AN: I don't own any of the CSI:NY Characters or any of the show's storylines that I may refer to from time to time, but the rest of the plot is mine.
14. Carpe Diem to Tantrums
Danny caught him the next day standing in the hallway watching her work alone in her office. Danny was in a pretty good mood, maybe it had something to do with the fresh snow, it always made him like a kid in a candy store. Don sighed. Their case was throwing more curve balls than a Yankees pitcher which was bad enough, but then there was the small matter of them moving in together.
Danny was telling him to get his act together and do something to make her a permanent fixture in his life, but he wasn't sure she was ready for that just yet. His friend touched a nerve when he referred to having his mother in law sleep in the next room. After a brief hesitation he told him that she had offered to move out.
All the time he spoke to Danny his eyes were on the figure hunched over the desk on the other side of the glass wall. He saw her shuffle papers before grabbing one final thing and dashing out of the office towards him. He couldn't avoid the cat got the cream grin when she kissed him briefly as she past on her way to see Mac. She had found something, that was obvious. He wished he could get her to be more spontaneous like that.
-----
They entered the Seamen's mission, a run down tenement in the lower west side of Manhattan, it was supposedly a retirement home for old sailors. It looked as if the building itself should be retired. More than retired even, it looked like it should be condemned. Some windows were boarded up others broken, the place looked like it was in need of a lot of TLC and several hundred gallons of paint.
He watched her look up at the building, which at one time been quite impressive. He would have like to tell her she didn't have to go in, that she could sit in the warm comfortable car while he did the honourable thing and found their suspect. He didn't even dare voice the option, he knew what she would say and it wouldn't be complimentary. He always wanted to protect her, but if he took all her independence then it would change her and she wouldn't be his girl anymore. But it didn't stop him worrying about her in places like this.
He saw her head turn slowly to look at him. She wrinkled her nose and tipped her head towards the door, silently echoing his own thoughts. They didn't want to be here.
He looked at the self styled Director, fancy title, making out she was more than she was. She looked down her nose at them as they flashed their IDs. She was not impressed NYPD had come calling. He silently noted Nikki's head twisting taking in the foyer of the building and he knew what she was looking for. Leverage. Anything they could use to gain the woman's co-operation. Yep, he noted the absent fire hydrants which should have been clearly visible. They generally topped anyone's code violation list. He picked up on the rusty sprinklers and broken doors too. Quite an assessment for the first 30 seconds in the door. He knew there would be more horrors loitering in the rest of the building waiting for the old unsuspecting sailors to encounter them.
Between him and Nikki they got what they needed, the kid they wanted was on the premises. They walked into the "garden" room. Not sure that the concrete outside the window could be classed as garden, but at least it was brighter than the rest of the place. Same couldn't be said for the smell though, almost turned his stomach, sure this wasn't where they kept the dead ones? Nikki didn't seem to notice, she was busy quizzing the woman about other exits as he realised their prey was running. He groaned and took off after him. He heard an old gravelly voice answer the question although he didn't hear the words.
The kid had the advantage, he knew the building and where all the damned corridors went to. So he soon found himself lost in a maze of hallways listening to the receding steps of their suspect. He heard her call for backup as he went towards the main entrance, which was still visible but faded in the layers of peeling paint on the walls.
-----
His stomach dropped when he saw her bent over leaning against the wall in the basement where he had left her ten minutes before. Her breathing was still coming in shallow gasps, her hand resting protectively over her diaphragm. He didn't stop to think about protocol or professionalism, he just wrapped his arms around her, checking she was alright. She heard the footsteps first and pulled away forcing herself upright. He noticed the sharp intake of breath which accompanied the move. He began to question her again, but the glaring look she shot him stopped him short and he held his hands up in surrender. If it had been anyone else in the situation he wouldn't have even questioned it. She had warned him more than once about trying to protect her on the job, he had to let it go, but it didn't mean he couldn't keep an eye on her and that's exactly what he planned as he suggested they headed out.
When she shook her head and ambled stiffly across the obstacle covered floor their torch beams the only thing to light their way, he knew she had discovered something. Mac followed behind. He was sure some exclamation escaped his lips as her torch light picked up the large crate and its contents. Fireworks! And by the look of them, the same fireworks they had seen as their murder weapon in recent cases. The crate was half empty which indicated that there were still some out in the city somewhere. Mac took control allowing him and Nikki to go to Mickey's apartment and then to interview him at the precinct.
