March 10

Las Vegas, Nevada

"Danielle," Grissom heard Sara speak quietly as he came into the nursery that he and Sara had put together for their twins and saw Sara hovering over one of the cribs. "I think you're a Danielle."

Grissom paused and Sara turned to face him, "Our daughter's name is Danielle," Sara repeated.

"It's an interesting name," Grissom replied thoughtfully. "What made you think of it?"

Sara sighed, "You've mentioned several times that a woman named Danielle used to work for the Crime Lab because she was trying to support three children by herself," she spoke softly. "I admire women who do whatever they can for their families. I've also heard talk that she went to school out here."

Grissom nodded, "She was blessed with a windfall by one who believes in people," he replied softly.

Sara smiled at him, "You gave her the money for school?" she asked gently. "Gil…that's very kind."

Grissom offered a small smile, "So, our daughter's name is Danielle?" he asked. "What about our son?"

Sara paused, "Did you want to name him after you?" she asked in a thoughtful voice.

"No, one Gilbert Grissom is enough for this world," Grissom replied calmly. "How about a compromise?"

Sara nodded, "Gregory Gilbert?" Grissom suggested softly. "And perhaps Danielle Sara?"

"Those sound nice," Sara spoke softly. "Especially considering Greg…he's been through so much."

Grissom nodded, "Do you think he'll come back?" Sara asked softly. "Or will he stay in Miami?"

Fortunately for Grissom, both children started to cry and distracted him needing to give an answer.

Manhattan, New York

"Nurse Doherty, we've got a problem," Dr. Lewis said as he came over to the nurse's station where Kim was talking with Jimmy, who had Camille in a sling, "Your patient is out of bed and puking his guts out."

Kim frowned, "Ryan Wolfe?" she asked in a worried voice. "I just took him breakfast ten minutes ago."

"I passed by his room and he wasn't in bed, but I heard puking," Dr. Lewis spoke worriedly. "I went in and saw him puking in the sink with a hand on his stomach. I tried to help him, but he screamed."

Frowning, Kim hurried into Ryan's hospital room and saw that Ryan was indeed in the bathroom, but he was now staring at the puke in the sink, "Ryan, are you okay?" she asked in a concerned voice.

"I woke up with pain," Ryan spoke in a faint voice. "After you brought me breakfast, I felt sick…"

Kim nodded, "Why don't I get you back to bed and we'll see what's going on, okay?" she replied.

Ryan nodded, "I…I'm sorry for yelling at the doctor," he spoke softly as Kim helped him back to bed.

"Don't worry about it, Ryan," Dr. Lewis said calmly as he came into the room and helped Kim get Ryan back into bed. "From what I've seen, I'm wondering if you're going through delayed withdrawal."

Ryan frowned, "From drugs?" he asked in a shaky voice. "I…I don't know how much Ray gave me."

"You weren't breathing when John Boscorelli and Tommy Nieto first found you, but John used CPR to bring you back," Dr. Lewis explained in a quiet voice. "You had drugs in your system and needle marks above the duct tape that bound you, so it's obvious someone was using them to torture you."

Tears filled Ryan's eyes, "Ray…Ray Caine said he was gonna give me things to make me remember," he spoke, recalling Ray's words. "I was tortured months ago and he thinks that I saw his son…"

"All right, Kim's going to take your vitals and get some of your blood for tests," Dr. Lewis spoke calmly.

Kim, however, was eyeing the catheter bag with concern, "How are your legs, Ryan?" she asked softly.

"Do I have cancer still?" Ryan asked in a faint voice, seeing the concern in Kim's eyes.

Dr. Lewis sighed, "We'll run tests, but it's possible for another cancer to develop from the cancer you've already had," he explained in a concerned voice. "Do you want me to get a hold of your family?"

Ryan sighed and silently turned his head to look out the window, "Can I have my phone?" he asked.

Kim silently slipped Ryan's cell-phone into his good hand and he clumsily began to dial numbers.

Downtown – Miami, Florida

"You don't look good," Catherine observed softly as Robert approached the table at the café where they were meeting to talk and sat down across from her. "Are you taking the edict to rest seriously?"

Robert sighed, "If you know that I've been ordered to take less shifts, you probably also know that Warrick's trying to use me to get his sentence reduced," he replied in a tired, but kind voice.

Catherine nodded, "I'm sorry," she spoke softly. "Since I worked with Warrick, I'm in the loop."

