~~Aiden~~

"Jeez! This machine takes forever to get results!" Aiden complained to herself. Somehow everyone else just happened to be busy when she had to process random evidence. It didn't take long at all, but she was waiting for the results of a DNA sample.

"Just think about leaving and having dinner with a boyfriend tonight" a lab tech, Ashley told her. Aiden jumped when she heard the woman's voice.

"Oh God! You scared the crap out of me!" she laughed as she waited for her heart rate to calm down again.

"Sorry, but I was walking in just as you were cursing the stupid machine for taking too long." Aiden nodded.

"Thanks for the advice, but I think if I actually think about tonight then I'll just want time to go by faster and annoy everybody!" she laughed. Ashley joined in nodding.

"Probably" she said. Aiden stopped laughing and actually took the advice. She pictured dinner and dancing, or maybe a movie, then ending the night with a kiss… or more. She snapped out of her daydream when the results came back.

"Wow! That actually worked! Thanks" Aiden said as she printed off the results that were absolutely no help. Ashley nodded and continued her work.

"What's his name?" she asked before Aiden had left.

"Matt… Matthew Winters. He's a fire fighter. So hot" she said giggling. Ashley rolled her eyes. She had heard stories about how bad Aiden had it when she got involved with a guy, but now she had her own experience.

"Well good luck…" Ashley started, but was interrupted by the loudspeaker. "We have a loudspeaker system?" Aiden looked at her shrugging.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but we have just received word that two planes had been hijacked and crashed into the World Trade Center. The towers have just fallen and all police officers, fire fighters, and EMTs are asked to report to the site. I want all CSIs and lab techs here to get ready to process evidence. I'm sorry for all of the losses, but we must do what we can for those who lost their lives. We cannot let them die in vain." Aiden was shocked. Why would anyone do something like that?

"Matt" she breathed remembering that her boyfriend was running to do his job. She didn't have room to talk, seeing that she was a cop and carried a gun, but she hated that Matt always put others before himself.

"I'm sure he's fine. Just relax and help me clear all other evidence so that way this room will be ready to go" Ashley said, trying to deflect Aiden from the mental breakdown that she was about ready to have. "Call him first though, just to tell him that you love him and ask for him to be careful because he has to make up this date." Aiden nodded and pulled out her cell.

"Winters" he answered gruffly. Aiden sighed just knowing that he was still ok, for now.

"Hey, I just wanted to tell you I love you and I want you to be careful. You will need to make this date up to me someday" she joked. It brought a smile to her face when she heard him chuckle.

"I love you too and I promise I'll make it up. You be careful too" he said. Aiden smiled at his concern for her well being,

"I'll be fine. They want me here to process evidence, so if you get a break I will be able to talk, hint hint" she said.

"Duly noted. I've got to go. Love you" he said before hanging up.

"Love you too" Aiden whispered to the air. Once she had gotten over the initial shock, she helped Ashley to prepare for the chaos that was sure to come.

WWTWWTWWTWWTWWTWWTWWTWWTWWT

Eight hours later:

Aiden was right. Everything was a nightmare. All day she had processed piece after piece after piece of metal. Most of the time she couldn't identify what it might have come off of, but she did the best as she could. She was getting ready to go get a cup of coffee when her phone rang. It was an unknown number.

"Hello?"

"Is this Aiden Burns?" She swallowed dryly. Nothing ever came from these types of calls especially when Matt hadn't called since he had promised he would earlier in the day.

"Yes, who is this?" she asked, listening to her voice crack from the unshed tears. The man on the other end sighed.

"I'm Matt's chief, Tadd. I called to inform you that Matt has just passed away from being crushed by a piece of metal" he said. Aiden's world stopped for a moment. "We got to him quickly and sent him to the hospital, but most of his organs had been crushed. I'm sorry for your loss" Tadd said before hanging up. Aiden just stood in the middle of the hallway crying her eyes out. She was normally not a very emotional person, but she knew that Matt had a ring for her.

"Aiden?" Ashley asked as she walked out of a room down the hallway. When she caught sight of Aiden's face, she knew what had happened. "Oh honey" she whispered, pulling the woman into a hug. Aiden let out heart wrenching sobs. After a time, she had calmed down enough to stand up and pull herself together.

"Thanks for listening to me. Not even my parents do that" she tried to laugh, but it came out wrong. Ashley smiled a little at her attempt at humor.

"How about you head home? I'll talk to Mac about it. I'm sure he'll understand…" Aiden froze.

"Oh my God! Mac" Aiden yelled as she turned to run down the hallway to find her boss. She stopped when he saw both Mac and Stella sitting by one of the windows sobbing. She knew that Claire had not made it. "You broke your promise to me Matt." Aiden said as she joined her bosses in crying for lost loved ones.

WWTWWTWWTWWTWWTWWTWWTWWTWWTWWT

Three years later:

Aiden followed the DJ Pratt around. Mac would be upset that she continued this investigation without a gun to protect herself with. He had been painting an apartment when he followed a blonde tenant out of the building and down the street.

"Damn it" Aiden muttered as she kept a good distance between herself and her target. She had worked undercover and tailing before, so she knew what she was doing, or so she thought. She turned the corner and could not see Pratt or the blonde anywhere. She continued through the desolate street only to feel Pratt grabbing her from behind. This had been his plan all along. She fought and struggled, but mostly leaving clues for Mac to find and put the bastard behind bars for good because she knew that she was not going to survive.

Suddenly she saw Matt's face. He was smiling and laughing and happy. She wanted to be with him again.

Hold on Matt. I'm coming she thought to herself as the darkness started to overtake her. She smiled once more when she realized that she would be happy with Matt and DJ Pratt would be convicted of murder.