Disclaimer: I don't own CSI:NY.
Series: 'Kindred Spirits'.
Spoilers: Happily Never After.

Happily Never After

"Head's up, Angell." Thacker hissed as he passed. "Flack don't look too good."

"Well, it's not my fault." Jess responded flatly, not looking up from her paperwork. "Why do I need a head's up?"

"Because you'll end up dealing with the fall-out." Thacker answered as though it were obvious.

Jess glanced up. "True. Thanks."

"No problem." Thacker had developed a healthy dose of respect for Jess since their early days and they got along better than they let on.

He was right; Don walked in five minutes later and fell into his chair, looking faintly green.

Jess checked her watch; she had five minutes until the end of her shift and, if all went well, she wouldn't get another case. She decided to wait it out and, when he didn't say anything, she delivered her paperwork to the captain, before returning to grab her jacket. "Hey."

When Don didn't respond, she perched on the edge on his desk and prodded his shoulder; he started. "Sorry, Angell."

Jess frowned; he never called her that, especially not in that detached tone of voice. "What happened?"

"You ever seen what happens where street vendors make their food?" Don asked hoarsely.

"No …" Jess answered slowly.

Don shuddered. "I will never eat again."

Jess snorted. "I'll believe that when I see it."

As if on cue, a commotion outside the bullpen heralded the arrival of Detective Martinez, who had celebrated his birthday the day before.

If there was anything his colleagues loved about him, it was that his wife was a fantastic baker and a birthday meant that he'd have a box of cookies.

Sure enough, he stopped by Flack's desk holding a plastic tub. "Cookie?"

"God bless your wife." Jess grinned, taking one. "Happy birthday for yesterday by the way. Good day?"

"Great, thanks." Martinez held the tub out. "Flack?"

"No thanks." Don mumbled.

Martinez gaped at him for a second before turning to Jess. "He okay?"

"No." Jess answered with a frown. "I'll sort it out. Mind if I take a few of those for the road?"

"Sure." Martinez tipped a couple into a bag for her and headed off to find something else.

"Hey." Jess touched Don's hand lightly. "Dinner tonight?"

"I'm not eating." Don told her quietly.

Jess smiled sympathetically. "Then just stop by my place; I'll eat and you can talk." She pouted slightly, although she'd never do that seriously. "It feels like I haven't seen you in weeks."

Don nodded. "Sure. I'll see you after shift."

"Alright." Jess agreed. She watched him for a second more before gathering her things and going home.

In her apartment, she pulled the curtains closed and sat down in the kitchen. She had a feeling that Don wouldn't appreciate a take-away tonight.

But what to cook?

Running through recipes in her head, Jess pulled her cellphone out to turn it off, since she wasn't on call that night.

Then she remembered.

Don had accidentally used her phone two days ago to call his mother about his parents' anniversary dinner and the number was probably still in her history.

I can't do that. I can't really call his mother, introduce myself and then ask for dinner advice.

But despite the chiding voice in her head, Jess found herself scrolling down her dialled calls list.

The only unfamiliar one was in Queens and she dialled it, tapping a foot against the table leg nervously.

"Flack residence; Katherine speaking."

"Hello, Mrs. Flack, this is Jessica Angell; I'm Don's partner." Jess bit her lip, wondering how to word it. "I need your help."

"Is Don alright?" She asked, sounding worried.

"He's fine." Jess assured her. "But something happened at work today and …"

Three hours later, there was a knock at her door and she opened it to find Don standing outside. "Come in. Dinner's ready."

"Jess, I really don't feel like eating." Don reminded her.

Jess smiled. "Then don't. I'll eat. Shoes off please."

"Done." Don assured her, leaving his shoes next to hers and following her into the kitchen. "Did you cook?"

"Yeah." Jess shrugged. "I got a bit worried when those cookies didn't tempt you round; figured home cooking might do it."

"Jess …" Don sighed. "I appreciate this, I do, but I don't think …"

"Hey." Jess cut him off. "Don, I'm your partner. Just because you outrank me, it doesn't mean I don't have to look out for you. And part of that is making sure you eat properly, so if that means I have to actually cook myself a proper meal for once, so be it. We're using the kitchen table this time though. Drink?"

"Got anything non-alcoholic?" Don asked. "I don't think I could stomach a beer right now."

"Orange juice, cranberry juice, lemonade, soda or I can get you a glass of water." Jess listed with a smile.