"I was in the emergency room briefly after my body gave out from exhaustion over working extra shifts and trying to remember what I said while I was in Desert Palms Hospital," Robert replied softly. "I was in a lot of pain and on some serious meds, so my whole ordeal is still a little fuzzy in places. I can't…"

Just then a waiter came over to the table, "Can I get a cranberry juice, please?" Robert asked softly.

"I'd like a lemonade," Catherine said in a kind voice. "Bobby, you almost died."

As the waiter left with their orders, Robert nodded, "I personally think that Warrick just needs to calm down, take his medicine, and stop burning bridges," Catherine spoke gently. "I'm not sure if he was involved in hurting Officer Duquesne or not, but he did try to kill Nicky and his brother."

"How…how are you doing with all of this, Catherine?" Robert asked quietly. "Warrick was your friend."

Catherine sighed, "I've been too busy trying to deal with Lindsey and Dennis Sackheim's death to really think about Warrick," she explained in a tired voice. "Lindsey blames me for her being through what she's been through and she blames her father for not rescuing her fast enough. She doesn't seem to like being in Miami and she goes off by herself a lot when she's supposed to be in school and after school."

"Have you tried a counselor?" Robert asked quietly. "I'm sure they had her see someone in New York."

Catherine nodded, "Lindsey was mad at me even then," she spoke gently. "I don't know what to do."

"Maybe some family counseling?" Robert suggested gently. "So you can relearn how to be a family?"

Catherine looked thoughtful, "Did you try it back when you had your whole family?" she asked.

"Amanda and I tried couples' counseling and Donnie Flack would babysit because the kids trusted him, but the couples counseling didn't last," Robert spoke quietly. "Amanda became bored and she kept bothering Donnie to babysit on his nights off and she would go out for pleasure while I worked."

Catherine's eyes widened, "Amanda cheated on you?" she asked softly. "Bobby, I'm sorry."

"Mental illness is a very interesting thing," Robert spoke softly. "Maybe Lindsey has a bit of one?"

Catherine shrugged, "Post-traumatic stress disorder, maybe," she spoke in a worried voice, frowning when she suddenly noticed a tired looking Greg walk past the café with a calm looking Jenny Wolfe on his arm. "Am I seeing things or is that Greg Sanders from Las Vegas? I didn't know he was here."

Having overheard his name, Greg stopped and smiled when he saw Catherine, "Hey," he said softly.

"I didn't know you were in Miami?" Catherine replied in a pleasant voice. "How are you?"

Greg sighed softly and held up his casted arm, "I…I survived being chased into the Nevada Desert by Diego while Warrick went after Nick and Derek," he spoke quietly. "I was there for a couple days."

Catherine looked horrified and Robert gestured to the empty chairs at the table, "Why don't you two join us and take a load off your feet?" he suggested. "Between you and your pregnant lady…"

"C'mon, Greg, a little Miami cuisine might do you some good," Jenny spoke in a kind voice.

Greg sighed and eyed Robert suspiciously, "You're Lieutenant Caine's nephew," he observed.

"Yes, but I'm currently off-duty and what I do or who I see when I am off-duty is my business unless a crime is committed," Robert replied calmly. "If you need something to help you feel better, please…"

Greg silently sat down, but Jenny stayed standing and began to gently massage his shoulders and he responded looking up at her with a smile, "You and the baby need to eat," he spoke gently.

"Thank you for caring about us," Jenny spoke softly. "I don't know if I can fit on that chair."

Sighing, Jenny finally sat and Greg silently leaned over and gently kissed her on the cheek.

Las Vegas, Nevada

"Daddy?" Nick heard a quiet voice ask as his bedroom door opened. "Daddy, are you awake?"

Nick groaned as he opened his eyes and saw Parker at the door, "Hey," he said in a tired voice.

"Gramma gone, Daddy," Parker spoke quietly. "Gramma went home."

Frowning, Nick got out of bed and followed Parker to the living room. One of Adrienne's suitcases were gone and the folder of Parker's personal information was on the coffee table along with a note that looked handwritten. Gazing at Parker, Nick silently picked the note up off of the coffee table.

Nick,

I didn't want a big emotional goodbye, so I left while it was still dark. I left you the suitcase that has Parker's things so he'll have stuff until you can buy him what he needs. He's quite happy to be away from New York and everything that reminds him of his mother. I left contact information just in case you ever want to call me with questions about Parker or if he ever wants to talk to his grandmother. I left you all his personal information and identification so you can register him for school and other legal things.

