Disclaimer: I own nothing, but o.c's and plot.
AN: One mystery is solved, but troubles still plague the team.
Chapter Ten
Lindsay woke up, a grimace briefly flashing across her face as the morning sunlight hit her square in the face before she smiled, remembering the night before. Stretching lazily against the warm body lying next to her, she rubbed her cheek sensuously against the smooth skin of Danny's chest followed by a soft kiss. Lindsay breathed in Danny's unique scent and felt utterly content and happy. Her tongue darted out to taste him and then she looked up to his face, where Danny lay awake, watching her through already darkening blue eyes.
His breathing turned shallow as Danny felt Lindsay's fingers brush over him, lightly tracing a path over his skin, trailing lower. She stretched to kiss his neck, the underside of his chin, following along his jawline while her hands circled lower, until it lovingly brushed over his hardness.
Sucking in a harsh breath, Danny groaned as Lindsay began to stroke him more firmly. A light in her eyes told him that she relished in being in control of him; in making him feel these pleasurable feelings. Lindsay continued her stroking until Danny growled; one hand shooting out to grab her wrist.
"Not that way, love." His voice was a husky rasp, from sleep and from the swirl of feelings her hand produced.
Lindsay's heart jumped when he called her love. Even though, the two had murmured those all-important three words to each other during the night, whispered, mouthed them into each other's skin, had it radiating out from their eyes in the near darkness, Lindsay's heart soared as Danny confirmed his feelings to her in the morning light of the new day. Danny brought her out of her thoughts as his hands began their own wandering over her body. She let out a small moan as he lightly brushed over her breast while his mouth descended upon hers with hungry intensity.
As he moved on top of her, Lindsay was incredibly happy that they both had a later shift. Anything work-related could bother them later. Her eyes slid shut as Danny's fingers began to tenderly tease the area between her thighs.
Oh yes, much, much later.
"Yes Chief, I understand that, but you can also understand that Detective Branco was overstepping her bounds in her questioning. Yelling at a suspect to induce a confession is hardly the way to undertake a delicate investigation such as this." Mac pinched the bridge of his nose as he talked on the phone. "Yes sir, if Mr. Ross needs to be questioned further, I won't jump in since Mr. Ross has already procured an attorney." He paused. "Yes sir, of course." Mac hung up the phone and sighed heavily. Was there no one on his team that was safe from trouble?
Catching sight of two of his CSIs stepping off the elevator, ready to work and he caught Lindsay's eye, waving and indicating that he wanted to talk to them. She tugged at Danny's sleeve and the two changed direction, Danny one step walking behind his girlfriend.
"What's up, Mac?"
"I'm sure you've heard about the SVU's investigation and that you have all the right facts. I wanted to tell you that it's entirely possible that some of their detectives may want to question you, try to be accommodating as possible," Mac shot the last remark towards Danny. "And also...the backlash from this is starting to affect Adam, perhaps you can lend him some support. Sometimes this place feels less like a lab than a school-yard."
"Already planning on doing that, boss," Danny said cheekily and the two left, searching out their wayward young friend.
Spotting him in a lab diligently working on something, Danny and Lindsay could already see the effects of the gossip taking a toll on Adam. He had been relegated to a corner of the lab and spoke to no one, but what made it painful to see was the way other techs glanced at him from the corner of their eyes and moved away when he needed to use a certain machine.
Dark circles under his eyes, uncombed hair, and rumpled clothes completed the picture. Adam could have taken the day off to hide from the scrutiny, but he needed to work to keep him busy and his thoughts away from losing everything he had by something that he had nothing to do with. Besides, even though no one could do anything, Adam felt safer at the lab where he had friends (or thought he did) than home alone in case that Branco woman came looking for him again. Mac could have suspended him for the time being, if there had been a shred of proof connecting Adam, but as there was nothing, Mac had no reason.
Lindsay clenched her jaw at the sight of Adam becoming a social pariah because something that wasn't even true. Danny just shook his head sadly. He knew what Adam was going through, except in his case, there was evidence. He still visited Louie every Sunday. Making their way into the lab, Danny clapped a hand on Adam's shoulder, causing him to jump.
"Whoa, sorry man, didn't mean to scare ya'. How's my evidence coming?"
"Oh, um," Adam fumbled around. "They're right here."
Taking them, he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the table while Lindsay asked, "How are you holding up?"
Uncomfortable, Adam shrugged. "There's not much I can do, you know, except wait until it blows over."
"It will, man. Remember, I went through the same thing, except I got suspended too. Hang tough and know that me, Linds, Mac, Stella...we've got your back."
Lindsay sighed. "This makes me so angry. It's absolutely stupid to think that you had anything to do with this." She gave him a sympathetic smile. "It just burns me the way people are acting around here. You're innocent and soon this investigation will prove that. In the meantime, I doubt Mac would appreciate people gawking at you." Lindsay's voice rose and it was obvious she was aiming her comments to the techs no doubt eavesdropping. The team was fiercely known for protecting their own and by rights, Adam had become part of that select team.
