Chapter 4

"Stella, you're pacing. This might take me a little while, don't you have something else to do?" Jenna asked her.

"This is important I can wait here," Stella told her and she sat down.

Jenna started to take the semen from the condom Stella had brought her from her crime scene. Danny walked in the room.

"Danny, your sample didn't get a hit in CODIS." She reached over and grabbed a folder. "Here's the report," she handed it to him.

He flipped it open. "Well, thanks for nothing," he told her.

"I'm doing my job, Messer, I giver results not miracles," she replied.

Danny left the room. Jenna continued with the sample she had from Stella. When she gave Stella the news she didn't want to hear, Stella was upset. Like Danny, Stella gave a sarcastic, aggravated "thank you." It seemed to be a pattern with the CSIs that day. Mac and Lindsay were disappointed with the results they got as well.

Later that evening Jenna was in the locker room getting her things from her locker. She turned around when she heard someone behind her.

"Hey," she said. "Are you here to be mean to me like everyone else?"

"What?" Flack asked and leaned against the door frame.

Jenna put on her jacket and put her purse on her shoulder. "All the CSIs were PMS-ing today I guess because they all got bent out of shape about the results I gave them."

"Well maybe I can make it better. How about some dinner with some good company?" he smiled.

"I was actually planning some furniture shopping. Some kind of retail therapy I guess for a day of being the hated lab rat."

"I'm sorry you had a bad day," he said and she came over to him. "You want some company?"

"I kind of just want to do it by myself." She walked past him and started down the hallway.

"Hey, it's not always like this."

"I know, I'm taking it personal I'm just tired and I need to get some furniture badly," she smiled. "I'll definitely take a rain check on dinner, though."

"I'll hold you to that," he told her and he watched her as she walked away.

Jenna approached the elevator and heard someone behind her say her name. She turned and saw Mac coming toward her.

"Great," she mumbled to herself.

"Jenna sorry about earlier. I heard everyone else was pretty rude to you too. We all get a little uptight sometimes."

"Mac, don't worry about it. I'm not taking it personally. We all have our good days and bad days."

"Well I just wanted to make sure everything was ok."

"Yeah don't worry about me, I'm as tough as nails," she smiled and he returned the gesture then walked away.

The next day Jenna was in early, even though she had been up late rearranging furniture. She walked into the lab where a few other people already were. She started on the sample that was handed to her. Danny walked in and sat on a stool on the side of the table she was at.

"Hey Danny, how's it going? You look tired," Jenna greeted.

"Yeah I got a call around three so I didn't get much sleep," he paused. "Hey I wanted to apologize for being a jerk yesterday. I heard I wasn't the only one."

"You know, don't worry about it. I didn't take it personal. It kind of sucked because I couldn't give anyone the results they wanted."

"Well, I just wanted to say sorry," he got up and gave her a smile.

Jenna was steaming by the time Danny left the room. She couldn't believe Flack had told him to apologize to her. It wasn't a big deal, he had no reason to try and protect her.

Minutes later Flack walked into the room. He walked over to her and she got up to the other side of the room. He followed her.

"Hey do you wanna go grab some lunch? Just to the corner deli, nothing fancy," he asked.

"I have a lot of work to do," she replied in a not-so-pleasant tone.

"Can't you just take a short break?"

"No, I can't," she retorted.

He looked at her, confused. "Is something wrong? Did I do something?"

Now she looked up at him from her paperwork. He still looked stunned at her demeanor. "I need to talk to you. Come with me," she led him out to the hallway then to an area away from others. She looked around for co-workers close by not wanting to argue in front of anyone. "What did you say to Danny?"

He still had a confused look. "About what?"

"Last night and me being upset about how he and everyone else treated me. He came up and apologized and I felt like an idiot," she told him sternly.

"Jenna, I haven't talked to Danny all day."

"Fine, don't own up to it," she walked past him then stopped and turned to look at him. "Just so you know I don't need someone to take care of me." She left the room leaving him standing there in utter shock and confusion.

A couple hours later Danny was by her again; they were in the break room. She gave him results from the sample he had given her. He seemed pleased with the results.

"Hey, I don't know what Flack told you about yesterday but I really wasn't that upset about everyone being stern with me. I'm not really that sensitive." She told Danny before he could walk out of the room.

Danny looked confused. "I haven't talked to Flack, it was Mac who told me I should apologize."

Jenna looked at him for a second then looked down. "Oh crap."

"You thought it was Flack? Did you say something to him?"

"Yeah and I might not have been very nice," Jenna admitted.

Danny shook his head then put his hand on her shoulder. "Next time try not to assume." He left the room.