Adrienne

Sighing softly, Nick sat down on the couch, "Daddy, wanna go back to bed," Parker spoke softly.

"Do you want me to take you?" Nick asked softly. "Daddy's pretty tired too, Parker."

Parker responded by crawling up on to the couch just as the phone on the end table rang, "This is Nick Stokes," Nick said in a calm voice as he picked up the phone. "I hope this isn't a telemarketer."

"No, it's Ecklie," Ecklie responded calmly. "Warrick has listed you as a witness to his case against Detective Caine and I need you to come in to discuss it. I know you're raising your son, but…"

Nick scoffed, shocked that Warrick would use him in such a way, "Parker's grandmother left this morning, so I can't come to the lab unless I bring him with me," he replied in an annoyed voice.

"That's fine," Ecklie responded in a calm voice. "I'm sure someone can watch him for a while."

Nick sighed, "I'll get there ASAP," he replied, surprised that Ecklie was open to his request.

There was a click and Nick hung up the phone, "Parker, buddy, do you wanna see where Daddy works?" he asked in a gentle voice, gazing at him. "Daddy has to go and talk to his boss about something."

"Can we get donuts for breakfast?" Parker asked quietly as he got up and went to his suitcase.

Within the next half-hour, Nick and Parker were both dressed for the day and in Nick's truck on the way to the Crime Lab. The drive was quiet and short because traffic was light at that time of the day.

"This is the Crime Lab, Parker," Nick explained as they walked inside. "Daddy is a criminalist."

As Parker looked around the lab, Ecklie came into the foyer, "Stokes," he said in a calm voice.

"Ecklie, this is Parker," Nick explained. "Parker, this is one of my bosses, Mister Ecklie."

Parker yawned, "He can sleep on the couch in my office while we talk," Ecklie spoke calmly.

Nick nodded and brought Parker to Ecklie's office, surprised when he saw a blanket and pillow on the couch, "I keep those here for when I work late," Ecklie spoke calmly. "I take catnaps when it's slow."

"Parker, buddy, why don't you nap on the couch?" Nick suggested gently. "I'll be right here."

Once Parker was asleep on the couch, Nick and Ecklie sat at Ecklie's desk, "You saved Detective Caine's life by killing Dimitri LaRusso and you also visited him several times while he was in the hospital," Ecklie spoke calmly. "Warrick is saying that you can back him up by verifying what Detective Caine said."

"How has Detective Caine been doing since that thing?" Nick asked in a concerned voice.

Ecklie sighed, "Until this cropped up, Detective Caine hadn't been keeping in touch with Las Vegas and you can't blame him, can you?" he replied calmly. "Anyway, Nick, Warrick is insisting that you can help him by saying that Detective Caine provided information on the Russian mafia in Vegas during his…"

Nick frowned as he thought back to that time, "No, Detective Caine didn't talk about the Russian mafia when I was around," he replied in a somber voice. "He didn't do much talking for the first few days."

Ecklie nodded, "After I was medically cleared, I visited him when I could and he didn't talk about the mafia," Nick spoke quietly. "And then I was taken, so I didn't get to visit him much after that."

Silence filled the room, "I can't be of help to Warrick," Nick spoke in a quiet voice. "I'm sorry."

"I figured you couldn't, but I had to investigate it because Brown's making a stink and demanding someone listen," Ecklie spoke calmly. "Since you're here, let's discuss the upcoming hearing that you'll have to testify at on behalf of yourself and Derek. The higher-ups want this dealt with quickly."

Angel of Mercy Hospital – Manhattan, New York

The curtain was drawn and the sight of that concerned Tim as he came into the room, "I'm almost done, Ryan, all right?" he heard a kind, professional voice say. "I'll fast track these results through the lab."

Tim paused as the curtain was pulled back and Dr. Lewis lowered Ryan's legs before stocking a cart with samples, "Thank you," Ryan spoke in a faint voice. "How…how long before I know if there's cancer?"

"I'll try and get these results back to you by later today," Dr. Lewis spoke calmly. "Just rest now."

Ryan nodded and sighed as Tim approached the bed, "Emily's exhausted, so she's back at the hotel with James and Julliet and they're all resting," Tim spoke calmly. "We got your text and I'm sorry, Ryan."

