A/N: I'm a little nervous about bringing this story to this fandom. It originally started with Fighting for Salvation, though you do not have to have read that to enjoy this. I really do hope you guys will give this a chance, and that you'll enjoy it as well. Thanks to JaydenBell for agreeing to help me out with this one.

"Mac," Sinclair greeted as the detective walked into his office. "I'm glad you could make it.

"I got the feeling this meeting wasn't optional."

"It's not. But I figured I'd be polite anyway."

"What's this about?" Mac asked as he took a seat facing the Chief of Detectives.

Sinclair perched on the corner of his desk. "I have a proposition for you."

"Alright."

"You've been chosen to head a new team. Something akin to Major Case, but utilizing your team of CSIs. You'd handle the big cases, the complicated ones, and the sensitive ones."

Mac's eyes narrowed. "That sounds like I'd be playing a lot of politics. And you don't like the way I play politics."

"True. But you're good, Mac. And that's what we need more than anything right now. This city is awash with criminals, and the public is sick of hearing about unsolved cases."

The detective thought for a minute. "How do I know you're not going to just throw me to the wolves with the first big case?"

"Because the last thing this department needs right now is to be fighting with itself. It gives us a bad image."

"A lot of things give us a bad image, Brig."

"Look. Here's the deal. You head the team – which you get to choose. And you get your own floor of 1 PP all to yourselves."

"I get to pick my own team?" Mac asked, his tone slightly suspicious.

Sinclair held up a finger. "All except one. You can have all of your CSIs, and you can pick one Homicide detective. And I imagine you'll be choosing Don Flack."

Mac crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing. "Are you telling me I can't have Detective Angell as well?"

"That's exactly what I'm telling you," he said, standing up and moving behind his desk again. "I'm giving you everything, Mac. Except this one team member. She'll be Flack's new partner."

"My team's not going to like that."

"Your team doesn't have a choice," he said flatly. "Look, Mac. I'm not sticking you with a dud. She's good at what she does. But I want her on your team, and there's no reason for you to have three detectives." Sinclair leaned forward, raising his eyes to meet Mac's. "So…are you in?"

He took a deep breath. "I'm in."

The chief nodded. "Good. Your new detective's name is Ava Connelly. She's a transfer from L.A."

"Can I see her file?"

"No."

Mac frowned. "Why not?"

Sinclair sighed. "Mac, I know there's a lot about this situation that you're not going to like. But you can't see Connelly's file."

"Why not?"

"Because it wouldn't do you any good." Mac opened his mouth to ask another question, but Sinclair held up a hand and cut him off. "All you get is a letter from her last boss."

That pulled him up short. "A letter?"

He gave him a small smile. "More like a list of recommendations. For handling Connelly."

"I thought you said she was good at her job."

"Oh, she is, Mac. She is. But that doesn't mean she's not a handful." Sinclair handed him a white envelope. "She'll be here in a week. You have until then to get your team on board and moved."

Mac stood up and shook the other man's hand. "Thanks, Brig."

"I'm not gonna lie – the city and the mayor expect a lot from you."

"We're up to it."

"I hope so. And Mac?" The detective turned around as he reached the doorway. "Good luck."

He nodded and left the room.

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"You wanted to see me?" Jess asked as she walked into the office.

Mac nodded, gesturing for her to take a seat. "I need to talk to you."

She gave him a nervous smile. "That doesn't sound good."

He took a seat in the chair next to her, his discomfort obvious. "The Chief of D's is giving me a new position. I'm heading up a CSI Major Case squad." He paused. "He's letting me choose my own team – except that I can only have one Homicide detective."

Angell pressed her lips together. "And you're choosing Flack."

"Yes."

She nodded slowly. "It's okay, Mac. I get it. And you should choose him – he's been with the team longer, he's part of the family –"

"So are you," he said firmly, cutting her off. "I don't like this, Jess. If I'd have had my way, I'd have taken you both with me. You know that."

She gave him a sad smile. "I do." Taking a deep breath, she looked around the room. "So I'm losing my partner, huh?." She paused. "You'll watch his back, though, right? I'm not sure I like the idea of him running around alone –"

"He'll have a new partner," he said quietly.

Jess frowned. "What?"

Mac sighed. "The reason I can't take you with us. The Chief is handing me a new detective that I have to take. She'll be partnered with Don."

