Father Figure

I don't know much about CSI: New York except for the episodes I've seen in the first and second season. This is my first try at a CSI: New York story. From what I've seen, Don Flack, there isn't much said about Don and his personal or familial life—except for 'The Fall'. So this is that kind of story… hopefully. At this point I have an idea and if the story and idea are gonna coexist… at this point, who knows. On to the story. It's gonna start off before the Season 2 Finale.

Summary: Nobody automatically knows how to be a dad. And don't need to have a good relationship with your father to be a good one. Flack-centric

Disclaimer: I own Gabriella (Ella) and her mom, Natalie. I also own Charlie, but I don't really want him.

Donald Flack Jr. walked down the hallway to his apartment on a Thursday evening, whistling a happy tune. He was happy. He didn't have to chase a perp down any alleys. He didn't have to draw his gun. The case he was on was solved in a snap thanks to the CSIs. All he had to do was the interrogation which was simple enough. Because of the simplicity, he was happy.

But he was hungry. He clocked out and along with Danny and a few other people went down to a bar to grab a few drinks to celebrate a finished case. But usually when they had drinks, they didn't eat. And usually that meant that Don would go home hungry.

And there he was, standing outside of his front door. Happy, but hungry.

He could hear some muffled noises through the door and smiled. "Like clockwork," he said. He took his keys out of his pocket and opened the door to his place.

He stepped in and saw a six-year-old little girl sitting on his couch with the television on. She giggled at something that happened on the show, obviously not hearing Don just walk in. Don smiled at the little girl and closed the door. She turned her head and jumped up from the couch. "Hi, Mr. Flack. You're home a little earlier than usual."

"Hey, Ella. I told you before, it's Don or Flack. Not Mr. Flack. That's my father."

"Sorry."

Ella stood up and walked over to the kitchen where Don was. He unbuttoned his jacket, hung it on the hook on the wall, and threw his keys on the counter. "So what have I missed?" he asked pointing to the TV.

"Nothing much. It's a rerun. Still funny though." She stood at his side. He picked her up and put her on the counter separating the living room from the kitchen. "Oh, I made you a sandwich. It's in the fridge."

"Why thank you," he replied. "What, you knew I was coming home early and hungry so you made me something?"

He opened the fridge and found a huge sandwich looking back at him. He smiled. He took out the sandwich and a soda. He also held a juice box out to her, but she shook her head to say 'no thanks'. He shrugged and set everything down. "You're welcome. And no. I just made it because I thought maybe you'd like a snack, but if you weren't coming home, I was gonna eat it."

"Any chips?"

"On the counter."

"You're on the counter. Ella, you are sitting on my chips are you?" he joked.

He sauntered over to her and started to tickle her. She squirmed and squealed to get out of his grasp. Through her laugher she said, "No." She reached out and gave him a small bag of chips.

"Ella, you are too good to me. Where would I be without you?"

He picked her up and put her on the ground. She took the bag of chips and walked over to the couch. Don followed her with the sandwich on a plate in one hand, and the soda in the other. He placed them both on the coffee table in front of his couch and took a seat next Ella. She changed the channel to something that had to do with sports. Most likely the replays because that's the only thing that was on that late at night. She knew Don very well, and she didn't mind watching sports that much either. "It's nothing," she said. "I just use the stuff that mom buys and stuffs your fridge and pantry with. 'Cause she says you never eat. And I always eat here. I don't know what she's talking about when she says you never eat 'cause all I ever see you do is eat."

Don let out a short laugh. "I'll thank her too then. Have you eaten already?" Ella nodded in response. "Taken a shower?" She nodded again. "Done your homework?"

"Yeah. It was too easy." Don was proud of the little girl sitting next to him. She was independent and intelligent. "How was work?" she asked, her eyes fixated on the show.

"Finished a case," he replied, forgetting for a second that he was talking to a six-year-old.

"That's good," she said, her eyes still not leaving the screen.