"I might lose my chance to have kids," Ryan spoke softly. "It might be in the testicles too."

Tim sighed softly, "I…I left a message on Sofia's phone," Ryan spoke softly. "She must be working."

"If you've got cancer somewhere else, do you want to deal with it here or back home in Miami?" Tim asked as he sat down in the chair beside the bed. "Emily and Tommy are trying to arrange a plane."

Ryan sighed tiredly, "No, I don't want to deal with it here," he replied softly. "Are you fired?"

"Horatio's arranged paid leave," Tim replied calmly. "I'll go back to work when we go home."

Suddenly, Ryan's cell-phone went off and Ryan slowly picked it up off the portable tray, "H-hello?" he said in a quiet voice, his eyes widening when he heard the voice on the other end. "Hi…hi Sofia."

"Ryan," Sofia's voice spoke in a calm, soothing tone. "I got your message. Are you okay?"

Ryan sighed, "I might have another kind of cancer," he spoke softly. "I'm not sure why."

There was a silence, "Ryan, I have to tell you something and I wish I could have done it in person, but we're so shorthanded at the Crime Lab already because Greg took leave," Sofia spoke softly. "What…what we did at Christmastime had some consequence. I'm almost three months pregnant."

Ryan's eyes widened, "However you want to handle this, you won't be alone," he replied gently.

Sofia chuckled and exhaled, "I want to see you," she spoke softly. "I've missed you very much."

"I've missed you too," Ryan spoke in a weak voice, well aware that Tim was watching and smiling.

Miami, Florida

"I've been requested," Robert spoke in a quiet voice as he came into his uncle's office and found his uncle seated behind his desk with paperwork in front of him. "To testify against Warrick Brown based on what he's been saying. I have to sit in a private hearing in Las Vegas court on March 20th of this year."

Horatio frowned, "I've been seeing a counselor since I got sick and all I can recall is talking about my father," Robert spoke as he showed him the letter. "He told me a lot of things when I was shut up in that box, but I can't remember everything. I was let out for bathroom breaks, but I had to wear handcuffs…"

"If you're going to come to work, I'd rather you stay in the lab with Calleigh for now," Horatio spoke softly. "I know you're trained for the field, but this hearing will cause you a great deal of distress…"

Robert nodded and sighed softly, "They must want this over and done with," he spoke quietly.

"Well, it's never a picnic when someone in crime investigation or law enforcement is involved in criminal activity," Horatio spoke calmly. "I know you don't want to talk about your ordeal again and I can…"

Robert sighed, "No, I don't want to discuss it again and I would rather not go back to Vegas because they'll make me deal with that and getting my father's body," he spoke in an irritated voice.

Just then, there was a knock at the door, "Horatio?" Calleigh spoke. "I'm here for my shift."

"Come in, Calleigh," Horatio spoke warmly. "My nephew and I were just visiting."

The door opened and Calleigh came in, "Welcome back," Horatio spoke kindly. "How are you?"

"I'm not sure I can give a statement against Warrick Brown, Horatio," Calleigh spoke in a reluctant voice as she sat on the couch to ease the discomfort in her leg. "I know I'm the reason he's in trouble with Miami, but I don't know to what extent he was involved. I was unconscious for most of the time."

Horatio looked thoughtful, "It's about recounting what you can remember," he replied calmly.

"Calleigh, forgive me if I'm speaking inappropriately, but Warrick was plenty involved in what happened to you," Robert spoke in a quiet, but firm voice as he gazed at her. "Even if you can't remember everything, you have enough to tell that shows his involvement. No matter how small or insignificant you feel your testimony may be, it's still the truth and the truth is sometimes all we have to rely on."

Calleigh gave Robert a look, silently stood, and gave him a small hug, "Thank you," she replied softly.

Suddenly, Horatio's phone rang, "This is Horatio Caine," he said in a calm voice as he answered it.

"H, it's Speed," Tim spoke softly. "Ryan asked me to call you. He…he might have another kind of cancer."

Horatio froze, "The doctor's running tests and there might be a biopsy later today, but Ryan's upset about having to deal with that in New York," Tim spoke softly. "We're trying to arrange something."

Noticing Horatio's somber expression, Robert and Calleigh gave him a look and Horatio responded by placing a hand over the receiver, "Ryan…Ryan may have another type of cancer and they're running tests to confirm that, but he's not wanting to be treated for it in New York," he spoke softly.

