A/N: This is in response to the numbers I picked (5 and 13) in the Fic Challenges forum. Leslie Emm has revived it and here's my contribution. Go on and check it out, it was fun to throw the dice with inspiration for fiction.

Characters: Dr. Sheldon Hawkes and Dr. Peyton Driscoll (friendship).

Set: After ep 6.22 'Point of View'

Rating: T

Warnings: Some sentimentality.

Disclaimer: I do not in any way own CSI NY or affiliates. I'm using the characters to no profit.

Peyton's Tea

One thing Hawkes had missed about his former co-worker Dr. Peyton Driscoll more than anything else had been her tea.

Not just the tea itself.

But the sessions they would share in the break of processing the cadavers that entered their place of work. They would go to the small kitchen that was off to the side of the morgue and Peyton would take down her special teapot and their mugs. Peyton's was a soft, petal pink with flower patterns and his was dark blue with brown stripes. Sometimes they would discuss their cases. Sometimes they wouldn't and just share companionable silence. It was where their friendship grew, over the strong pot of English Breakfast with a touch of something else fruity – that was one of Peyton's secrets, that unknown element that she added herself.

When Peyton had left for London, Sheldon had yearned for the quietness of their tea-drinking sessions together.

He wasn't a tea drinker by nature. He preferred water or coffee, not tea. It had been a special ritual he had only done with the female ME because she would playfully tease him about not experiencing the more refined things in life. It had been something to calm the mind. Tea had become symbolic in that way.

"You still take yours with one and a half?" Peyton's genteel voice asked quietly.

"Never changed," Sheldon assured, brought back to the present.

Peyton was sitting opposite him in his apartment, pouring the tea. She was to depart back to London tomorrow after the case with her so called friend Kevin Scott and his wacky scheme to release the poison Sarin to the masses. She had been visiting members of the team on her last day and Sheldon knew he wasn't the last. He took the chance to enjoy her easy, friendly manner before she left once more.

"No, you haven't much," Peyton replied, passing him his tea. "You still look the same to me, except your eyes. They look older."

"Your powers of observation are as astute as ever," remarked Sheldon, taking a sip of the tea and closing his eyes, savouring it. This, he would always associate with the slim English ME. It amazed him how the taste never wavered from the first time Peyton had made tea for him.

"Trying cases?" she inquired.

"Yes. And some other things. I got trapped in a prison during a riot a month ago," he replied mildly. There was no use dwelling on such an intense experience.

"How terrible. At least you're still alive. You're very lucky, Sheldon," Peyton pointed out with a small smile.

"I am. I've got the best people to work with. I've finally got a place of my own after the financial drama I went through. And I've got a cup of your special tea," the CSI said lowly, contemplatively. "What about you, anything interesting happening across the Atlantic?"

Peyton tilted her head ever so slightly, shyly taking a sip of her tea. "I met someone a year ago. It's getting serious," she confessed.

"Congratulations." Hawkes meant that honestly. While Peyton had been good for Mac while she was around in New York, their break up didn't mean she had to bar herself from finding happiness elsewhere. If she found someone to care for and get taken care of in return, then good for her. "What does he do?"

"His name is Thomas and he's a professor of forensics at the Imperial College London. I'm with the ME's office. It's different in London. A little more stiff and formal – I certainly miss Don and Danny's jokes and Adam's sweetness – but I think I'll be promoted to chief ME within the next year. The head coroner Milton mentioned he wants to retire and I'm his SIC," expounded Peyton eagerly.

Sheldon gave her a smile. "Sounds good. It's nice to see you have your life on track Peyton."

"Yours as well, especially after all the troubles that have happened since I've been gone. It will only get better as it goes on, I can feel it for you Sheldon," she said earnestly.

"I'll keep in touch when you leave. I'll try a bit better to anyway; I've gotten a bit slack."

"Oh I don't worry about that. You're one of those friends to me that no matter how much time passes from when I see you again, I feel comfortable," Peyton emphasised kindly. "So whenever you're in London, I would always appreciate a visit from you and we can have more of these tea sessions."

"Will do," promised Sheldon.

They spent the rest of their time discussing forensic journals until the tea ran out and it was time for Peyton and her tea to slip out of Hawkes's life once more.

A/N: A very mild outing from me, but I hope you enjoyed it nevertheless. Your reviews are appreciated very much.