These are the days it never rains but it pours

[Leo Cunningham]

Things had been just a tad rocky for Leo and Danielle as of late, a fact which didn't make working together any more harmonious; any disagreements at home then turned into potential during-work disagreements too and other colleagues had began to notice the slight unease between the once-frolicing couple. What really, really took the biscuit as far as he were concerned though was the incident that had come to his attention that very morning.

The lab were embroiled in a contentious case – a known drug-dealer had been found dead, with multiple stab wounds on his abdomen to be precise. The prime suspect was one Mason Mitchell (a known past associate, and drug-user himself, of the deceased) who the police reasoned may have paid a visit to his old friend to off him. Leo's post-mortem had revealed that Mason's DNA was indeed present on the clothing of the victim and on the murder weapon itself. It wasn't looking great for Mason. However, Danielle had, innocently and sweetly enough at first, questioned some of Leo's findings; this sweet natured conversation had deteriorated and Leo realised that Danielle in fact had some misgivings about his personal feelings becoming too entwined in his work. Apparently, as Leo had made no secret his disdain for Mr Mason Mitchell, he had helped the police to frame a 'potentially completely innocent' man with insubstantial evidence. They didn't know Mason's motive, Leo didn't think that mattered – it wasn't his job to ensure a motive was present, his job was to objectively consider the physical evidence on any deceased persons. He wasn't, and never would be, any police officer's sniffer dog or lap dog and such an accusation was the one thing that could really make Leo's blood boil.

As far as he was concerned, Danielle was suggesting he had done just that. It was a matter of her questioning his personal integrity and professionalism – two things he prided himself on and nothing made Leo more frustrated than questions about his character and ability to work. What was even worse was that Danielle hadn't had the guts to bluntly question his judgement to his face – no, instead, she'd went around his back to Becki and persuaded/recruited the woman to do a second post-mortem to clarify (or deny, which was what she probably wanted) Leo's findings. He'd found out that morning when he'd checked the timetable for autopsies, hoping to get one of his re-scheduled, and saw the deceased's name in the top slot. With this file in hand he strode into the lab and over to Danielle's workspace, “Just so I know... because I'm finding it very hard to take this as anything but a personal slight... what the hell were you thinking doing this?” Leo asked suddenly, with an incredulous look twisting his usually pleasant features, as he let the file fall down onto the desk where she sat. “Danielle, if you have a problem with my judgement, kindly take it up with me or at the very least go to the highest authority, report me to Richard if you must, but don't go round my back to Becki of all people,” he said, shaking his head in dismay, and with a hint of disgust.

[danielledavenport]

There were many peculiar and fascinating facets to Danielle Davenport. She had quite varied and interesting pastimes for instance, from knitting to knowing everything there was to know about the art of throwing daggers or knives. Her father was a History Professor at Cambridge; he particularly loved the Renaissance era and had a fondness for weaponry. It was for this reason that while processing the blade that had been used to stab the victim she noticed the wear on the leather hilt. There were Mason’s fingerprints, surely, but the degradation to the material went in the opposite direction. The knife was meant for a right handed person, and Mason Mitchell was in fact left handed. She had observed this while taking his information; he signed his signature with his left hand rather than his right. He could have easily purchased the knife from someone else and used the right handed blade true, but it would have been awkward, the cuts appeared to clean.

Danielle had gone through all of the evidence given to her. Every chemical and object in the dingy room. There were a few things that didn’t add up in Danielle’s mind and she wanted to get to the bottom of it. The more she looked the more she thought Leo was accusing an innocent man.

At present however, Danielle was processing materials from an entirely different case. She was doing a few quick toxicology reports to make quite certain that a very old man had died of old age rather than something, or someone, poisoned him. It was turning out quite well thus far.

Danielle was peering into a microscope at a few test slides when Leo burst into her office. Looking up suddenly, her mind presently on another case she looked blankly at him. Surprise fluttered over her features. “Doing what?” she asked innocently. Then glancing down to the file she gulped and felt suddenly very aware of the blood rising into her cheeks. “Oh,” her mouth made the word but only a whisper came out.

For a moment she appeared very meek and apologetic. “I just thought a second opinion could help, I had a bit of evidence that didn’t add up and I needed a fresh pair of eyes to look it over once more,” she said and then her brow creased together, “I don’t have a problem with you,” she argued, “Why would I ever report you? You did nothing wrong, and I think your findings are brilliant,” she gave a small sigh, “But if you must know I asked Becki because I think your judgment is a bit clouded by the suspect,” she told him matter-of-factly.