Calleigh's eyes widened and she looked at the floor, "Uncle Horatio, I'll pay for Ryan to come home," Robert spoke softly, his expression serious. "I know how much pain New York can bring to someone."

Calleigh looked at Robert with wide eyes, "Just give me the information I need and I'll arrange it," he replied in a kind, quiet voice so that Speed couldn't hear him. "I'll go and do it over a computer."

Horatio silently wrote the information on a pad of paper and gave it to Robert, prompting him to take it, get up, and leave the office, "Are you sure?" Calleigh asked softly as she followed him. "That's…"

"Expensive?" Robert replied with a smile as they went into one of the offices. "I'm aware arranging a medical plane is expensive, but I can certainly afford it. What good is having money if you can't be generous with it once in a while? Anyway, I have to be in Las Vegas to testify on April first…"

Calleigh's expression sombered, "I'm sorry," she spoke softly. "Warrick Brown mentioned you?"

"Yes," Robert replied calmly. "He visited me when I was in hospital there and questioned me about my father and about his connections to the Russian mafia. I'm seeing a therapist due to anxiety over it."

Calleigh nodded and watched as Robert silently got a hold of a medical plane service and arranged for transport for not only Ryan, but also his family, "That was very kind of you," she commented softly.

"Um, my uncle would like me to work in the lab from now until this whole Warrick thing is over, so would you be willing to teach me how to do the job a little better?" Robert asked quietly, not wanting attention drawn to his act of generosity because he preferred to earn respect through hard work.

Manhattan, New York

"What do you want to do today?" Sully asked Yelina, smiling at her as she and Nicolas came out of the other nursery after Nicolas's nap. "Bosco and Danielle took Michael and Emily to the audiologist's and the other kids are in school, so we're alone for a while. We could always take Nicky to the park."

Yelina smiled, "Or we could just stay home and relax," she spoke softly. "I like being at home with both of you because I never really got to do that in Miami. Raymond was always making trouble and so I would send Ray Junior over to my mother and lose myself in work just to forget the problems…"

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, "I'll get it," Sully said warmly. "You just relax."

As Yelina sat down and set Nicolas on her lap, Sully went to the door, "Hello, Officer Sullivan," Mac said in a quiet, somber voice as the door was opened. "Could I come in and talk to you and your wife?"

Sully nodded and allowed Mac inside, "When Detective Flack visited Ryan Wolfe earlier, Ryan made a statement that Raymond Caine was the one responsible for his kidnapping and torture because Ray believed that Ryan has seen Ray Junior alive," Mac explained as Sully closed the door tight.

Yelina's eyes widened, "I did some investigating of my own into this situation," Mac spoke quietly.

Sully joined Yelina on the couch and Mac sat in a chair, "Ryan Wolfe was tortured by Dennis Sackheim for trying to find Ray Junior and Lindsey Stetler through unofficial channels and Ray Senior got wind of that," Mac explained in a serious voice. "Ray believes Ryan knows where Ray Junior is and that's…"

Tears filled Yelina's eyes, "I divorced Ray, but I miss Ray Junior very much," she replied softly. "I just thought he was dead and now I find out that Ryan Wolfe was nearly killed twice because of him."

"What do you want done if we find Ray or Ray Junior?" Mac asked in a serious voice.

Yelina looked at Sully, "I don't want to go back to Miami and deal with this," she spoke softly.

"Then let the police," Sully replied softly. "If they find Ray Junior, he's welcome to come live with us."

Yelina hugged Sully and Nicolas cooed about being sandwiched, prompting Mac to chuckle softly.

Wails filled the air as Danielle and Bosco watched the pediatric audiologist, whose name was Dr. Collins, test Michael's hearing, and saw that Michael was reacting badly to the noise the machine made.

Dr. Collins quickly finished the test and Bosco quickly picked Michael up, which calmed him down, "Well, it seems that Michael either has stranger anxiety or is hypersensitive to certain sounds," she said in a calm voice, not bothered by the screaming. "Emily, however, seems to be hard of hearing in one ear."

Danielle, who was holding Emily, looked concerned, "It can be corrected surgically, but I am worried about subjecting a nearly one-year old to surgery," Dr. Collins spoke calmly. "It's your choice."

