I am sorry for the huge delay. Ne job with a longer commute has really cut into my writing time. This has been a long time in coming and I hope you like it.

Cass remained lost in her memories for a few more minutes until a quiet clearing of the throat interrupted. She jumped a little and saw an orderly waiting by the door.

"Is the patient ready?" he asked.

Shaking her head to clear it, Cass went to work. "Just give me a few minutes to finish up," she said over her shoulder as she worked to apply the dressings to all the still raw stitches. Again her heart clenched in sympathy at the level of damage this young detective had suffered. "You'll be OK, Don," she whispered almost to herself, unconsciously echoing her brother's words. Within ten minutes, she was finished and had moved aside to permit the orderly to push the gurney out of the Recovery Room.

"He'll be in Room 12 in the ICU," the orderly told her, referring to the Intensive Care Unit which was reserved for the most critical patients. Cass nodded, bending over the counter to complete the paperwork. Putting the records into the correct slot for pick up by the administrative staff, she stood up, straightened her scrubs patted her hair and walked out to give Don's friends an update.

Mac had joined the rest of the team and they all anxiously waited for word. A few minutes later, Mac saw Cass walk down the hallway leading away from the Recovery Room; she was wearing what he always thought of as her "doctor's face".

Cass surveyed the assembled team. The fact that Don had so many people so concerned spoke volumes about the kind of man he was. But, Cass noted with some concern, everybody there was either a friend, a work colleague or both. Where was his family? Did he have relatives? Was there a wife or girlfriend? She made a note to ask Mac later…just to make sure that everybody who needed to know about Detective Flack had been notified, she told herself.

"Don is out of surgery and has been transferred to the ICU," she started and saw everybody relax slightly. Mac must have shared with them what he had seen when he took the photographs, but she knew that family and friends always wanted to hear it from the doctor. She continued, "His injuries were quite serious and he lost a lot of blood. He is still weak and the next several days will be crucial; if he makes it through the next 48 to 72 hours, I am hopeful that he would be on the road to making a full recovery." That really was the best that she could do. She remembered the extent of the injuries that she saw when Don first came in and when she had applied the bandages; she looked at the faces and knew that they wanted more; that they wanted reassurance and she hated that she could not give it.

"Can we see him?" Danny asked.

Cass permitted herself a tiny smile, "Yes. Once he is settled, a nurse will come and let you know. It will be one at a time and only for a few minutes, but yes. You can see him.' Cass reached for the buzzing in her pocket. She checked her phone. "I'm sorry. I need to go." She headed off, but stopped and turned, looking at the four Detectives. "I know that Detective Flack means a great deal to you, I promise that I will do my absolute best for him." With that she turned and walked quickly back into the Emergency Room leaving the team to wait for the nurse.

"When are you off tonight," Mac called after her.

Cass stopped and turned, smiling. "8:30."

"Dinner," Mac called out. "Your choice. I'll be here at 8:30."

"Scarpetta's," Cass called out as the ER doors opened and shut behind her.

At 8:30, Mac was sitting at the Nurse's station in the Emergency Room waiting for Cass. At 8:45, she walked down the hall; hair still wet from the shower, and dressed in jeans and a sweater. Mac stood up and handed her cup of coffee he had picked up at the Starbucks next to the hospital. "Figured, you could use this to get you through dinner," Mac said with a smile.

Cass sniffed appreciatively and took a sip. "Perfect," she said with a grateful smile. "And you remembered just how I like it."

"Five sugars and cream," Mac said. "How you can stand it being so sweet, I'll never understand," said the man who, as a Marine had gotten used to having his coffee black.

Cass, just smiled and sipped, enjoying their comfortable bantering.

"I'm starving she said

There were some advantages to being a cop, Mac mused as they stepped outside and right into his SUV which he had left by the entrance. "Scarpetta's?" he asked and Cass nodded.

Within thirty minutes they were at the restaurant and by 9:30 they were seated at a quiet table in the back of the restaurant enjoying glasses of red wine.

"Thank you," Mac said quietly. At the question expressed by Cass's raised eyebrows, he continued. "I know that every patient is important to you, but…," he paused. "Don…," he searched for words.

"I understand," Cass said quietly. "It's what I love about my job." She smiled and Mac smiled back as they touched their glasses.

Back Alley in Queens

The man was in the alley behind the store. He was leaning against the wall. It was cold and dark, but he was patient and he waited. He owed it to her to wait and get this right. He checked his watch by the light streaming in from the street. It should not be long now; the bodega closed at 10pm and it was 10:30, they should be taking the trash to the alley very soon now, he thought. Dressed in the painters' overalls and full of nervous energy, he was sweating even though the temperature was in the low 50s.

He heard the squeak of the back door and saw the light spill into the alley as the young woman carried out cardboard boxes – this batch had the picture of tomatoes. The man reached into his pocket feeling the cool comfortable weight of the semi-automatic pistol.

He was in the shadows, so the young woman did not see him. He moved quietly but quickly making sure that his rubber soled shoes made as little noise as possible. The alley was narrow and he was behind the young woman in several steps. Before she could react, he placed his hand on her mouth and held her against him. The woman struggled, but was no match for him as he reached for the gun in his pocket.

Scarpetta's

They were finishing their coffee and a shared Tiramisu when Mac's phone vibrated. Checking the number, Mac apologized. "I have to take this. I'm sorry." Cass nodded. Cops like doctors were always on call. Mac was listening intently and nodding. "Ok," he said. "Where?" He nodded again. "I'm with Cass. I'll drop her off and be there…," he checked his watch, "…by midnight."

Mac looked at Cass, "I'm sorry, but they found a murder victim. I need to go," he said signaling for the check. "I'll drop you at home."

Cass nodded. "I'll grab a cab tomorrow. Technically I'm off, but I want to check on D…," she stopped and Mac was almost certain he saw color creep up her cheeks, "…on my patients." she finished as Mac paid the bill and walked out with her to his SUV.

At 11:55 Mac's Avalanche pulled in behind the police cruisers in Queens. Getting his kit and nodding to the officers, he walked to the alley way. Danny was already there taking pictures with the help of police officers holding large work lights. "Doesn't Don live a block or two from here," he asked and Danny nodded, pointing.

In the center of the lights, was the body of a young woman. "This is Marisol Villega," Danny said as soon as he saw Mac. "Twenty nine years old. She worked the check out counter at the Bodega," he tossed his head toward the back door. "She also occasionally would deliver groceries to local residents."

Mac looked at the young woman. She was lying on her back, one arm over her head, the other one resting on her abdomen near what Mac knew was a gun shot wound. Her dark hair was spread out around her head and her legs were slightly bent. "What happened?"

Danny shrugged, "She went out to take the trash after the store closed, and didn't come back in. After a while the manager went back here to look for her and found….," he motioned with his hand. "Nobody heard a gun shot, but the train runs right above the store, so that's not too surprising." He stopped to think.

"Random mugging," Mac asked as he opened his kit to start collecting evidence.

"Nah," replied the younger man. "What little money she had in her wallet is still there as is her gold cross. Mac," Danny paused and then continued. "The manager told me that she has a kid…he's five."

Mac looked again at the young mother, who would never get the chance to see her son grow up. "Its ok, Marisol," Mac murmured, "we'll find out who did this to you."

Please let me know what you think. I will work on updating faster in the future. I really appreciate you reading this and reviewing.