AN: I don't own any of the CSI:NY Characters or any of the show's storylines that I may refer to from time to time, but the rest of the plot is mine.
This begins a few days after the events in Boxes and also has references to Crossed Paths. If anything doesn't make sense pleae let me know and I will correct it. The aim is that these can all be read on their own merit or as a series.
1. Wrapped up
A few days after the Diaz case Laura arrived at the lab with a small carrier bag in her hand. She knew some of the team were out on a case and she was hoping to make this delivery quietly. However that was not to be when Stella spotted her in the corridor.
"Laura! Hey, how are you?" she called brightly.
"Stella! I'm fine. We've finally managed to unpack properly thanks to the extra days off." She answered.
"Are you looking for Flack? He was here earlier." She responded. Laura shook her head.
"Actually I'm looking for Danny and then I was coming to see if you're free for lunch I want an opinion on something." Laura confided.
"You've been shopping?" she questioned.
Laura nodded with a grin. "Window shopping, but as one of my bridesmaids, and seeing as how my maid of honour is busy, I'd like you to see it."
Stella grinned. "You're on, Danny's in the AV lab, I'll grab my coat and we'll go." She breezed as she walked away. Laura went in search of her other intended target. Danny was busy concentrating on the video monitor and didn't notice her walk in.
"Hey Dan, can I interrupt?" she asked quietly making him jump.
"Geez Stevens, ya tryin' ta give me a heart attack?" he drawled in his Staten Island accent, momentarily heavier from the surprise.
"Sorry, but I come bearing gifts, I guess I could take it away again if you don't want it." She replied.
"Hell no! Show me." He answered and Laura handed over the small bag and he lifted out the contents. "This is it?"
"Yeah, just as we discussed last weekend. I just picked it up." Danny grinned.
"It's perfect. I owe you one." He gushed.
Laura laughed and with an evil glint in her eye she shot back. "Just make sure Don arrives at the church on time and sober and we'll be even." She didn't wait for an answer and walked out.
x X x
Later that night most of the team were gathered at one of their favourite hangouts for dinner. Everyone was a little surprised when Don arrived alone. "Hey Flack, where's Laura?" they quizzed.
He looked a little sheepish.
"She uh kinda stood me up." He started then after a pause added "She's taken her father to the airport. She'll be back soon."
"and you didn't offer to go with her?" asked Hawkes.
"I did, she needed to talk to him about her Ma." He answered dejectedly. Stella threw an arm round him as he sat down and gave him a hug.
"She'll work it out, everything will be perfect. Trust me she knows what she wants and she'll get it too." She reassured him. Don nodded and sipped the beer Danny slid over to him.
The conversation changed to other topics and with the drinks flowing a party atmosphere began to unfold. That was the mood when Laura arrived about an hour later. She stepped into the bar and looked around. The group were gathered round the pool tables off to one side watching Don and Danny play. She moved over to them. Don saw her and wrapped an arm around her waist drawing her close and giving her a deep kiss to the cheers of the group. When he let Laura go they were both blushing. He handed his cue to Hawkes and drew Laura aside to get her a drink. "How was it?" he asked after placing her order at the bar.
"OK, he's stuck in the middle, but he has promised to talk to mum." She sighed. "I just wish she would let me arrange things the way we want" she whined.
"You know if you want the glitz go for it, it's not me but I'll do it for you" he told her as he brushed a stray hair from her face.
"I know, but its not me either, I just want to keep it simple." She answered and he grinned. Stella joined them as the bartender delivered Laura's drink.
"We're going to order food and give Lindsay her presents." She informed them.
A short while later the table was littered with wrapping paper and presents. Everyone had given their presents and while she was distracted thanking Stella, Danny slipped a gift bag in front of her. When she turned back she looked at the bag confused, unsure as to where it came from as she wasn't expecting anything else.
"Well are you gonna open it or stare at it all night?" asked Laura, as eager as Danny to see her reaction.
"Uh, yeah" she said and peeked into the bag carefully removing the item wrapped in dark red tissue paper, it was quite heavy. She carefully peeled the paper from around the gift as everyone held their breath to see what it was. As she saw the contents she squealed and took hold of the clear crystal bottle full of a red liquid, then seeing the gift card beneath, simply inscribed with "Happy Birthday Montana." "Danny! How did you know?" she gasped as she turned to him and planted a kiss on his lips. "It's my favourite!" Danny beamed.
"Well, a little bird told me" he admitted, but refused to say more. As Lindsay put the bottle down Stella reached across and picked it up.