"I'll be starting work as a desk sergeant in Manhattan in a few months once I'm in remission," Bosco spoke in a tired voice. "It comes with a pay increase and I just want our kids to be healthy…"

Dr. Collins nodded, "What do we do about Mikey's hearing?" Danielle asked in a worried voice.

"Playing music or sound for Michael each day will fix it in time," Dr. Collins spoke calmly.

Danielle nodded and kissed Emily, "When can we do the surgery for Emily?" she asked softly.

"Mamamamama," Michael whined, clearly unhappy about being there. "Mamamamama."

Dr. Collins silently went to her work computer, "Let me see," she said in a calm voice.

"Danielle, I'll take Mikey out so you can focus, all right?" Bosco suggested kindly.

Nodding, Danielle silently held Emily close and hoped that they would be able to help her.

Angel of Mercy Hospital

The sight of Ryan sound asleep in bed caused Emily to sigh as she came into the cheerless hospital room with James and Julliet, "They were missing their daddy and Uncle Ryan," she explained to Tim, who was sitting on the couch near the end of the bed. "Has Doctor Lewis come back with test results yet?"

"Not yet," Tim replied quietly. "I called Horatio and let him know and he's concerned."

Emily nodded and watched as James and Julliet wandered over to the bed, "Uncle Ryan's sleeping, Mommy," Julliet spoke softly, eyeing him before going over to the couch where Tim was sitting.

"Uncle Ryan's still recovering, honey," Emily spoke softly, not sure how to explain cancer to her.

Julliet nodded, "Was it like when you were sick, Mommy?" she asked in a worried voice.

Stunned that Julliet remembered her treatments, Emily sighed, "Yes, honey, Uncle Ryan had those treatments before and he might have to have them again," she explained softly. "But he really needs you and James to be brave for him so he isn't scared about it if he has to have more medicine."

Julliet nodded and climbed into Tim's lap while James lingered near the bed. Suddenly, Dr. Lewis came into the room and smiled when he saw the scene before him, but Emily and Tim looked worried.

"Officer Wolfe?" Dr. Lewis spoke calmly. "I know you're tired, but I need to talk to you."

Ryan sighed, but opened his eyes, "I don't have your test results yet, but I do have some good news for you," Dr. Lewis spoke kindly, a smile on his face. "It seems that a medical plane will be here in a few days to transfer you to a hospital in Miami. An anonymous benefactor has heard about your situation…"

"What?" Ryan asked in a shocked voice. "Why…why would anyone want to help me? Who was it?"

Dr. Lewis was silent for a moment, "Please don't tell anyone I told you, but I believe that a Detective Robert Caine of the Miami-Dade Police Department is the one financing the flight," he replied softly.

Emily and Tim exchanged a look and Ryan looked shocked, "As soon as I get your results and information on when you'll be transported, I'll come back," Dr. Lewis spoke calmly. "Get some rest, all right?"

Ryan nodded and sighed as Dr. Lewis left, "It's very kind of Detective Caine to do that," he mused softly before gazing at Emily and Tim. "Hey, you guys, why don't you show the kids a bit of New York?"

"We've been trying to do that a bit each day," Emily spoke softly. "We came here for you, Ryan."

Ryan sighed, "Sofia…Sofia and I have talked," he spoke softly. "She told me she was pregnant."

Emily's eyes widened, "And it was from what we did at Christmas," Ryan finished quietly. "I told her I might have cancer again and she's going to come visit once I'm back in Miami so we can talk. I just need to process all of this and think about whether or not Jessica would be okay with me moving on…"

Meanwhile, at the diner near NYU, Stella was getting a snack after being sent on a break because Mac noticed that she was unusually tense. Since Mac knew about her sister being killed years ago, Stella had made up the excuse that it was just one of those times that she was missing Jessica and needed a break.

Now, as Stella waited at the counter, she noticed that John was sitting near the fireplace with Emily and Tommy, all of whom were working out of textbooks and enjoying hot drinks. Pavel was nowhere to be seen, but the sight of John studying and hanging with what she perceived to be trash angered Stella enough that she silently left the diner. The sky had clouded over and it now felt cool enough to rain.

It was bad enough when Aiden had been fired; Mac had brought in Lindsay and she was a hard worker, but Stella felt like she was being shown up constantly. When Mac had brought John into the fold to do a co-op through NYU, Stella had originally been all right with the idea, but John's intelligence in crime scenes far surpassed her own and Stella felt that his background didn't give him the right to be smart.

