Disclaimer: I don't own any CSI: NY characters. There are spoilers from "Oedipus Hux"- the part about Flack being a coach for a YMCA basketball team.
Enjoy! Read and Review!!
Chapter 1
Don just finished coaching the group of boys at the YMCA. He was putting the basketballs in the rack and he wheeled it into the storage room off of the court. He walked across the court and down the hallway to the front doors. The young kids had left twenty minutes earlier, walking out all together. It was after 3 pm. When he was out the front door he noticed one of the boys sitting on the front steps. It was the new kid; he was just there spending the summer with his aunt.
"Hey, Sam," Don said and the boy turned to look at him as he sat down next to him. "Are you waiting on your ride?"
"Yeah, my aunt is supposed to come get me. She probably forgot about me," Sam kept his head down as he talked.
"Oh, I'm sure she didn't forget. Maybe she got stuck in traffic or something."
Sam sighed. "My parents…they went to China for the summer and left me with my aunt. They go every summer, and usually I go to camp, but for some reason they left me with her this year."
"Hey, this city is a pretty cool place for a kid your age."
"Yeah, but it's not like my aunt has time to take me anywhere."
"I know what it's like to have to work a lot, and I have nieces and nephews I don't get to see much. I'm sure your aunt loves having you around."
A small black SUV pulled up to the curb, and a young woman got out and came running up the stairs.
"I'm so sorry Sammy," she was saying as she came toward them.
Sam stood up. "It's ok. I'm going to the car."
"Sammy," the young boy walked away. She turned to look at Don, who had stood. "I'm sorry. Thanks for waiting with him." She held out her hand. "I'm Jillian by the way."
"Don," he took her hand. "It's nice to meet you." He looked at the car then back at her. "He'll be ok. I think he's just kind of upset about his parents leaving him for the summer and everything."
"Yeah, my brother wanted a kid so bad, but he and his wife make it too much of a routine to abandon him, and leave him with someone else." She smiled. "I love my brother."
"He'll pull through. Maybe it will be good for him to spend some time here with you."
"Maybe it will be good for the both of us. Well, I better get going. Thanks again for waiting with him, I'll try hard next week to get here on time."
Don contemplated asking her out or for her number before he noticed the small diamond ring on her left finger. "That's ok. I guess I'll see you next week then." He watched her walk down the stairs to her car. She was wearing black dress pants and a red top. Both fit her body perfectly. He had to snap out of it; she was another man's.
The next week the boys Don coached had a game against a group from another YMCA team. Halfway through the game Don noticed Sam's aunt, Jillian, walk in and sit in the bleachers. Don smiled. He knew Sam would be happy that she had begun to show interest. Don's team won the game; he didn't think he was the greatest coach but he was confident in his team.
Jillian made her way down the stairs of the bleachers. The team was all on the floor celebrating their victory. Jillian went over to her nephew and hugged him tightly.
"Good job, Sammy. That was a great lay-up you did at the end." Jillian told him.
"I can't believe you came to my game," Sam responded.
"Of course, buddy, I wouldn't miss it for the world. I was a little late, but I didn't tell you that." She laughed and hugged her nephew close again.
"Hey, Don, that was some great coaching," Jillian said to Don as he made his way to them.
"Yeah, it was all the kids, but thanks." He flashed a smile. "You wanna join us for pizza to celebrate?"
She looked at Sam then back at Don. "Actually, yeah that sounds fun."
Jillian offered to drive a few more of the boys to the pizza parlor. Don took a few with him, and another parent took the rest.
At the pizza parlor Don sat across from Jillian at one of the three tables the waitress had put together for them. He was so mad at himself for staring at her as she laughed and talked. He knew how mad he would be if he was her fiancé and another man was looking at her or having the thoughts that he did about her.
Don was very happy to see Sam's excitement when his aunt had showed up at the game and when she agreed to go get pizza with them. He was a good kid who only wanted some kind of parental units around, even stand-ins. Don was happy to help him get used to the city, and fit in with the other boys on the team.
Jillian had decided to take the other boys home on her way to her own apartment. Don watched her drive away. There was something about her that, if she was any other girl, made him crazy.