ryan Wolfe, also a worker in the same office as me. With a waving hand, he rushed towards the front of the room, a package in hand.

"Your honor, I have evidence that Carson Raven planted false accusation. He replaced evidence from our crime scene with Agent Priscal's fingerprints on it." Ryan Wolfe pulled out a tape, and put it in the tv.

A vision of Carson replacing the evidence came to view. It was clear that he didn't notice the tape recording him the whole time. At the end, Carson looked amused. "Never thought you'd be smart enough to find that." he mused.

"Well," stated the judge, "I guess we're done here. Miss Jess Priscal is innocent. Not guilty!" I jumped from my chair, and smiled.

Carson had a grim expression on his face while crossing his arms. I walked towards Wolfe and gave a quick hug as the courtroom cleared out. Two officers came over and handcuffed Carson Raven.

"I can't thank you enough." I told Ryan.

"No problem, we knew your were innocent. And you have to give some credit to Horatio and Eric, they found the tape. I just delivered it." Ryan accepted another hug from me as we began to walk out of the jury house, and back to the lab to have a "small" little get together with everyone on the case.

..

"Well you're not in handcuffs, so I'd say the trial went well." Natalia came over and lightly slapped me on the back.

The two of us had been working together for a while, and we had become extremely close friends. Her and every one else were like family. They'd literally take a bullet for me, and I'd take one for them. And trust me, that only happened once before we realized it was no fun at all to be the hero sometimes.

"This deserves a toast, then." blurted out Ryan.

We all smiled and raised our glasses, glad that the week of hell was over, and another criminal was put behind bars.

"To not being out in jail!" I laughed.

.

Later on, after the party, I decided I had enough of this day. Horatio was able to drive me home, and I thanked him one more time for finding the tape that proved me innocent. But my work wasn't done, and it'd never be. I'd go back tomorrow and start a whole new crime.

Lovely.

But first thing was first, rest. And after a day like this, I needed it.