Stella's hand went to her gun, but she didn't think she could deal with the problem alone and she knew John was perfectly capable of defending himself against one armed person. To truly stop John, Stella knew that she would need help from people who were good at and used to dealing with punk kids.

Several NYPD informants who routinely engaged in behaviors from their pasts lived close to the university campus and Stella knew that the threat of being turned in would be enough to get them to help her out. A lot of them had known her sister, Jessica, before she had moved down to Miami for school and stayed because she had met Ryan. Her death had sent shockwaves through their hearts.

As Stella approached the townhouse where Jessica's former best friend, Donatello Fenricci, had lived all his life, the front door opened and a dark-haired man came out, "Donatello," she said calmly.

Donatello froze and eyed Stella badge, "I check in with my PO weekly," he replied nervously.

"Donatello, it's Stella; Jessica's sister," Stella replied in a calm voice. "I'm not here officially."

Donatello froze, "Gosh, Stella, you scared me," he replied softly. "What…what do you want?"

"Can we talk inside over tea?" Stella asked quietly. "Like we used to when Jessica was alive?"

Donatella let Stella in, "Hey, you read about that kid who saved Ryan Wolfe, right?" Stella asked as they went into the kitchen and Donatello started getting things together for tea. "John Boscorelli?"

"Yeah, Stel, I read the paper," Donatello replied calmly. "Pretty crazy stuff that 17 year olds do these days, huh? I remember us at 17 and we certainly weren't ambitious, smart, or such keeners…"

Stella sighed and sat at the kitchen table, "It was bad enough when Mac brought in some keener from Montana to replace Aiden, but now he's got John Boscorelli doing a co-op for the Crime Lab through NYU," she spoke with a sigh. "The city and NYPD want to honor John for what he did at the Crime Lab and also saving Ryan Wolfe, but I don't think he should get any praise for doing anything…."

Donatello gave Stella a look, "What kind of tea do you want?" he asked casually.

"What I want is to deal with John Boscorelli," Stella replied sternly. "So they'll quit praising him!"

Donatello's eyes widened, "Stella, I can't help you!" he exclaimed. "You want to kill a kid?"

"I don't want to kill him, but I want him to know that he's not smarter or braver than anyone else," Stella replied coldly. "Come on, Donatello, I know you still deal and I know you still hold parties…"

Donatello swallowed hard, "And do you still have your garden in the basement?" Stella asked.

"Those plants are for personal use," Donatello replied nervously. "I don't sell them, Stella."

Stella scoffed, "I could easily get a warrant to search your house," she replied in a stern voice.

"All right, what exactly do you want my help with?" Donatello replied, knowing he was trapped.

Stella sighed and reached into her pocket, "This is a schedule of John's from this semester and he spends a lot of his time between classes at this little diner near the university that's run by a guy named Pavel Dimitriakov," she explained, showing him the paper. "John's there around the same time every day. He does co-op in the afternoon, classes in the morning, and he does janitor work for NYPD sometimes."

"Pavel's a buddy of mine, Stella," Donatello replied nervously. "I can't hurt him along with this kid."

Stella sighed, "Surely you have guys who can help you?" she asked coldly. "Or do I need my phone?"

"I got guys who are into not-so-legal stuff, but they don't wanna be nailed," Donatello replied.

Stella smiled, "Call em up," she replied calmly. "I promise there will be no legal recourse for you."

Miami, Florida

"Doctor Woods, I was wondering if I could ask a favor?" Robert asked as he went into the morgue and saw Alexx cleaning the tables in preparation for a corpse. "A medical plane is going to be sent…"

Alexx smiled, "Calleigh mentioned what you did for Ryan," she replied with a smile. "That was kind."

"I was hoping you'd be the doctor on that flight," Robert spoke kindly. "Ryan's comfortable with you."

Alexx nodded, "I know," she replied softly. "I've already called and arranged to be on the plane."

"Thank you, Doctor Woods," Robert spoke quietly. "I…I should probably get back up to the lab."

Alexx gave Robert a look, "Are you doing all right today?" she asked gently. "You look tired."

"Oh, I'm all right," Robert lied, not wanting her to worry about him. "Have a good day."

As Robert left the morgue, Alexx frowned and made a mental note to talk to Horatio and Natalia about him.

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