"You don't understand what that means, do you?" he asked with a smile on his face.

She turned at looked at him, her eyes wide. "Nope. But you sound happy. And it's good when you're happy."

Don picked up the sandwich and took a bite out of it. He took a sip of his soda before he continued talking. "How was school?"

"Fun," she replied opening the bag of chips and eating one.

"School's fun nowadays?"

"No."

They both laughed and continued to watch the show on TV. Half an hour into the show, Ella handed the bag of chips over to Don, kissed him on the forehead, and fell asleep on the couch. He walked into his room and took out a blanket and draped it over her. He continued to watch the show being mindful of the time.

Nine thirty came around and he sighed. He pushed his sleeve down after looking at his watch for probably the fiftieth time. "Natalie, where are you? I still gotta shower," he said anxiously.

Natalie was Ella's mother, and usually she picked up her daughter at nine fifteen. And if she was going to be late, she would give Don a call. But there was no call. So Don waited.

A few minutes later, he heard a knock on the door. He walked over to open it and on the other side, saw a woman who looked like she had just ran up the entire flight of stairs to get where she was. Her black, usually straight hair was disheveled, her purse kept slipping off her shoulder, and she was breathing hard. "Hey, Don. I'm so sorry I'm late. I would have called, but my stupid phone fell and I don't know how to fix it."

"It's fine, Nat," he replied. "She's sleeping already."

Natalie moved to peek around the tall figure in the doorway and smiled. "Oh, good," she replied when she saw her daughter asleep on the couch.

"Come inside and talk with me for awhile," Don said.

"No, I couldn't. I need to get her to bed."

"She's fine on the couch for now. Have you had anything to eat? Your daughter makes a great sandwich."

"That she does. And yes I have. Thanks for offering though."

"Come on, I'll get you something to drink." Natalie walked into Don's apartment and Don followed her. He got her a soda from the fridge and grabbed a cup of ice. She took a seat at his dinner table and he took a seat across from her. He didn't know why he bought so many chairs for that table. He usually ate on the couch, watching TV, and even when Danny or whoever came over was over, the table remained untouched. Sitting at that table with three empty chairs around him just made him feel lonely. So he was happy that the table was going to use. "So how is everything with you and your boyfriend?" he asked.

They had this conversation often. Either a Tuesday or Thursday in the week, since that was the only time that Natalie would come over. "Good, I guess."

That was the usual answer. Don didn't like him that much, though. "You guess? So why don't you let her go up to your apartment with him?"

"She likes it here. Why, do you want to give her key to some woman that got your heart?" Natalie teased.

"Of course not. I love her coming here. Gives me a chance to talk to my neighbors."

"Ella loves you. I mean, you've known her since she was born," she said trying to change the subject from her boyfriend to Ella.

But Don was having none of it. "Nat," he started, "you've been going out with this guy, what is it, Charlie, for like six months. And you still don't trust him," Don said. He cared for this woman, and her daughter. Never thought that there could be a relationship between him and Natalie, but he cared for her like a sister.

"I trust him," Natalie said. "I just don't trust his friends that he has over half the time. I never know when they're there, when they're not. So I'd rather not let my daughter near them. She's safer alone in here, then up there with them. And she likes the peace. The guys up there are obnoxious." She looked at his wall and saw the time on the clock. "My gosh, it's already so late. I need to get upstairs. Thanks again, Don."

"It was nothing, Nat." She stood up and walked over to her sleeping daughter. She bent down to pick her up, but Don stopped her. "Just grab her bag, I'll take her up."

"No, you don't have to," she said taking her daughter's bag and moving to pick her up again.

"You have a full load. And you look exhausted. It's nothing."

Don easily, yet gently picked up the sleeping girl. Ella nestled herself into his chest. Natalie saw that and smiled. They walked up the two flights of stairs together to get to Natalie and Ella's apartment. She opened the door and offered to take Ella out of her arm, but Don declined. "Thanks, Don. You're my savior."

