Stella folded another sweater and placed it into the suitcase. As she reached for another piece of clothing, her computer beeped. She sat at the desk and read the message.

ChicagoMarine has signed on.

Stella smiled and entered the chatroom

Greekgoddess has signed on.

Greekgoddess: Hey Mac. u done packing?

ChicagoMarine: Nearly. u?

Greekgoddess: same

ChicagoMarine: U heard from the others?

Greekgoddess: No, not yet.

Montana has signed on.

Montana: Hey guys, sup?

Greekgoddess: hey linds, just finishing packing.

ChicagoMarine: Same.

Montana: Is anyone else slightly excited about this trip?

ChicagoMarine: we are following a serial killer!

Montana: Still, I always wanted to visit Vegas.

Greekgoddess: just make sure danny stays out of the casinos!

Montana: Lol

DaMesser has signed on.

Montana: hey danny. we were just chattin about the trip.

DaMesser: cool. so when do we leave?

ChicagoMarine: The flight leaves at 1, so in 3 hours.

Montana: Ibetter finish packing then, c u guys.

Montana has signed off.

DaMesser: has our guy killed anyone else ?

ChicagoMarine: Yea. A man and his wife. Their young boy survived. he is 5

Greekgoddess: Damn! We need to catch the s.o.b. That poor kid:(

ChicagoMarine: When we land, our bags will be taken to the hotel and we will meet the graveyard shift at the crime scene.

DaMesser: Okay guys, ill c u at the airport.

Greekgoddess: Bye.

DaMesser has signed off.

ChicagoMarine: I better get ready too, Stel. Ill pick you up at 11:30.

Greekgoddess: K Mac. Ill see you then.

ChicagoMarine and Greekgoddess have signed off.

Stella sighed and thought about the last 2 months. There was the body of a 22 year old student, lying in the middle of her parents kitchen. She had been stabbed 10 times in the back and 5 times to the chest. The room was covered in blood. A bloodied carving knife lay on the ground next to the body. The lab had found an anonymous blood donor amidst the victim's. The case was never closed and a month later, the bastard struck again. This time he raped and killed a 30 year old mother of 2. He also killed her 2 sons who were 3 and 7. Blood was everywhere and the murder weapon was lying beside the body again. The semen matched the unknown blood sample. A mud stain was found inside both crime scenes so the police looked for gardeners that the 2 families had in common. One name matched; Digby Andrews. When police raided his apartment, he had cleared out. Last week the lab got news that the semen sample in a rape and murder in Las Vegas matched Andrews.

Stella shook the images from her mind. Walking into the kitchen, she glanced at the clock.

"10:45." She muttered as she poured herself a glass of water. "Better finish packing."

--------------------

A small suitcase and a bag sat beside Stella's apartment door. She was pulling on her jacket as the doorbell rang. She opened it to see Mac on the other side.

"Perfect timing." She smiled and allowed him entry.

"You almost ready?"

"Almost. Just let me check that I turned everything off." She dashed off to the kitchen. Mac picked up the suitcase and waited for her to return.

"Ok lets go." She went for her bag but he beat her to it.

"I've got it." He said.

"Thanks, you're such a gentlemen." She gave him a peck on the cheek and headed out the door. Mac followed, smiling.

The two met up with Danny and Lindsay at the airport and they boarded their flight.

"Where are we sitting?"Danny asked, his eyes scanning the plane.

"There are two seats over there and two here." Mac pointed.

"Okay then, we're here." Danny jumped into the nearest seat signalling for Lindsay to follow.

"Fine, we'll sit down there." Mac and Stella made their way down the plane, dodging bags and passengers as they went.

"Ernest I told you to hurry up and put the bags in the holder." A middle aged lady yelled at her husband, two rows in front of Mac and Stella.

"I'm doin' it!" He yelled back, letting go of the bag he held. The bag fell down just as Stella was passing and it knocked her off balance and backwards into Mac.

"Whoa, easy there." Mac laughed as Stella fell face first into his chest.

"Thanks Mac." Stella replied, slightly flustered. "Let's get to our seats."

The two of them finally got to their seats and settled down. Not long after Mac put the bags in the overhead, the plane started to take off.

---------------------------------------

"This is your captain speaking, we will be landing in Las Vegas soon so please fasten your seatbelts and raise your trays." The speaker clicked off as the cabin started to buzz again.

"Well, not long until we meet the Vegas team." Mac said as he locked the tray in place. "Stel?" When he looked over at his partner, he saw she was asleep. He leant over and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Stel, time to wake up." He whispered in her ear.

"No Mac, not here." She mumbled and swatted at him. He laughed quietly, wondering what she was dreaming about.

"Come on Stel." He said slightly louder.

"Hmm? I'm awake." She said sleepily. "Mac?"

"Yea."

"Why are you so close to my face?" She asked, turning to stare at him.

"To wake you up." He said. "Come on."

"Ok, how long until we land?" She stretched.

The plane started to descend. "I guess that answers my question."

The plane landed abruptly. People started to pile off and Danny and Lindsay met up with Stella and Mac.

"Where to now?" Danny asked as he and Mac placed the suitcases on a trolley.

"We take our suitcases to the hotel and then to the crime scene." He replied

The group walked out to their rented car and headed to the hotel. They left their bags in the lobby and headed to the crime scene.

------------------------

At the crime scene 6 CSIs stood around a body, waiting for their "guests". They all turned around as a black 4x4 rolled up.

"Hi. I'm Detective Mac Taylor and these are detectives Stella Bonasera, Danny Messer and Lindsay Monroe." Mac shook his hand with the greying man standing in front of him.

"Gil Grissom. Nice to meet you. This is Catherine Willows, Warrick Brown, Nick Stokes, Sara Sidle and Greg Sanders. This is the most recent scene. " He indicated around him.

"What happened?" Stella asked.

"The victim Sasha Meyer, 23 was raped and murdered like the other victms." A man in a suit said as he walked towards them.

"Capt. Jim Brass." Grissom explained.

"What was the TOD?" Mac asked as he pulled on a pair of gloves.

"About six hours ago, so about 4am."

Mac and Stella walked towards the body, followed by Grissom, Sara and Nick. The body lay face down, her clothes were covered in dirt . there were drag marks leading away from her feet and there were tyre treads about two metres away. She was wearing a skirt and blouse which were rumpled, indicating that she was redressed.

"The tyre treads belong to a 4x4" Nick explained as they took a look around.

"We have almost finished here so lets head home. Grissom said. They all headed off to their homes.

--------------------------------

Stella and Lindsay entered their room. The clock read 11:30 am.

"This room is beautiful." Stella said.

"Yeah, really nice." Lindsay stifled a yawn. "I'm going to bed, wake me at 5"

"Ok then. I'm going on my laptop."

Next door the boys were having a similar conversation.

"I'm gonna get some sleep." Danny said.

"Okay Danny. Enjoy." Mac wondered around the room, looking at everything in it. Noticing a table he logged onto his laptop.Stella was online so he logged on aswell.

ChicagoMarine has signed on.

ChicagoMarine: Hey Stel, Hows your room?

Greekgoddess: Its nice, really nice.

ChicagoMarine: What are you doing?

Greekgoddess: Nothing much cause Lindsay is sleeping.

ChicagoMarine: Same with Danny. Now he is snoring. :(

Greekgoddess: Lol. Poor you

ChicagoMarine: I dont know about you but im going to get some sleep.

Greekgoddess: I will too. C u later.

Greekgoddess and ChicagoMarine have signed off.