-----
As they stood in the observation room, he noted the random twitches and shuffles from Mickey as he sat in the interrogation room under the watchful eye of a uniformed officer. The kid was nervous, he knew more than he had let on so far. It was his job to get the rest of the story from him. His and hers. He was aware of her standing beside him also watching, contemplating the next move. He wished he could leave her here, out of the way, safe should anything untoward happen on the other side of the glass. He heard her speak, wave the file at him. She was ready for the interrogation. He wanted to tell her he could handle it, but the words of so many conversations echoed in his head. She had just as much right as he did to conduct this interrogation. Other than self interest and an insane desire to protect her he had no grounds to keep her out. He bit back the protest he was about to make and followed her into the interrogation room.
He took up residence against the wall at the side of Nikki as she sat down in front of Mickey. The kid had jumped a mile when they opened the door, he was scared, but the way he scowled at them, the flippant attitude told him the kid was intending to tough it out, at least for a while. Nikki didn't let him off the ropes. She bombarded him with questions, picking up faults in his language, he had to admit she was good. This was the side of her he hadn't seen much of. He admired her stand against a blustering kid, poor thing didn't really stand a chance. He stepped in when the kid got cocky, but soon backed off when she laid into him again. He had to admit they made a pretty good team against the kid, after a few minutes he didn't know which way to turn, Nikki laid out the highlights of the case then he laid into him again, threatening a jail cell. At least that made him consider his options, but he remained adamant that he had nothing to do with the case. They left him to stew as they ended the interrogation. Then he asked for a lawyer. She was quick off the mark. Telling him he wasn't under arrest, that they were protecting him, he remained belligerent, so Don offered to call the duty defender claiming he was a relative of the dead ADA, he knew he was stretching things, but it would give the kid something to think about and it made her laugh.
----
He spent the rest of the day working through the pile of files on his desk, old reports which needed his review and signature, enquiries from other cases which needed follow up. Knowing she was spending the afternoon processing all the evidence from the seaman's mission, he was able to focus, get on with his job content that she was safe. He hated her working in the field, but at least her field calls were mostly safer than his job, but it didn't rule out determined crooks or freak accidents.
He tossed another file onto the "complete" pile and checked his watch. It was getting late and his shift had already finished so he switched off the desk lamp, shut down the computer and stood up reaching for the jacket on the back of his chair. She hadn't called so he knew she would still be working up in the lab. He'd head there first before going home.
---
The garage Messer had told him, the had permission and a place to run the reconstruction she had requested at New Year. He wasn't sure he liked the idea of her setting of a box of fireworks in a confined space, but he knew what she would say if he questioned her about it. But she would still hear of his concerns. Danny had been excluded, his male ego smarting at the snub as the girls took charge. He was a little disappointed that it also meant he wouldn't be allowed anywhere close.
He found her accepting a delivery of mannequins which were going to act as her targets. He tested the waters about attending the reconstruction by talking about Danny. From her response it was clear it was a girls only effort. He backed off gracefully, letting her know that apart from wanting to protect her, he liked it when she got all tough and macho on occasion. She accepted his answer but he knew she had sensed his disappointment about being excluded.
----
The next morning he woke up and heard her trying desperately to coax Amy into eating her breakfast, the clock showed it was a few minutes before seven. She had to be at the warehouse to start at 8, so she needed to be going. He pulled himself from the bed and made his way down to the kitchen. For several minutes he leaned against the door post and watched them. They were oblivious to his presence as Nikki tried to explain her need to go to work, grandma moving out, him moving in. It was clear from Amy's tone that she was excited, but a little wary. He couldn't blame her, things had been a rollercoaster in the last month, they had had the greatest highs but the worst lows. For her mum to move out it would change their entire family dynamic, while he went along with the idea he wasn't sure that right now was the right time, that maybe with things still being so fragile that they should take more time. Maybe he could live with her mother for a while, even if he did move in. When Amy asked about him moving in he stepped in, assured her he was but told her there were still things to resolve first.
He offered to take over breakfast which Amy met with great enthusiasm and it allowed Nikki to finish her coffee. He knew she watched him talking to Amy, he also noticed the thoughtful expression. He knew she was having the same thoughts he had a moment earlier. He called her on it but she sidestepped the question and a moment later had kissed them both goodbye and left them to a couple of hours of Daddy/daughter time, Amy's squeals of disgust echoing in her ears from the toe curling kiss he had given her. He tried telling his daughter that one day she would understand, although he hoped that it would be a long way into the future.
The next couple of hours passed quickly, they had made a mess as well as the pancakes he had cooked for breakfast, then he had dressed her quickly and taken her to the park before heading to work.
