A/N: Really glad I got this chapter out before Christmas. This chapter is shorter, but Ava gets out some stuff she needs to. Hope you enjoy. Merry Christmas to all, and may God bless you and your family!

And of course, another huge thanks to my beta, because she pretty much rocks the free world.

Ava's eyes fluttered open as she heard someone come through the door. She had been flooded with visitors over the past two days, and she was tired. But as the person paused by the side of her bed, she knew this wasn't just someone checking up on her. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes completely.

"I was wondering when you'd come to see me."

Mac sat down in the chair. "How are you feeling?"

"Better. Much better, actually. They're releasing me in the morning." She paused. "I'm guessing you wanted to make sure I was okay before you read me the riot act?"

"Actually, I wanted to know how you were doing because you're a member of my team, and I care."

"If that were true, Mac, you would have visited me before now."

He watched her closely, hearing the hurt in her voice. "Do you want to know the real reason I haven't been in to see you yet?"

Ava nodded.

"I was furious at you." The words stung, but she knew that she deserved them. "You put yourself and Danny at risk, and you didn't let the rest of us in the loop. You knew that something was wrong, and you held it in – the two of you could have been killed!"

"I know –"

"Not to mention the baby. You should have called for backup, Ava. The only reason that house caught on fire was because of your recklessness, and that baby could have burned to death."

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

He sighed, leaning back in the chair. "When are you going to learn that we're your team and you need to work with us?" he asked quietly.

"I'm starting to get that now," she admitted. "Better late than never, right?" She paused, taking a deep breath. "Are you firing me?"

"No."

She looked at him sharply. "What?"

"Sinclair nearly blew a fuse when he found out what you did, but your contacts in the federal government saved you. When they ID'd Ambrosia's body, CTU told Sinclair that the NYPD was getting full credit for taking a dangerous drug lord off the streets, and that they were extremely grateful to the city and to you. Sinclair couldn't fire you after that – it would raise too many questions, and bring the department too much bad press. So you get to keep your job."

"I'm sensing a 'but' here."

Mac nodded. "The NYPD can't make it look like reckless behavior is encouraged. So they're suspending you."

"For how long?"

"Two months."

Ava closed her eyes, letting out a sigh of relief. "Eight weeks. That's a lot less than I was expecting."

"But no more crazy stunts, Connelly. I need to know you're not going to blow up half of New York."

"I promise," she said with a small smile. "I mean, I can't promise there'll be no crazy stuff. I attract random gunfire and car chases. But I'll try my best to play by the rules."

He reached out, patting her arm warmly. "Good. Then I'll be very happy to have you back in two months."

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"Heard you went and got yourself suspended."

Ava looked up from tying her shoe, and gave Don a small smile. "Only for a couple of months. And then I'll be back to driving you crazy all the time."

He crossed the room, hands in his pockets. "I happen to like you drivin' me crazy, Connelly. Keeps things interesting."

She rolled her eyes and grabbed her jacket. "I thought Jen was picking me up."

"She was, but I convinced her to let me get ya instead."

"Oh yeah? And why is that?"

He shrugged. "You owe me an explanation or two, if I remember correctly."

Ava's smile faded slightly, but she nodded. "I definitely do."

"So I sent Jen out, and I've officially got you to myself for a little while."

She sighed. "I suppose this means I'm gonna have to feed you."

"Damn straight, Connelly," he said with a grin.

But once they had climbed into the car and headed towards her apartment, Ava was silent. Don looked over at her a few times, taking in the thoughtful way she gazed out the window.

"You're gonna make me wait until we get to your place, aren't ya?" he finally asked.

She gave him a small smile. "Trust me, Don, this is something that calls for pizza and beer first." She wrinkled her nose. "Well, you can have beer. I don't drink it."

"You don't drink?" he asked, confusion on his face. "That night at the bar –"

"Was a fluke," she finished. "And I'm okay with drinking. I'm just more of a fruity girly drink kind of person. And unfortunately, the pizza place does not deliver fruity girly drinks."

"You want me to make you one?" he asked, his eyes dancing playfully.

She shook her head. "No thanks. I can do it. That's what we have schnapps for."

When they got to her apartment, Ava nodded at the doorman and led him inside and to the elevator. As it moved upwards, Don glanced over at her.

"Can I ask one question now?"

"Sure."

The elevator dinged and the doors opened, depositing them on her floor.

"How does a former fed and a New York cop afford a place like this?"

"That's an easy one," she said, leading him into the apartment. "A trust fund." His eyebrows shot up at that, and she shrugged. "My mom was loaded, and she died when I was sixteen, leaving me everything."

"So…you don't need to work."

"No. But I think I'd get bored without it. Besides, I think God gave each and every one of us a gift, and it would seem that mine happens to be saving the world once in awhile."

He chuckled. "Fair enough. So I take it we gotta order pizza before I get anything else out of ya?"

She tossed him the phone. "Number's next to the fridge."

After he had finished ordering for them, he moved toward the couch. A black cat jumped up onto the back, glaring at him fiercely.