"Linds, wow! Elixir, you have expensive taste girl." Stella gasped.
"My one city failing" Lindsay smiled, her skin tingling at the proximity of Danny and the thought that he took the trouble to find such a special gift, albeit he would have had help. Wasn't it the thought that counted? Danny mouthed a "thank you" over Lindsay's head to Laura as he leaned back and draped his arm behind Lindsay.
x X x
Don, Laura, Danny and Lindsay were the last to leave, deciding on one last game of pool before going home. "So have you girls decided what you're doing for the bachelorette party?" asked Danny with a wicked grin. Hoping it might give him some ideas for what to do for Don's bachelor party.
Laura looked up from the shot she was about to take and glared at him. "Shut it Dan, the wedding's off limits tonight!" She answered sharply. Danny looked a bit shocked and took a step back holding his hands up in surrender. Laura let out the breath she held "I'm sorry, I just don't want to upstage the birthday girl." She smiled at Lindsay and took her shot. The game ended a few minutes later and they collected their coats. Outside the bar they said goodnight to each other and Don flagged a cab for him and Laura. Danny turned to Lindsay who was struggling to hold onto several bags containing her gifts.
"Here let me help" Danny said taking a couple of bags from her. "I'll see you home"
"Thanks Danny, but I can get a cab" she answered trying to take back the bags.
"Not an option Montana, you've still got an hour left of your birthday and I'm not done yet" he murmured in her ear, then he turned and flagged a cab for them. Lindsay looked at him confused as he opened the cab door for her.
"... and my favourite perfume isn't enough?" she asked with a mischievous grin as she stepped up to him.
"Nothing's ever enough for you Montana" he growled in her ear as he guided her into the cab.
x X x
The next morning Don took Laura's hand as they approached the squad room, it was cold, the only outward sign that she was nervous about the reception she would get. It was her first day back after the events with Diaz. He wanted her to know that he was going to be there for her regardless of what happened. He squeezed her hand as he pushed the door open and heard her catch her breath as they walked in. It was a normal weekday, some of the desks were empty, some had officers dealing with paperwork, some were taking statements from witnesses. A couple of the officers by the door looked up.
"Hey, Stevens! Welcome back, I'll have to remember that move next time I move house .. get the extra days off." one greeted her.
"I can make that easy right now for you Evans, I'll just lock you in interrogation all day on trumped up charges. Then have you shipped off to Sing Sing with a sadistic escort, how does that sound?" Laura snapped at him. Don's grip tightened around her hand.
"Ignore him Laura we're pleased to have you back, I could have used your help yesterday when I came up against Cruella de Ville, she said to say hello by the way." Another greeted.
"What's up Murphy she scare you?" Laura answered with a small smile.
"Do I want to know?" whispered Don.
"Annie Price, you remember her, we worked a couple of cases together in vice, including the Asian gang case." Laura reminded him.
"What's up Murphy? She's a pussy cat." Don countered as he remembered when he first met her at Laura's birthday dinner not long after they met, she was small, petite and Chinese with long dark hair and dark eyes, Murphy obviously hadn't had the privilege of seeing her off duty, when she dropped the tough girl image. It made him think of the first time Danny had met Laura and he grinned. Suddenly he felt Laura's hand slip from his and he looked up to see her disappear into their lieutenant's office to sign her statement and be given her badge and gun back. He shrugged out of his overcoat and jacket and lay them over the chair next to his desk before dropping into his chair and slowly going through his messages. Thinking again about Danny's first encounter with his girl. He still got a kick out of how she put his friend in his place.
Flashback
Danny called out to her. "Hey, 'scuse me you can't be here, this is a crime scene, you need to go back behind the tape."
She turned and looked at him asking on whose authority she was being kicked out. Danny introduced himself and Hawkes. The woman smiled to herself, she'd heard a lot about these guys, this was going to be fun, for a while at least. "Yeah, well its my crime scene so you're stuck with me". She snapped at him.
Danny looked at her asking who she was. "Laura Stevens, Vice". She lifted the side of her jacket to reveal her badge, then pulled it back down. He sighed and told her he should have realised she was undercover with her outfit.
"Yeah well I've just come off a double shift, I'm tired and my tempers shot, when you're done here I'm going home, so the quicker you're done the better." She shot at the CSIs.
End Flashback
Don grinned. No-one knew he'd been watching them from the sidelines for a few minutes before making himself known.
Thanks to BrainDamage for reviewing and future advice on this.