((ooc: That was lovely, sorry my post is rather rubbish.))

[Leo Cunningham]

((ooc: Nonsense, it was lovely and aww Danielle is so lovely! Btw, I felt bad making Leo being irritated with her but I'm gonna have him more frustrated and impassioned in the next posts I write when she's challenging his professionalism so... yeah... I apologise for him in advance haha!))

Leo shook is head, jaw slightly tightening as he observed her wide-eyed innocent look. In any other instance he would have completely 'fell for it', any irritation with her melting away at the doe-eyed Bambi expression on her face. But it didn't quite work that way this time. Instead he sighed heavily, “Please don't act innocent, you know what I mean,” he said, his tone perhaps a little too sharp and abrupt, especially considering he was talking to his girlfriend of quite a few months. Noting her darkening complexion he knew she understood to what he was referring and felt embarrassed by being caught out and challenged on it.

“A second opinion? Danielle, it's a much-quoted adage that if you ask three pathologists for an opinion, you'll get four causes of death,” he commented lightly, turning away from her and instead striding to the other end of her office, pacing slowly either way in front of the desk. “If you had a piece of evidence that didn't add up why didn't you query it with me? I was the designated pathologist... it's my responsibility to ensure my findings are sound and not up for question,” he explained patiently enough but there was a touch of pigheaded stubborness about it; Leo thought he was right, he was certain he hadn't overlooked anything, and the fact she was calling into question his competence as a pathologist (the one aspect of his life that he was ambitious about and proud to have achieved) hurt him more than he'd ever voice, it made his heckles rise just a tad. “Oh well thank you,” Leo smiled tightly, dismissively almost, as she assured him 'his findings are brilliant'... he sensed there was a very big 'but' looming on the horizon. Indeed, her next utterance made him cease his pacing and he spun round on his heel to face her, “I-I'm sorry?” he replied incredulously, “You think I am letting a personal feeling towards a suspect interfere with my objective judgement of a body?” he checked and then scoffed, shaking his head quickly. “And what exactly do you suppose I think about the suspect? That he is a 30-year old male, history of drug use and abuse, dubious associations, perfectly able and connected enough to procure the murder weapon. I don't see anything there that any other competent pathologist wouldn't note. To be frank, I think you might have slightly clouded judgement yourself concerning Mr Mitchell,” Leo retorted, yes a tad childishly turning the argument back on her, but he had noted in Danielle (as with Becki) that wonderful trait of wanting to see the very best in all people, wanting to see the good and redeemable qualities in damaged individuals.

[danielledavenport]

At first Danielle gazed at him with innocent doe-eyes. She felt guilty, very guilty and knew that going behind not only a renowned Doctor’s back who just so happened to be her boyfriend with somewhat of an ego when it came to his work (or rather his pride and joy) was a potentially very, very bad idea and had clearly backfired.

“But I…” she started but shut her mouth quickly as he continued to snark. Then as he continued to speak her sweet expression turned into a frown as the space between her eyebrows began to crease into a tiny V shape and her nose began to crinkle with distaste. “Not up for question, oh really?” she poked at his flimsy excuse, “So if Richard had a question about your findings you would not allow him to speak, or are our opinions or thoughts not valued by anyone in this department unless you have a say so,” she argued throwing one of her samples in the bin with a small aggravated sigh but tried not to let his bad mood get to her as she glanced back up at him. Though one of her samples had now been contaminated and proved useless since he had distracted her.

“Yes, in fact I do,” she told him earnestly. “Yes but it seems as though you are trying to connect him to it, rather than assuming him innocent in the first place and trying to prove him as such. Mr Mitchell is already guilty in your mind so why look any further,” she prattled on throwing her hands in the air exasperatedly. “Oh, really, and what is that supposed to mean?” she asked a bit infuriated now but trying to hide it as she gazed at him sternly, her lips pressed firmly together.