"Uh, Connelly?"

"Yeah?"

"I think your cat wants to kill me."

He had barely finished his sentence before he sneezed violently. The cat leapt from the back of the couch and dashed across the room before hopping up onto the counter and nuzzling Ava.

"Aw, you scared her," she said.

"She's afraid of sneezes?"

"Pretty much any loud noise." She smiled at him. "I take it you're allergic to cats?"

"Very much so."

Ava nodded, and disappeared into the bathroom. When she came out, she tossed him a small tube and went back to her cat.

"What's this?" he asked.

"You put it around your nostrils and it blocks the allergens from getting inside. Jen practically lives on the stuff, since she's got nasty allergies in the spring. It works," she added, seeing his skeptical look.

"I hope so," he muttered, putting the stuff on his nose.

"Me too," she replied, picking up her cat again. "Because if it comes to kicking you out or Nightmare…Nightmare's gonna win."

"You'd choose your cat over me?"

She shrugged, setting Nightmare back down and pulling down some glasses. "She's prettier."

"Ouch."

Ava smiled over her shoulder. "Not by much, though. You want a beer?"

"I'd love one."

She busied herself making her own drink, and by the time she was finished, the pizza had arrived. Flack went paid the delivery boy, and when he turned back, he saw that Ava was sitting on the couch with paper plates and napkins on the coffee table. He took a seat next to her and put a slice on each of their plates before leaning back against the cushions. They ate in silence for a couple of minutes, before Ava finally broke the silence.

"I was engaged in L.A.," she said quietly.

Don stopped chewing and took a sip of his beer, watching her intently. "Who was he?"

She smiled sadly. "His name was Tony. He worked at CTU - that was how we met. He was one of my closest friends, too." She looked up at him. "We fought like crazy at first. He was dating this woman that I hated with a passion, and he just didn't know what to do with me. But eventually…"

"How long were you together?"

"Actually dating? About a year. I was in love with him for a long time before that, though. Maybe if we had admitted it sooner…" She shrugged.

Slowly, Flack reached out and rested his hand on her knee. "What happened?" he asked quietly.

She touched his hand, running her thumb over his skin. "A car bomb," she said, her voice wavering as her eyes filled with tears. "We were chasing a suspect, and…I was in the car in front of him. My whole life, my future, went up in a cloud of smoke." Ava wiped at a tear, grimacing when she realized that too many were falling and it was a useless gesture. "He wasn't the only one I lost, either…Curtis' wife was in the car with him."

"So the two of you came to New York?"

"We couldn't stay there. I've lost a lot of people, Don, and every time I turned around…they were there. Looking at me with accusing eyes.

"Is that what you saw while you were drugged?"

She nodded. "They were everywhere," she whispered. "But what was worse…I could hear them. They all told me it was my fault, that I had let them down."

"Even Tony?"

"No," she whispered, meeting his eyes. "He didn't say anything at all. He just stood there, staring at me. I begged him to help me, but…" She gave him a small smile. "But then you were there and it was okay."

"I'm just glad I got to ya in time," he murmured. "I wasn't sure I would."

Ava squeezed his hand. "So there you go. You know my big secret now."

He frowned. "You're tellin' me that's your only secret?"

"Well, no. I've got others. A girl's gotta have some mystery, though. Otherwise I might become boring."

Flack laughed. "Connelly, you ain't never gonna be boring. I can promise you that." He paused. "You are crazy, though."

"I know."

His expression sobered. "But you're also one of the strongest people I've ever met. You went through hell that day, and you still fought. You didn't give up."

"I almost did," she admitted, her head down. "I would have, if you hadn't shown up."

"That's what partners do," he told her. "We don't let the other go, okay?"

Ava smiled at him. "Okay."

Nodding, Don stood up, dragging her to her feet as well. Then he pulled her into a tight hug. It took her a second, but then she wrapped her arms around his torso, taking the comfort he was offering.

"You finally let me in, and now I gotta work without ya for two months," he commented when they pulled back. "That's not fair."

"Just because I'm suspended doesn't mean you can't come see me, Don."

"Yeah?"

"I think we're friends now."

"I should damn well hope so," he smiled.

"We'll do dinner, okay? I make a mean spaghetti and meatballs."

"Now you're talkin'," he said, his hand on his stomach. "Make me some good pasta, and I'm yours."

They both laughed at that, and then Ava's phone rang. She frowned, moving into the kitchen to grab it.

"Can't be work," she muttered. "I'm grounded."

"Suspended," Flack corrected.

"Same difference." She opened her phone. "Connelly."

"Ava? It's Bill."

"Hey, Bill," she said warmly. Then she frowned again. "You're not calling to yell at me, are you? Mac already lectured me, and I'm suspended, and I swear I won't go running around if I get drugged with PCP again –"

"Ava, stop."

She did, her body tensing. "Bill, what's wrong?"

"We found him."

All the air whooshed out of her body. "What?" she croaked.

"We found him. We found Jack."