----
His first stop had been at the lab to follow up on overnight developments. OK so it also allowed him to check up on how the reconstruction was progressing. Seeing Danny and Adam intently watching the screens in the AV lab he pushed the door open and joined them, just at the right time it seemed as Adam and Danny poured over the images being uploaded of the reconstruction. From the talk things hadn't gone too well and they were having Adam double check their calculations. Adam switched from his headset to speakerphone so they could all listen in. He felt his breath catch in his throat as they watched Nikki set up the next test. He watched her turn away, but the next sequence happened so fast he didn't know what had gone down. His breath really stuck as the screens went blank leaving nothing but an image of snow. The phone line too went dead. He heard Danny ask the question as he forced himself to breath and get his own brain in gear, albeit in panic. He knew he was panicked, but he couldn't stop himself. He was screaming at Adam while he dialled her number, there was no connection, everything went straight to voicemail, causing him some major palpitations. Thankfully Danny seemed a little more with it and practically dragged him from the lab to go find out for themselves what had happened.
----
He was glad Danny was driving, he could barely think, let alone straight enough to drive. He just stared at the traffic as Danny weaved his way between the other vehicles on the road. His thoughts racing over every conceivable outcome, the only thing was that none of what he thought was good. ... He wasn't ready to risk losing her, they were making amends, there was too much at stake. He almost hit the roof when his phone rang. Adam had still not made contact. He was really pissed that right now they were powerless to do anything, but he bit his tongue, it wasn't Adam's fault what had happened, but he was sure as hell going to rip someone a new one when he found out what actually went down.
Danny turned into the warehouse perimeter and pulled up. The car had barely stopped before Don had raced out of the car to go find her among the throng of ESU and uniforms. A couple of the latter tried to hold them back, but a flash of their own badges gained them entry. He quickly spotted a central group who appeared to be with a senior officer and turned towards them, his heart pounding so hard he could hear it echo in his ears. The sound of her voice stopped him in his tracks. He almost gasped for breath in relief. She was mad as hell. That was a good sign for him. He wasn't so sure about the senior officer she was currently yelling at.
He pushed through the crowd as she limped away. She was obviously hurt, but he needed to handle things carefully or she would rip him a new one too for racing down there. He followed her as he heard Danny catch up with them and begin talking to Lindsay. He heard the door to the warehouse bang. Not a good sign. The officers nearby suggested he not go in if he valued certain parts of his anatomy, but they didn't know her like he did. He yelled at them too then opened the door and stepped inside.
He stood watching her. She had her back to him, leaning heavily on the table bearing their computer as she stared at the reconstruction spread out before her. He shoved his hands in his pocket and waited. He could tell from the stiffness in her shoulders that she was still mad, but he could live with that. At least she was alive.
When she spoke to him her voice vibrated with the desperate attempt at controlling her fury at what had happened. Not that he knew yet what it was exactly, although he had heard enough to know that ESU had done something before they were scheduled to use the place. Without turning round she had known it was him. He was curious how she could have known.
When she finally looked at him he could tell there was more than anger in her eyes as he walked towards her. Stopping in front of her he risked pushing her hair from her face and resting a hand on her shoulder, in that moment he needed to feel her for himself, to know that she wasn't a vision. He also knew that she would have protested if he had done any more. He questioned her limping outside. She claimed it was nothing, just a twisted ankle. He pressed her gently for details of what happened. It was clear to him at least that she was not only mad at ESU, she was frustrated with the loss of data and the now wasted morning they appeared to have. That wasn't all though. She was holding back. He couldn't quite place what else he could see in her eyes.
Lindsay and Danny joined them and they discussed their options. Nikki thought quickly and requested a few things from Danny's truck and as Danny left to bring anything which might have proved useful she stood up to reset their targets and weapons, however she almost stumbled as she put weight on her ankle along with letting out a string of expletives which he'd never remembered hearing from her before, so he had stopped her, easing her back to sit on the table while he questioned her more about her ankle. It was Lindsay who had answered him. After exchanging a look with her he faced Nikki again. The moment of surprise that she hadn't complained at him sitting her down, was gone when he saw the tears streaking her face and the obvious pain which was now clear in her eyes. He knew she needed to have the ankle looked at professionally and he knew she was in pain and wouldn't argue. Just to be sure he asked her. She agreed, but asked to wait for their final test. He threatened her with bodily removal if she tried to put weight on her foot, but she was obviously in too much pain.
It wasn't easy watching her wince with every slight movement or vibration of the table where she was now sitting with her foot propped up, but she was determined to complete what they needed to do. It was one of the things he loved about her, her tenacity and stubbornness. He only hoped that the inevitable trip to the ER didn't resolve in them keeping her in, she didn't do hospitals well and after the bombing neither did he.
I am planning on working on this for a while to bring it to the same point as Coming Home.