Adam gave a shy smile at Lindsay's vehemence, a faint redness on his cheeks from his leftover crush on her. Something Danny caught and hid a smile at; his girl was something.
"Careful there, Montana. No need to break out that knife of yours just yet. I gotta' say though, Stella said that that Branco woman just snapped. That woman's crazy and I wouldn't put it past her to be using this as a way to get back at Mac for getting out of the hospital so soon and sending her back from where ever she came from and trying to climb the political ladder." He shook his head. "I hate those people." Danny lightly punched Adam's arm. "So, keep your cool, man, next time that woman comes around barking."
"Danny!" Lindsay scolded, but couldn't stop the laughter bubbling up.
Adam laughed for the first time since the whole started. "Thanks guys. I appreciate it."
Stella's voice cut in. "And what's going on here?" She and Hawkes entered the room.
"Nothing," Danny said quickly, not really wanting Stella to go on another rant about Branco. He could still feel her nails digging into his skin from last time.
"I heard what happened yesterday, Danny. You guys alright?"
"Flack has no leads and the vendor guy gave us nothing."
"And the case of your crazy stalker continues," Hawkes murmured. "As long as you guys keep alert, that's all we can hope for." He grinned at his friend. "It figures that you would get a stalker, what with your charming bad-boy thing going on."
"When really, Danny's just a big - mmph!" A hand wrapped itself around Lindsay's mouth, cutting her off while a muscled arm circled her waist, lifting her off her feet and carrying her out of sight, down the hall. They had a spectacular view of Lindsay's shocked face as he did so through the glass walls. Everyone's faces were stunned for only a second before they burst out laughing as they could still hear the two.
"Danny!"
"Montana, I ain't going to let you tell lies 'bout me."
"Who said they were going to be lies?" She laughed.
Crossing the street, Flack suppressed a sigh, but as it was, his shoulders slumped while listening to Devon on his cell phone. She didn't seem to understand the concept of needing to go to work. Right now, she was jabbering away about being invited to a posh party one of her many socialite friends was hosted and how they just had to go.
"I'm just telling you Devon babe, that I'm going to be on call Wednesday night. If something comes up, I'm going to have to leave." He paused. "I know this means a lot to you, but making sure the entirety of New York is safe means a lot to me. I told you my job isn't the usual nine to five thing." Devon said something. "Don't do that. I said I'll go with you. This thing starts at six, right? We'll go, have fun, if it means so much to you. I might not even get called in. Yes, I'll wear that suit you like so much." Flack laughed at something she said as he neared the station. "Babe, I gotta' go. But I'll see you Wednesday night, okay? Bye." He hung up and pushed open the door to begin yet another day solving crimes.
Two hours later and Stella stood on the sidewalk directly outside the lab, already shivering in the winter air. The entire team had suddenly been swamped with cases and the evidence from Stella's case was put on back-log, causing her to want to pull her hair out in frustration. Rather than do that, she was rather vain about her curls, Stella had offered to pick up lunch for the team and get some fresh air at the same time.
She stood there, not contemplating what to get for lunch, but trying to figure out the source of what was making the hairs on the back of her neck rise. Panning her sharp gaze around, she didn't see anyone standing out or watching her.
"Stella Bonasera?" Stella turned her head and saw an older-looking man huddled in a gray overcoat and her eyes narrowed. In two seconds flat, she had scrutinized the man from head to toe and with the whip-smarts that made her such an incredible CSI, Stella realized that the man fit the description Officer Sanchez had given days earlier. Taking an immediate step back and moving her hand in reach of her gun, Stella was slightly contented that they were in sight of the lab, and the occasional cop strolling in or out.
Sensing her wariness, the man raised gloved hands. "I do not mean to harm you." His rough voice was accented and words halted. "I wish to talk, to you."
Stella kept her guard up. "How about starting with who are you, why are you watching me, and why were you asking questions about me?"
The man looked uncomfortable. "I am sorry; I did not mean to frighten you. But I was unsure if you were who I was looking for. It was, very hard, searching all these years." Stella grew confused as the man cleared his throat. "My name, Theodore Nikoladis and I ask questions about you because I wanted to be sure. It is hard to confirm. That is why I come and wait here for you to ask; to be certain."
She shook her head. "I'm sorry, but what are you talking about?"
He looked apologetic at his stinted explanation. "Forgive me. I am...nervous?" Theodore looked straight at her. "I may have known your mother."
Stella's breath caught and she was barely able to keep herself from staggering. "I-I...what? H-how?"
Looking around, Theodore gestured to a near-by bench. "Perhaps we sit down? I do not want you to hurt yourself and the story is long."
Cautious still, but feeling safe in public, Stella hesitantly followed him to a bench, sitting with a visible space in-between.
"You...you were raised in orphanage? This, I was not aware of for many years, but then," he looked guilty, "I only knew you existed when my sister announced she was pregnant, when I was but six. A little boy." He shrugged helplessly. "I could do little.
