Disclaimer: I do not own CSI: NY.
Series: 'Kindred Spirits' – previously 'Walking With Angels'.
Spoilers: Not What It Looks Like.

Not What It Looks Like

The door to the precinct closed heavily behind them, as Don passed Beth Larson off to one of the nearby uniforms; he shook his head, moving to his desk and falling into his chair.

He dropped his head into his hands and rubbed his temples with his fingertips, trying to fight off the growing migraine.

"Black, three sugars, right?" A female voice enquired, and the scent of coffee passed by him, causing him to lift his head.

Detective Angell grinned at him and handed him one of the coffees in her hands, before sitting down at her own desk opposite him.

"Right now, I'm not sure which of you is the better sight." Don took a gulp of coffee. "Thanks, Angell; I needed that."

"Bad case?" Angell questioned.

"Diamond smugglers, hostage situation and Breakfast at Tiffany's." Don listed. "Not as bad as yours, apparently. Hear you got your first mummy."

Angell pulled a face. "Pauline Rayburn. Victim of domestic assault. And if I never see a body like that again, it will be too soon."

"Well, you're better off with a mummy than a decomp." Don told her. "The smell's better for one."

"Flack!"

Don groaned as the captain made his way over. "Yeah?"

Gerard glared at him. "Do you want to tell me why you just sent an untrained CSI into a hostage situation as an undercover?"

Angell choked on her coffee and stared at him in disbelief.

Don sighed. "Mosi Ghedi was a dangerous man, who had a hostage he was threatening to kill if her partner didn't deliver his diamonds in twenty minutes. There was no way I could get an undercover there in under a half hour and we couldn't let SWAT move into a hostage situation. Detective Monroe volunteered to do the drop, knowing that Ghedi had only ever seen the jewel thieves in wigs. I made the decision that would create the most favourable outcome. We placed a flash grenade in the base of the bag and Detective Monroe was wearing a Kevlar vest. SWAT was through the door seconds after she was made and all suspects were apprehended."

"You should have called in a superior." Gerard told him. "You cannot make these split-second decisions and expect to get away with it, regardless of who your father is."

Don opened his mouth to argue, a haze of anger descending upon him. Anyone he worked with knew that he hated using his father to get anywhere and loathed the fact that he bore the same name. He was acutely aware of the noise in the precinct falling, as his co-workers stopped talking to see his response, but not one stepped forwards to defend him.

Then…

"Er, Captain Gerard?" Angell asked. "Sorry to interrupt, but I'm just wondering how I should handle Pauline Rayburn's case file."

The mention of the councillor caught Gerard's attention and he turned to her. "He's definitely his wife's killer?"

"Dr. Driscoll found evidence of a strike ante-mortem." Angell explained, showing him something. "And matched the indent to the matching wedding bands they wear. You asked me to tell you, sir, if it was confirmed."

"Yes, I did." Gerard took the case file from her. "I think I should handle this. Good work, Detective."

"Thank you, sir."

Don let out a relieved sigh as Gerard walked away and stood up himself, heading into the locker room.

Unlike the crowded precinct, it was empty and he fell onto the bench, burying his face in his hands again, muffling a groan. Of course he had hesitated out there; it wasn't a split-second decision sending Lindsay in like that.

"You would've been wrong whatever you decided."

He lifted his head to see Angell leaning against the lockers opposite and managed a weak smile. "I know. Believe me, I know. He worked briefly with my father. Under him. And he hates me because of that."

"I had the same problem in Jersey." Angell came over and sat down next to him. "It wasn't the captain, but he was still my superior. He felt that I must have used my father's name to get a job, mainly because I was a woman, but partly because I was just better than him."

"And modest too." Don grinned.

Angell laughed. "Whatever. The point is, I know it's irritating, but you just have to ignore him."

Don sighed. "Angell, I've been ignoring him since I started working here, it just … he's waiting for me to lose it."

"Alright, I'll make you a deal." Angell suggested. "Whenever he starts up with you, I'll distract him."

"And I'll…?" Don prompted.

"You owe me." Angell smirked. "I'll think of something."

Don eyed her warily. "I'm not sure if I'd rather take my chances with the cap."

She swatted his arm as she stood up. "Oh, shut up! Don't you have paperwork to finish or something; you're gonna piss him off even more." She fixed him with a stern look. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Don sighed. "I just … I didn't want to send Lindsay into that situation today. I really didn't have a choice and that he's making it out to be a split-second decision … I went through every other option in my head before I agreed to it."

"Is Danny gonna kill you?" Angell asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Doubt it." Don shrugged. "Last time I looked, she was still clinging to him like her life depended on it."

"Maybe they'll finally stop dancing around each other and those rumours'll be accurate for once." Angell suggested.

"I hope so." Don muttered. "Messer's getting unbearable. Of course, those rumours will then turn to us."

"Oh." Angell raised an eyebrow and he realised that he was treading in very dangerous territory. "And why's that?"

"We talk a lot." Don offered. "And you just bought me coffee. And helped me out with the cap despite everyone else pretending they couldn't hear what was going on."

"I've been in the same situation." Angell reminded him. "And the other two … that happens all over the precinct. Our desks face each other and we both work with the crime lab. That practically makes us partners, so what's the difference between us and everyone else?"

Don grinned at her. "No one else has a partner as pretty as you."

Angell rolled her eyes, but he swore he saw a blush rise in her cheeks. "You know the longer we stand here debating why rumours may or may not start, the more it looks like said rumours could be true."

"Unlikely." Don disagreed. "I don't even know your first name."

Angell opened her mouth, paused, then smiled wryly at him. "Nice try."

AN: Review please!