Disclaimer: I don't own CSI:NY.
Series: 'Kindred Spirits' – there's a full list on my profile.
Spoilers: The Past, Present and Murder; Sex, Lies and Silicone; The Triangle; The Party's Over. Mentions of my story 'DOA for a Day'.
The Past, Present and Murder
"You were right." Don announced. "It came back to bite us."
"What did?" Jess asked, glancing up.
"Robert Dunbrook." Don loosened his tie and tossed it on to a chair. "What are you doing?"
"Going through old photo albums." Jess answered, rooting in a box. "It's my parents' fortieth wedding anniversary soon and, despite Mr Dunbrook's generouscontribution, I still don't have the money to buy them anything so I thought I'd make them something, which makes me sound about six, but …"
"Hey, it's the thought that counts." Don sat down on the floor next to her. "Forty years, huh?"
"Yeah, they're having some big party." Jess tilted her head back to look him in the eyes. "Will you be offended if I don't ask you to come? Only they don't actually know we're dating and Dad's likely to blow a fuse when he finds out …"
"It's fine." Don assured her, taking the opportunity to drop a kiss on her lips. "He'll really be that mad?"
"It's not you." Jess smiled. "I got the impression he was quite impressed when you met around the whole Suspect X thing … it's just that we're partners and …"
"Gotcha." Don nodded. "Don't worry; my dad'll be just as pissed, believe me."
"Besides, you're better off meeting my parents when the rest of them aren't there." Jess commented. "My brothers, I can handle. Every single one of my relatives …" She shuddered. "I'm dreading it. Think I can call in sick?"
"Jess …" Don chided lightly. "Would you really do that?"
"No." Jess admitted with a sigh. "What did Dunbrook do now?"
"Well, you remember how Mac got picked up by two FBI agents who told him the flash-drive from the Ann Steele case was missing?" Don began.
Jess looked up. "No."
"Oh." Don frowned. "Well, Mac got picked up by two FBI agents who told him the flash-drive from the Ann Steele case was missing."
Jess rolled her eyes. "Thanks, Detective. That cleared that right up."
Don chuckled. "Anyway, one of them used Steele's fingerprint to break into Dunbrook's office."
"Why?" Jess asked.
"They thought Dunbrook had the drive." Don answered.
"And did he?" Jess prompted.
"He did." Don shrugged. "God knows where it is now."
Jess sighed. "Start from the beginning."
"From what we've figured," Don began, "Anne Steele was working with Dunbrook, giving him tips, that's how he got a lot of his stories."
"That doesn't surprise me." Jess commented.
"When she was killed, that line would have dried up, except Dunbrook bribed an NYPD property clerk, Kevin Cross, to conveniently let the flash drive go missing." Don continued.
"Kevin Cross." Jess frowned. "I know that name. He was shot, wasn't he?"
Don nodded. "By Dunbrook's son, Connor."
"So the FBI agents broke into Dunbrook's office to steal the flash drive?" Jess frowned. "Why?"
"Because they'd lost their jobs. They were investigating one of Steele's clients and she falsified evidence against them." Don explained patiently. "They're both dead now; one went out a window while fighting with Dunbrook, the other died in a car chase."
"Let me guess," Jess sighed. "Dunbrook used the 'donation' line to look innocent. I knew he had an angle!"
Don nodded. "Even got his son to take a pop at him outside the precinct so he looked like a completely innocent victim." He smirked. "But it didn't work and he's going down. Fraud and embezzlement."
"Good." Jess stated firmly. "I hate people who think they can pay their way out."
"What about you?" Don asked. "Did you have a good day off?"
"Yeah, actually." Jess admitted. "Didn't think I would, given that I'd promised myself I'd do this, but it's more fun than I thought."
"What are you making them?" Don asked curiously.
Jess stood up and stretched, pulling a face as the muscles in her legs protested. Once they'd quietened down, she lifted the large canvas off her bed and propped it up. "What do you think?"
It was about the size of a wide-screen TV, almost entirely covered in photographs. In the middle was a large copy of what Don assumed was her parents' wedding picture.
"I think you don't look much like your mom." Don commented.
Jess chuckled. "No, I take after Dad's side of the family. If you look at pictures of his mom when she was my age, it's like looking at my twin sister. You think they'll like it?"
"If they're anything like my parents they will." Don told her. "You want some help?"
Jess smiled brightly. "You just want to see baby photos."
"You caught me." Don smirked.
"Well, you're out of luck." Jess sniggered. "I don't have them."
"What's this one?" Don asked, pulling out a framed photo.
Jess grimaced. "My prom photo."
A teenage Jess was arm-in-arm with a young man in a tux, whose smile looked faintly nervous.
"Is that …?" Don began.
"Uh huh." Jess nodded. "And that would be why it's in the box and not on my sideboard."
