Disclaimer:I do not own CSI: NY and no copyright infringement is intended.
Originally written for alphabetasoup claim on live journal. My prompt was A is for Amuck
A/N: As usual not beta'd
Doctor's Orders or Doctor's Orders on a Hectic Night
Peyton closed her eyes against the pounding in her head and pressed the back of her gloved hand to her forehead. In all her years as a med student and a medical examiner in two countries she had never seen a night like this. Granted it was around the holidays…but still
This was her third pick up tonight and there were three ambulances that had left the scene as she was arriving. Usually there were one maybe two suspicious deaths a nigh, and tonight was no different, but there had been a rash of accidents on the crowded snowy streets. She knew the CSI's were maxed out, and that Sheldon was hoping between the morgue and grime scenes as he tried to help carry both loads.
She blew out a breath. She would not let this get to her. The crazy, crazy world. She was determined to stick with what she knew. Getting a nod from Lindsay and a sympathetic smile, she moved towards the body to move it to the open bag. As she zipped it and helped lift it into the van she felt her phone vibrating on her hip. She almost growled in frustration as she answered it.
"Discroll"
"Hey Peyton, it's Flack." I'm at 35th and E and we need a medical consult before they even begin to process the body. Danny thinks something isn't right.."
She kept the sigh out of her voice, but anyone who knew her could tell that the curtness was returning. I'm across town; I'll be there as soon as I can." She mentioned to the tech who had come out with her. "Take the body back and them meet me at 35th and E."
"Yes ma'am"
She scowled at him for the nicety but he was turning towards the officers lifting the body and didn't see.
"I have some aspirin and a water bottle in my truck," Stella offered.
"You're a godsend," Peyton replied a moment later as she accepted the capsules and swallowed them with long pulls of water.
"I think we deserve a drink when this shift is over."
"I'll take you up on that," Peyton said, closing the lid on the bottle. "I have to go I've got another pick up call me when your done, or I'll see you at the lab."
Stella nodded and turned at a question from Lindsay as Peyton pulled up the collar of her coat and headed to the subway.
Hours later, Peyton dropped the last preliminary autopsy oh her desk. The files would be waiting for her in a few hours when the CSI's got back in. They had finished processing before she, Sid,, and eventually Sheldon had finished autopsies because trace and DNA were very backed up.
With that thought in mind she went up to the lab. Glancing in his office she saw that Mac was on the phone and agitated even at this hour, so she detoured to the break room were she saw a fresh pot off coffee brewing.
Grabbing two mugs she headed off towards Trace and DNA. She encountered trace first, and placed a mug on the counter next to Zach who looked up surprised. "Thanks doctor," he said a bit shyly. "Been one hell of a night hasn't it?"
"It has Peyton agreed; I don't think I've ever done so many pick ups in one night."
Zach shook his head and picked up a printout studying it before laying it on the file folder of the case it pertained to. "At least there doesn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary in trace. Who knows if that is good or bad," he murmured as another paper came put of the printer. This one he added a hand written note to Peyton noticed..
"True" Peyton agreed. "Listen, I'm going to go find Adam, don't stay to late okay?"
"Doctor's orders," He asked his tone lightening for the fist time that night.
"Yes with all this trace you are too valuable to loose to sickness caused by burn out," she joked.
He smiled as he sipped the coffee. "I'll do that Peyton and thanks."
"It was nothing Zach," came the sincere reply.
"You take it black past midnight right?"
"You're not in the lab often Peyton, how did you know?" Adam accepted the offered mug.
"I think Lindsay mentioned it once," she said, "And we've all been doing odd jobs tonight."
"I'm going to see if I can drag Mac away from what ever heated telephone conversation he was having, but I knew that you lab techs must b backed up. Like I told Zack, don't stay too late, doctor's orders."
Adam laughed and nodded his head in thanks as the machines behind him beeped.
When she found Mac he was just locking his office door. "You're still here?"
"I was waiting for you. I took some coffee to the techs."
"Thank you. We all know we would be worse off if we didn't have them. Tonight was slightly insane."
"Only slightly? I shudder at your definition of insanity." They walked in a comfortable silence for a while until they reached the subway. He was going one way and she another. It was too late tonight to meet Stella for drinks.
"Good night Peyton."
Good night Mac, let's hope that tomorrow is a little less…frantic. She finished searching for a word. And get some sleep."
"Yes doctor," he smiled at her. And with that she went to catch her train that was just arriving it was time to get home.