"Stop saying thanks."

"Okay."

Natalie opened the door to their apartment and bit her lip in disdain. There were bottles of beer littering their tables and floor. Charlie definitely had friends over.

He walked into the apartment and down the hall to Ella's bedroom. He had done this enough times to know where it was. He adjusted Ella and his arms and pulled down the covers of her bed with his free hand. He placed her down and tucked her in. "Good night, Ella."

"Night, dad," she said rolling away from the sound of Don's voice.

Don stepped back in shock, bumping into Natalie who was standing behind him. Don opened his mouth to apologize, but she stopped him. "It happens once in awhile. You know, since her father died. But that talk is for another time."

"Yeah," was forced from his lips. He knew that Natalie's husband died not long after Ella was born, so the little girl never knew her father. But she had just called him dad. After the initial shock, he turned to face her. "She ever call Charlie that?"

"No."

They both stepped out of the hall and Don closed the door to the little girl's room. When he looked up, he was met with the glare of Charlie's gray eyes. "What the hell are you doing here?" he yelled.

"Eh, shut your mouth. She's sleeping," Don replied in a much softer voice pointing to the door.

"I don't give a damn," Charlie yelled keeping his volume the same. "Get out of my place."

Charlie pushed Don toward the entrance of the apartment. "This ain't your place," Don said a little louder now that he was away from Ella's door.

Charlie grabbed Don's shirt and slammed him against the front door. He reeked of stale alcohol. He was drunk, and that wasn't a surprise to Don. "Charlie! Let him go! He's just putting Ella to sleep," Natalie screamed trying to pull Charlie off of Don. "Charlie, let him go!" After all of the struggling, she said something that he knew would make him let her go. "He's a cop, remember."

Charlie let go of Don and walked back into the hallway. "I don't ever wanna see that bastard in here again!"

Don opened his mouth to say something, but he knew better. Charlie was a big guy. While Don was lean and toned, Charlie was brute strength and muscle, but Don knew he could take him. But it wasn't the place. Not with Ella around, and Charlie as plastered as he was.

Natalie opened the door and walked Don to the stairwell. "I'm so sorry, Don."

Don sighed at the wrinkles in his shirt. "Don't apologize for him, Nat," he replied brushing himself off.

"You all right?" she asked taking a quick glance at him.

"I'm good. I'm worried about you though."

"I'm fine. It was just a one time thing," she whispered.

"Was it really?" he said in disbelief.

"Yes, Don!" she yelled. She put her hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry. I know you're just worried, but there is nothing to worry about."

"Has he ever hit you?"

"No. He's never touched me or Ella," she answered, knowing that he would ask about her daughter next.

"Nat, if he ever—"

"I'll tell you," she interrupted. "You're not gonna press charges or anything, are you?"

"Nah. I'll just give him that as a freebee. He didn't hit me or anything. Would it be out of line for me to say that I don't want you or Ella to stay there tonight?"

"I'm sorry, Don. I gotta get back."

"Okay. I'm only a phone call and a few flights of stairs away, okay?" he reassured.

"Yeah." She tiptoed up and kissed him on his cheek. "Thanks," she whispered and walked back to her apartment.

Don shook his head and walked back down to his apartment. He got in his apartment and unbuttoned his shirt. He threw it in the laundry basket and headed for the bathroom. He needed to clear his head. He was worried, tired, and pissed.His happy feeling for a few hours ago was gone.

I'm so sorry people. But I needed to write this story. It wouldn't leave me alone. I'm sorry to all my other readers because I know that I start stories, update them randomly, and make it seem like I'll never finish them. I promise I'll update them. Okay, so the author's note about this story. Don't worry, this isn't a romance story. Not my specialty. I know not much happened here. I just had to introduce a few characters. Okay. If this is a bust, I'll stop and stick to my other stories. Please review and no flames. Thanks. Lil-Rock