Disclaimer: I own nothing

Note a: Thank you ShadowFax27 for proofing and kicking English sense into me. Much appreciated.
(Additional notes at the bottom... If I have to write anymore, I think I'll have to put in a special chapter specifically for Notes)

My Sister, My Friend.

The group of CSIs stared at the image on the monitors in silence. All but one stood, a mixture of rage, confusion, disbelief, loss, despair, and helplessness running through their minds.

"Who is she?" Lindsay asked, breaking the silence, and Danny closed his eyes, tears falling freely down his cheeks before he turned on his heel and left the room, completely ignoring Lindsay's voice calling him back. He stalked down the wide corridors, people taking one look at him and giving him an obvious wide berth; most were practically hugging the walls.

He slammed open the locker room door, either not noticing or ignoring the numerous technicians taking one look at him and fleeing. He took his gun from his holster and put it in his locker, shoving the door closed quickly and smashing his fist into the metal, screaming out his rage. He continued to punch the lockers until he was grabbed from behind and pulled back against a firm chest before sliding slowly to the ground.

"Danny?" He heard Mac's voice, but didn't acknowledge it, choosing instead to let his tears run their course while staring straight ahead, not really focussing on anything, all the while leaning back into Mac's chest. A slight wetness on his neck told Danny that Mac, too, was shedding a few tears.

He didn't know how much time had passed, but by the time he regained some sense of self, Danny heard rather than saw Stella, Hawkes and Lindsay in the locker room talking quietly. He was about to speak when Lindsay beat him to it.

"What's wrong with him?" She asked, frustration clear in her voice. "And why are we working on the case in here? Shouldn't we be out looking for the guy that did this to her?"

"Lindsay," Stella said, a low warning tone hidden in her voice.

"Officers are killed everyday," Lindsay obviously didn't hear the warning. "Why is it that this one made him lose it?"

"He hasn't lost it, Lindsay," Hawkes said softly, and Danny knew the former ME was looking over at him. "You just don't understand the situation," he tried to explain, but Lindsay was having none of it.

"Then someone explain it to me! Why are we sitting in the locker room, guarding the door, and waiting for Danny to wake up, when we should be getting this guy?"

"Lindsay, that's enough," Hawkes, again. The man had the patience of a saint, and Danny almost smiled. "It's personal for all of us…"

"So when you saw that it was that particular officer, why didn't you scare half the technicians in the lab, come into the locker room and scream blue murder before collapsing into a catatonic heap in your boss's arms?" she snapped, already knowing she was acting childish. Is it wrong to want to be able to just get on with things?

But Danny had had enough or her whining.

"Because she wasn't just an officer," he spoke for the first time since Mac had taken a hold of him. All attention snapped to him, but he just stared at Lindsay. "She was family… she was my best friend, my sister. I've known her since we were three years old and starting kindergarten. She would have been the best damn CSI in New York if events had permitted it. Don't get all huffy because you're out of the loop. You're not a part of this loop; you were her replacement, it has absolutely nothing to do with you."

Hurt was the primary emotion on Lindsay's face before it clouded over and realisation set in. "She was the one Mac fired-"

"Mac had no choice. We all understood that," Danny interrupted, "so don't bother jumping on that high horse." Lindsay blinked.

"She wasn't doing her job then, was she?" she said icily, and Danny's blood ran cold. He slowly worked his way out of Mac's arms, patting the other man's forearm in silent thanks and walked over to where Lindsay stood by the door, stopping when he was barely a foot away.

"Grow up."

And he left the locker room. They had a killer to find.

Written by Messrmarauder

Proofed by Shadowfax27

Note b: If you are going to review, I have one thing I'd like people to take into consideration. Fanfiction isn't a science; there is no right or wrong in it, save in the language it's presented in. I just deleted a review from 'Ashley' because it was what people might call a 'flame' review. It was harsh and as a writer, I find it disgusting that a person would actually take the time to sit and type up something like that. I watch the shows, and I wanted to write this just how it was. I don't believe I'm justifying myself, but I am.

I do not appreciate flame reviews and will delete any and all reviews that I deem as 'Flame'.

Thank you.

Note c: Ok, I've received a number of reviews that highlight the fact that Lindsay is incredibly OOC and Mac… well… I portray Mac in a not-so-marine…ish style. Could I get away with it if I made it AU? I do actually plan on writing more on the past relationships with Aiden, Mac, Danny, Stella… the original group, and then Lindsay's arrival. Yes, on the show she's all friendly with Danny and no, Mac doesn't show his emotions much but as I state in the note above, fan fiction isn't an exact science. I may be perceived as quite sad when I say this, but I've watched every episode of every version of CSI and I actually own all but CSI season 6, CSI Miami seasons 2, 3 and 4… and CSI NY season 2… on DVD. And I do know the characters, I know the relationships and I know how they should act.

But I'm a fan fiction writer. I write 'fan' 'fiction'. Fiction thought up in my own mind, for my own perverse pleasure. I'm sorry people feel as though I'm making Lindsay seem like Queen Bitch of New York, but I don't particularly like her. I preferred Aiden and everyone has their own preference. The difference is, I put mine down in black and white. A few months ago, I read a story where Lindsay pushed Danny down the stairs because he was 'sleeping with Mac'… she then went to Mac's hospital room (because he'd been hospitalised, obviously) and she was subsequently shot/taken into custody or something. Should I class this as AU then? Despite the fact that there isn't an AU 'genre' category? I hate that I have to write this.