"My mother passed away four years ago. I found a box in her closet that held all pictures of my sister and some letters she had sent, but my mother never read. My mother died without reconciling with my sister...I do not want to go the same path. I make goal to find my sister, Diana, and her child. I wanted badly to find her and tell her how sorry I am."
"I assume that my sister, Diana, had stayed with the man who got her pregnant, so I figure that I find him, I find her. I had hoped that she was living happy life." He fiddled with his worn gloves. "I was told however, that the two did not get married and moved to New York to find better life for themselves. It was the American dream. I managed to find him, living alone in the old neighborhood two years ago. It from him that I learn what happen to Diana." Theodore looked heartbroken and his hands tightened. "He tell me that when they got here, they could find no decent work. No one would hire young pregnant couple with little education. It was hard. Very hard. After few months, Diana wanted to go home, but our mother's words were still in her head.
"They were poor. Living in a shelter because Diana was getting bigger and it was too dangerous on streets. It was very stressful time. Diana wanted to keep the baby, but they could not provide anything. They got into many fights. When Diana started giving birth, the stress made it hard on her, and the baby." Tears unashamedly slipped down Theodore's weathered face and he struggled to finish the story. "He tell me that Diana was bleeding heavily when they took her to the hospital. She," he took a shuddering breath, "she died giving birth. Diana did not even get to see the baby before she..." Theodore took a handkerchief out of his pocket and wept.
Stella was rocked and she was glad she was sitting down.
"He was left with healthy baby and Diana was buried in charity plot in cemetery. He could not provide life, so he drop baby off at random orphanage with only name. Name that Diana wanted. Stella."
A cloud of disbelief stayed wrapped around her. "What was the man's name?"
"Jason. Jason Bonasera." Theodore wiped at his face and gazed at her. "He did not know name of orphanage, so it take long to go through all of them with only name." He fumbled around in his pocket and pulled out a messy, old newspaper clipping. "It was by chance that I see, see this." He held it out and it was a fuzzy, almost indistinguishable picture of Stella from an old case. "When I see your name, it-it give me hope, that maybe, I finally find you."
"If what you say is true, if I can believe it," Stella gave a short bitter laugh. "Then where have you been? It's been thirty-nine years and you show up now?"
"Diana and I did not have best relationship. If at all. I was too young and Diana could not be bothered. When she come home and tell our mother that she was pregnant at sixteen, she broke her heart. The neighborhood we lived in was not the best and mother always had high hopes that her children would grow, get out, and make something better for ourselves. Diana was the favorite. She was everything. Beautiful, with curly brown hair, like yours. Eyes were darker green. Smart, too. Had sharp tongue and temper from our mother, determined." Theodore opened his wallet and began pulling out old pictures of Diana Nikoladis. Taking it with visibly shaking hands, Stella's eyes filled with tears. They dripped down and splashed on her coat as she stared at the smiling face of a young girl. At sixteen, Diana was a splitting image of Stella at her age. Her face crumpled, struggling to keep her composure.
"For her to come home, pregnant from neighborhood lover-boy, tore our mother apart. It is harsh truth to realize that there are not many doors open to you when you have baby to care for. My mother was so upset, so angry." Theodore smiled sadly. "I remember huge fight, lots of yelling, screaming, and finally the front door slamming. I remember being too frightened to go downstairs, hearing my mother cry." He wiped away at his tear-streaked cheeks. "I never saw Diana again and I had not the courage to ask my mother if she knew anything. She had already lost one child; it would have killed her to lose another." Theodore spread his hands remorsefully. "It does not excuse me; I have much to make up for. But," he looked at her earnestly, "if you are the one, Diana's daughter. Then I will try my hardest." He shifted on the bench to fully face her, eyes still glassy, full of guilt, remorse, pain, sadness. "My story is sad, yes, but please, for the sake of my now old heart, I wish much that this be the truth. I am willing to take...what is it called? DNA test? To prove whether this is true. I willing to pay for this to be done." He handed a handkerchief to Stella.
Chest hitching, lips tightened and trembling, Stella took the handkerchief and wiped her cheeks. This whole thing was so unexpected. "I...I..." She shook her head; her mind still partly unable to comprehend anything. "Mr. Nikoladis, believe me, I want to find out the truth as well. With everything that I have, I want to know," she said passionately. "I work for the New York Crime lab and have the resources to have a DNA test performed." She took a deep breath, still trying to get her emotions under control and failing. "I'm working right now, but, how about you give me the name of the hotel you're staying at and I'll call you when I can arrange something." Stella stared a moment at the man in front of her. She wasn't sure if it was just because she wanted it so badly or not, but Stella was certain she saw some features that looked familiar to her own. She needed to think and calm down.
Hastily she stood, Mr. Nikoladis following slowly. "I have to get back to work." Looking down at the picture clenched in her hand, she reluctantly handed it back.
Theodore held up a hand. "Keep that. I have more. It is you who I think should take it."
Unconsciously, her grip around the picture tightened. There was a large part within Stella Bonasera that wanted this to be true.