[Leo Cunningham]

Turning back to face Danielle he saw her creased brow and crinkled nose and a momentary glimpse of guilt for snapping at her tried to fight its way through the intense irritation he now felt. His work as a pathologist was the only area, only part even, of his life that he was wholly proud of; he couldn't allow anyone to question the integrity of it, not even his girlfriend, as horrible as that may have seemed. “If Richard had... well yes... he is my superior, I have to let him speak, or goodness knows we'd be treated to the silent treatment,” Leo commented dryly, running a hand through his hair in exasperation, “Don't turn this into a 'the pathologists don't appreciate the technicians or their opinions' debate, that wasn't what I meant at all and you know I don't have that kind of superiority complex going on.” Watching as she threw one of the samples she'd been working on in the bin, he caught the slight sigh of irritation as she did so and folded his arms with a sigh of his own.

All too soon his heckles had risen once more – that was the thing about Danielle, she was lovely and truthful to a tee, it's just that sometimes the truth could hurt. And when the truth hurt, Leo preferred to deny it to the death. “You are joking, aren't you?!” he scoffed with a violent shake of his head, “Danielle, I am not trying to connect him to it, I am merely pointing out that it does seem rather likely given the evidence and what the police know of him,” he explained. “What is it supposed to mean? Perhaps the exact opposite of what you've just accussed me of... you have a soft spot for him,” he commented simply with a shrug of his shoulders. This wasn't a matter of him being jealous and thinking Danielle was giving another bloke too much attention for comfort, it wasn't that at all; it was a case of her goodness being more of a hindrance than a help. “You know, you are so like Becki like that.... a soft spot for damaged human beings who've made bad life decisions but, deep down, are just 'misunderstood and tortured souls',” the latter part of his utterance seeming slightly mocking and sarcastic in tone. “You want to see the good in everyone and everything so the world doesn't seem as screwed up. It's admirable, Danni, but naïve,” he shrugged with a heavy sigh, rubbing a hand over his face wearily. “But I suppose that's why you went round my back to Becki, she'd buy into it aswell.”

((ooc: Hope that's okay, I thought with Leo's slight tangent about her wanting to see the good in everyone, like Becki does, it could irritate her a wee bit more? Because maybe she's still a bit iffy about his and Becki's relationship, or rather what he isn't telling her about it, so when he mentions her being like Becki it could be an opportunity for her to snap about the other woman and him talking about her? Or not, hehe, just thought I'd put it in there for you/Danielle to respond to if you fancied!))

[Mason Mitchell]

Sniffing in distaste as he made his way into the Edmond Locard Center, he gave his name to the far too suspicious receptionist and was waved through the security door, seeing her lingering disgusted look at him from the corner of his eye as he passed her. Charming, apparently even the building's receptionist thought he was guilty – that did not bode well for a future outside of prison to be honest. Remembering the way to the lab area and Danielle's office, where she'd taken his personal details and some standard swabs when he'd first been in the firing line, Mason nonetheless lingered around the office areas, not in any hurry whatsoever to have even more DNA extracted from him to undergo a stupidly complex process that he couldn't even begin to understand, let alone process, as the likes of Danielle did. He saw the attractive blonde pathologist, Dr Addison, bent attentively over some paperwork and knocked softly on the window of her office, smiling grimly in greeting at her as she looked up to discover the source of the noise.

Continuing a little way down the corridor he hesitated before Danielle's office as he heard a rather irritated sounding male voice filter through the open doorway. He could barely suppress a snort of amusement as he heard Danielle's utterly innocent voice piping up that she thought Dr Cunningham's judgement might be affected by his dislike of Mason. Not particularly wishing to be privy to much more of their little tiff he cleared his throat purposefully,“Ah, damaged human beings, you're talking about me, aye Doctor?” Mason piped up from the ajar office door which he now peered around with a bemused expression. “Sorry to have interrupted a little domestic, I thought you said for me to come in at 10, Danielle,” he noted with an infuriatingly charming smile, especially considering he was right in the spotlight of a murder case. Inside, Mason was utterly terrified, this shit had just got real, but he knew from the lack of an arrest attempt that, clearly, the police didn't even have enough evidence to formally charge him with anything – that helped him cope a bit, as did his house-mates, as did taunting Ms Davenport's boyfriend, the pathologist who clearly had it in for him. One would think that if you were on shaky ground you ought to comply with the pathologist in charge of the post-mortem that could incriminate you, but that wasn't Mason's way, besides he was 100% completely and utterly innocent, of this crime at least.

((ooc: Wanted to post as Mason, no other excuse than that lol))