"If there's a nuclear wipe-out, I know which one of us is gonna survive." Don joked, with a genuine smile. "Cranberry please."

"No problem." Jess poured two glasses, set them on the table and served up dinner on to two plates. "Now, I know you're not in a great culinary place right now, so it's probably not a good time to get all experimental on you. But I've never made this before, so even if you don't eat all of it, I would like to know what you think."

"This looks familiar." Don commented as she handed him a plate.

Jess grinned as his stomach growled loudly. "Apparently you can't go wrong with corned beef and cabbage."

"Damn right you can't." Don agreed. "Smells familiar as well. Where'd you get the recipe from?"

"Tell me what it's like first." Jess told him. "And then I'll answer the question."

Under her stern look, Don picked up his fork and took a bite. Immediately he relaxed. "Okay, this is really good. Not as good as my mom's, but still really good."

"It's never gonna be as good as your mom's." Jess pointed out.

"It's damn close though." Don told her with a grin, continuing to eat despite his earlier warnings. "Seriously, Jess; where'd you get the recipe from."

"Okay." Jess put her own fork down. "Promise me you won't freak out."

"I promise." Don assured her. "Where?"

"Okay, you remember the other day when you called your parents?" Jess asked. "Well, you picked up my phone by mistake and the number's still there. I guessed you wouldn't appreciate a take-out, so I figured I'd cook, but I couldn't think of what, so I kinda called your mom and asked for advice."

The last words were quiet and said more to the table than him. When she got no response after a few minutes, she tentatively looked up to see him looking dumbfounded.

"I know I probably crossed a line." She added. "And I'm sorry if …"

"No." Don cut her off. "You didn't."

"You've never called my parents." Jess pointed out.

Don smirked. "That you know of."

Jess snorted, remembering how her mother had been during her trip to California. "Oh, believe me, I'd know." She tilted her head curiously. "You're seriously okay with me phoning your mother?"

Don smiled at her, reaching across the table to take her hand. "I shouldn't be. But the fact that you were that worried about me … I'm not used to that."

"You should be." Jess squeezed his hand softly. "A lot of people care about you. If I hadn't gotten you to eat, someone would have."

"But 'someone' didn't have to. You did." Don lifted her hand and kissed it softly. "Thank you."

Jess fought not to blush, though she was certain a pink tinge appeared in her cheeks. "I'm your partner. That's my job."

"So my mom gave you this recipe?" Don asked, kindly not mentioning the interesting colour she'd turned.

"Yeah." Jess frowned slightly. "I hope she doesn't mind."

"Mom never does anything she doesn't want to." Don assured her. "Did you write it down?"

"Erm, yeah." Jess leaned over, grabbed the scribbled recipe from the side and handed it to him.

"Thought it tasted familiar." Don commented reading it through. "Guard this with your life."

"Why?" Jess asked, confused. "It's only a recipe."

"It's my mom's secret recipe." Don corrected. "She never gives this to anyone. I had to swear in blood and promise her my first-born before she told me."

"I see." Jess was quiet for a few minutes. Katherine Flack hadn't given any indication of that; Jess hadn't even had to ask for the recipe. "Is that a good thing?"

"It means she must really like you." Don answered with a soft smile.

It had become very easy for Jess to read Don's smiles. There was the everyday smile. There was the one he wore when he was pissed off but didn't want the captain to know. There was the one he wore when he was upset or depressed but didn't want anyone else to realise it. There was the one he wore when he was talking to women, which was disarming, but not quite as sincere as it could be.

And then there was this one.

The one he saved especially for her. The one that gave her hope that maybe, just maybe, he might feel the same way about her.

"Yeah, but is that a good thing?" Jess repeated.

Don chuckled, his smile growing. "It's a very good thing."

AN: I'm having trouble again: when I wrote 'Meet the Parents', I made it so that Don and Jess had never met each other's families (with the exception of Samantha Flack and Cliff Angell). However, Katherine Flack (Don's mother) kept jumping into the story here and wouldn't go away again. So Jess has spoken to his mother on the phone, but by 'Meet the Parents' they still won't have actually met. That way, I think, I stay true to continuity. At least, my version of it anyway.

So my induction essay's done (first week, 1000 words, thanks Uni!) and this is done … now on to Impossible … Anyone got any ideas for Cool Hunter? I've got Run Silent, Heroes and Charge of this Post covered. It's everything else that's giving me trouble.

Review please!