Here With Me
Chapter 1 : Back In Town

Summary: When Aiden Burn hears of Flack's condition she returns to New York immediatly. However when she gets back she is confronted by her suppressed feelings for Don as well as the mixed emotions of seeing Danny with her replacement. Will be DannyAiden or FlackAiden...whichever you decide. Please review and tell me what you think! Luv, Vikki x


Aiden Burn got out of the taxi as it pulled up outside of the hospital, she reached over the pay the driver. The cost was extorniate having travelled straight from the airport to the hospital during one of the busiest times of the day. Getting out of the yellow cab and swinging her holdall over her shoulder, Aiden made her way towards the entrance of the hospital. She took a deep breath of the city air and walked inside. When Mac had telephoned her earlier that day the only thing she could think of was to get here as quickly as possible for Flack's sake and to support her colleagues, well ex colleagues. Part of her was looking forward to meeting her replacement just to see what she was like but at the same time she knew she'd feel resentful even though it was herself she had to blame. The last time Danny had contacted her was two weeks after her departure from New York and her life there, he had told her about Lindsay, the new CSI. He hadn't said much at the time but it was still early days and Aiden knew that it took a while to settle in. Now she had to face all of her old friends and colleagues but this time there would be no sense of belonging just a sense of being a distant part of their lives. She missed working closely with them everyday, especially Danny and Flack who had become good friends during her time at CSI: New York. Now Flack was injured and might not make and she would still seem like an outsider to the people who had once seemed like her extended family. At reception she asked which ward Flack was on and followed the directions the nurse gave her. She saw her once fellow CSIs before they saw her as she approached the door that lead onto Flack's ward. Aiden stopped for a second and watched them through the glass panel in the door. Mac and Stella were talking to each other and they both looked like they needed to sleep, Sheldon was staring at the ground and Danny was holding Lindsay's hand and appeared to be convincing her that it would all be okay. Aiden felt her heart sink in her chest when she saw them together, she wanted to be the one that Danny was comforting or at least be comforting him. Lindsay barely knew Flack and how dare she be acting like this? Aiden stopped herself mid thought, she knew that wasn't fair and this wasn't time to be jealous, especially not in these circumstances. Taking another breath, Aiden pushed open the door and was suddenly fixed with five pairs of eyes, each showing a different emotion as Aiden Burn walked back into their lives.

"Aiden?" Danny gasped, letting go of Lindsay's hand and getting to his feet. They took uncertain steps towards each other and finally hugged. "How have you been?"

"Not so bad." She said. "How's Don doing?"

Mac looked up at her sympathetically. "Not so great Aiden but you can pop in and see him if you want."

Aiden gave him a weak smile and nodded. "I'd like that."

Mac stood up to and pushed over the door to Flack's room and held it open for her.

"Will you be okay?" He asked.

Aiden nodded, feeling tears well up in her eyes. It was too much at once. "I'll be fine thanks."

Seeming satisfied with this Mac went back to sit with the others while Aiden ventured into the room alone.

"Don? Honey, it's Aiden." She said softly, sitting at his beside. "What have you gotten yourself into now?" She tried to make things seem light and friendly but her heart was breaking just seeing him like this. Aiden wished she could have got here sooner. "I don't know, I've only been away a little while and you have to pull a dramatic stunt like this to get me back here?" She gave a small laugh but it lacked conviction.

"Aiden?" Don Flack croaked, she could feel him responding to the grip on his hand now.

"I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere." She assured him in a low voice.

"Where am I?" He asked, trying to move but the pain was too much.

"Hey, lay still it's okay Don. You're in hospital, for once you are actually lucky to be in this place. Mac told me that a bomb went off and it was touch and go for you back there."

"Yeah." He croaked again. "What are you doing back here Aid?"

"I couldn't not come back could I? When Mac told what had happened to you of course I had to come back."

"You didn't have to." He said, getting weaker again now and straining to breathe.

"Yes I did." She told him firmly. "Yes I did."