"Why does he look so scared?" Don asked.
"Oh, Matt took him aside before we went." Jess explained. "And put the fear of God into him. You could have driven a bus between us."
"I guess that warning didn't last long." Don muttered.
"Oh, Matt reminded him rather … violently after we broke up." Jess said brightly, taking the photograph back.
"Well, at least there's a sense of karma here." Don commented, a forced lightness to his voice.
"What's that?" Jess asked warily.
"You did nothing wrong, and you're still just as – if not more – stunning as you were that night." Don told her with a smile. "Whereas he is now slightly overweight, balding and – by the looks of him – unemployed."
Jess laughed. "That makes me feel better." She sighed. "It's a pity he's in it really. This was one of Mom's favourite pictures of me."
Don frowned thoughtfully. "Well … if you cut him out and then put it next to that photo of your brothers … you know the one where they're all in a line … it would just look like you had your arm around the one on the end."
"Will." Jess filled in. "You're right." She opened the back of the frame and removed the photograph, attacking it carefully with scissors.
Sure enough, Don's idea worked, even if her attire was much fancier than her brothers'.
"Do I get to see you in a dress any time soon?" Don asked, glancing at her legs, which were hidden by jeans.
"You've seen me in a dress." Jess reminded him.
"Yeah, at work, undercover." Don rolled his eyes. "That doesn't count. C'mon, Jess, you've got gorgeous legs."
Jess smiled. "I'm wearing a dress to this party; you could come over beforehand."
"How about after?" Don suggested. "That way I get to help you take the dress off as well."
"You have a one-track mind." Jess chuckled fondly. "What am I going to do with you?"
"I can think of a few ideas." Don kissed her neck. "Want to hear them?"
Jess bit her lip as a shiver ran through her. "Not at the moment." She swatted his hand lightly as it threatened to creep under her shirt. "I need to finish this."
"Alright." Don sighed. "But when you have, all bets are off."
"I'm all yours." Jess promised. "But you look exhausted."
"I'll cope. You were adorable." Don commented, as she pulled out a photograph of her when she was six.
"All kids are." Jess pulled a face. "I'm glad I grew out of those freckles though."
"You've still got some." Don told her, brushing a hand across the back of her neck. "Here."
Jess shivered again. "Don, stop distracting me."
"Sorry." Don kissed her forehead. "Have you eaten yet?"
"Not yet." Jess answered.
"I'll go and make us something to eat then." Don kissed her cheek and then her lips. "You got any food?"
"I think there's cold pizza in the fridge." Jess told him, returning to the box in front of her.
"You can't live on cold pizza, Jess." Don called over his shoulder.
"I don't." Jess responded. "I live on cold pizza and reheated lasagne."
She could practically hear him rolling his eyes. "Still not good enough."
Jess chuckled. "I know. Come on, Don; you know what it's like. I live alone and I'm hardly ever here – it's too much hassle to cook just for myself."
"Yeah, I know." Don responded. "How does omelette sound?"
Jess grinned as her stomach made a loud noise in agreement. "Honestly, I'm so hungry I'd eat anything."
"Yeah, I heard." Don sniggered. "How can a tiny little thing like you make a noise like that?"
Jess raised an eyebrow, slotting the last picture into place. "Excuse me? I'm not a 'tiny little thing'."
"Yeah you are." Don teased. "Especially when you're wearing my shirt."
"Don," Jess carefully moved the frame from her bed to lean it against the wall and left her bedroom, perching on her kitchen table, "think about this. Do you really want to describe me as a 'tiny little thing' when, nine times out of ten, I beat you when we spar in the gym?"
Don thought for a second. "Well, when you put it like that …"
Jess smirked. "Didn't think so." She leaned back on her hands as he stepped towards her, resting his hands on her thighs. "Something you want, Detective?"
Don leaned over her, kissing her neck. "What do you think?"
"Nuh-uh." Jess put a firm hand on his chest and pushed him back. "You promised me dinner."
"So I did." Don pulled a face. "Well, I never break a promise."
"I know you don't." Jess smiled. "So get cooking."
"Sure thing." Don grimaced again, as his phone went off. "Dammit. I gotta get this."
"Yeah, I know." Jess shrugged. "Curse of the job."
Don flipped his phone open. "Flack. Yes, Deputy Inspector. Yes, I know. Got it. I know." He hung up. "DI making sure I crossed my 'T's and dotted my 'I's in the paperwork."
Jess rolled her eyes. "She called just for that?"
"Yeah, clearly she has no social life." Don commented. "Which means we're all expected to not have one either, at least until Dunbrook's behind bars."
Jess sighed. "That trial cannot come soon enough."
AN: Partly anticipating the finale, partly scared that'll be it. I really want CSI:NY back for another season, but I've got a gut feeling that CBS don't. Still, at least I've still got two seasons to play with on this XD Review please!