Her voice was hushed. "Oh."

"I'm sorry, Jess. My hands are tied."

She nodded, standing up slowly. "It's okay." Looking around, she blinked back tears. "Was there anything else?"

Mac stood up as well. "I haven't told anyone else yet."

"I'll keep it quiet. When does this big move happen?"

"A week."

"Wow," she chuckled dryly. "Not wasting any time, are they?" She stuck out her hand. "It's been great working with you, Mac."

Staring at her for a moment, he took her hand and held it. Then he pulled her closer, giving her a tight hug.

"You're a great cop, Jess. Don't ever forget that."

They pulled back, and she gave him a watery smile. "Thanks. I, uh…I should go."

Mac nodded. "Right."

She opened her mouth to say something else, but then thought better of it. Nodding once more, she turned and left the office. Mac watched her go with a heavy heart, inwardly cursing Sinclair for breaking up his team.

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"You gotta be kiddin' me!" Danny exclaimed.

Mac sighed as he looked around at the members of his team. Their initial excitement about the new assignment had quickly turned into anger and confusion. He had given Stella a heads up earlier, but he could tell that the news still wasn't settling well with her. Lindsay, Hawkes, Sid and Adam were just sitting there quietly, letting Danny voice their outrage for them.

But it was Flack that he was most concerned with. The tall detective had gone silent at the news that he would be partnered with someone new, and now his eyes were locked on the floor as he leaned against a wall, hands deep in his pockets.

"I'm sorry," Mac said, feeling as though he were repeating himself. "There's nothing I can do about it. We're getting a new team member, and we can't keep Angell. That's all there is to it."

"But –"

"Danny," Stella said, her voice warning.

The younger detective stopped, shifting uncomfortably as he tried to find another outlet for his anger.

"So who is it?" Adam asked quietly. "The new detective."

Mac took a deep breath, thankful for question after the demands for answers. "Her name is Ava Connelly. She's from Los Angeles. She's young, but she's tough."

"That's it?" Lindsay asked.

"It's all you really need to know. If she chooses to share anything else, that's her choice."

"When do we meet her?"

"She'll be here next week. Until then, we need to focus on getting our lab and our evidence moved over safely. We can worry about Connelly when she gets here."

"And this comes straight from Sinclair?" Hawkes asked.

"He gave me my orders," Mac confirmed.

Sheldon stood. "Then that's the way it is."

The others took their cue from him and slowly moved out of the office. Flack and Stella were the last to go, and she rested a hand on his arm as he moved past her.

"Don –"

He just shook his head. "I gotta go talk to Jess."

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"So tomorrow's the big day," Jess said as she walked up to Flack's desk.

He looked up from the box he was filling with his stuff. "Yeah, I guess so."

She sighed. "I thought I told you to stop feeling guilty."

"You did," he admitted. "But it's not just that, Jess. You're my partner. We work well together. I don't want someone new."

"Neither do I," she said quietly. "I would love to be moving with you, Flack. But it's just not in the cards. So let's make the best of it, okay?"

Don nodded. "Any word yet on who you're gettin'?"

"Yeah. Guy from the two-seven. Greene, I think."

Flack frowned. "Ed?"

"Yeah, you heard of him?"

He nodded. "Good man. Good cop."

"Well that's a relief," she replied, a small smile on her face. "Now are you gonna promise me you'll be nice to the new chick?"

"I'll try. But that's about the best you're gonna get outta me right now."

"Then that's what I'll take." She stood up and hugged him tightly. "Don't be a stranger, okay? You can always come over and buy a girl a drink."

Flack chuckled. "I'll keep that in mind." He picked up his box and looked around. "I guess I'll see ya."

Jess watched him walk away, trying to keep her mind off of the empty desk beside hers.

"See ya," she whispered.

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"So where's the new girl?" Danny asked as he and Lindsay walked into Mac's office. Everyone else was already there, having gotten the essentials unpacked at their own desks.

"You're not going to keep calling her that, are you?" Lindsay asked. Her tone suggested she heard the name far too many times.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he said, holding his hands up exaggeratedly. "Would you prefer I called her 'Miss Ava'?"

There was a sound at the door, and they all turned to see a young woman leaning against the frame. "Connelly works just fine," she said.