Disclaimer: I obviously do not own CSI: NY. I just own my car, my laptop and my crazy muse who seems to want to write 4 different stories at a time. I also do own any characters that you do not recognize. You can borrow them if you ask permission first!

A/N: Here's the next chappie!! Thanks to all who reviewed. As always, please R&R. My muse loves the attention. :D Yeah for much needed fluff!!

Chapter 21.

The Calm before the Storm

When Tuesday rolled around, Cory and her mom has locked themselves in the kitchen. Cory had taken the previous two days to get completely caught up at work. She was also trying work out the schematics of coordinating three different agencies for a raid.

Cory turned around, to grab the fruit out of the refrigerator and almost ran into her mom. "Sorry, Mom!"

Alexis laughed. "Cory, it's fine. Just slow down. We've still got an hour until everyone gets here."

Cory laughed with her. "I know, it's just that I've never made a true Texas meal for everyone before. The closest I've come was making enchiladas. I'm so glad that you started the mashed potatoes. With how late I was getting home, it would have never been ready."

Alexis smiled. "My pleasure. It's nice to cook a big meal again." Alexis turned, taking the boiling potatoes off the stove. She quickly drained them and put them into a large bowl to which she added salt, pepper, butter and milk.

Once the potatoes were finished, Alexis put them in the oven to keep them warm. Then she took a glance around the kitchen. "Okay, everything is ready to cook the steak. The potatoes are done, green beans cooking." She turned to look at Cory who was preparing the salad, while the biscuit dough settled. "I guess I'll start the biscuits."

Cory shook her head in agreement while she chopped up the vegetables. She had just started mincing the onions when she heard the front door open. "Crap. Danny! Is that you?" she yelled.

"Yeah!" came the answering yell from the living room.

"Good. Can you make sure that the apartment is presentable for our guests?"

Danny walked into the kitchen, sniffing the air appreciatively. "Definitely. Damn. It smells so good in here." He stopped when Cory turned around, brandishing her knife playfully.

"Out! You're not allowed in here tonight. We are cooking a good Texas meal," Cory said with a wink.

Danny held up his hands. "Yes, ma'am. I'll just go make sure the living room is clean." He quickly reversed his direction, chuckling to himself.

Thirty minutes later, all of the preparations for dinner were finished, so Alexis and Cory each poured a glass of wine and went to sit in the living room.

"So," Alexis began. "How many people are going to be here?"

Cory smirked while she quickly counted in her head. "Including us, nine total." She smiled. "I'm glad that you're going to get to meet everyone."

Alexis smiled and nodded along with her. She was just about to say something else, when the buzzer sounded.

Cory got up and went over. "Yes?" she asked.

"It's Stella and Mac."

"Come on up," Cory said as she buzzed them in.

Soon, the rest of the group was there. Alexis and Cory excused themselves to finish cooking dinner. All that was left was cooking the chicken fried steak and the gravy, which had to be made after the steak was done.

Cory walked out of the kitchen, to announce that dinner was ready and walked straight into a pool game between Danny and Lindsay. She looked at Lindsay. "Who's winning?" she asked.

Lindsay smirked. "I'm up by two balls."

Cory smiled, knowing that Danny hated to lose and that he usually beat Lindsay. She settled against the wall to watch Danny shoot. He managed to even up the game before missing his shot on the last stripe ball.

Lindsay smirked again as she realized that he had set her up perfectly to clear the table. Quickly, she bent over and shot her last solid ball in. She made it, barely, and as a result the cue ball was a little off from the position she wanted.

Danny, glancing at the table, took his chance to smirk. "Hey, Montana. You make that shot, I'll dumpster dive for the next week."

Lindsay raised her eyebrows, up to the challenge. "Why don't we sweeten it a little bit? You call the pocket and if I miss, I'll dumpster dive for the next month."

Danny's eyes lit up in anticipation. "Awight. Eight ball, opposite corner pocket."

Cory looked stunned. She studied the layout of the table, the eight ball was resting a couple of inches from the rail at the top of the table. The pocket that Danny had pointed to was at the bottom, on the opposite side. She knew that it was an impossible shot.

Lindsay nodded her head and studied the table. Flack moved to give her some advice, but she waved him off.

Alexis moved to Cory's side, after she overheard the bet. "Can she make it?" she whispered.

Cory exhaled. "I don't know. It's pretty much an impossible shot. I don't know if I could make the shot."

Alexis nodded and became silent as Lindsay leaned to make the shot.

Lindsay leaned over, steadied her hands and gustily hit the cue ball. All nine people watched as the cue ball banked off of two rails to hit the eight. Their eyes followed the path of the eight as it rolled down the table and into the pocket. Lindsay turned to Danny, a gleam in her eyes. "Everyone here heard it. You're dumpster diving for the next month, Messer."

Danny just stood there, his mouth hanging open. "Um…How?" He stopped talking, unable to form any words.

Cory watched him and began to laugh. "Danny? You should know better than to challenge her to a near impossible shot. She's made every one that you've ever challenged her, too." Danny just shook his head. "Anyway, dinner is ready."

The group nodded and while Danny and Lindsay put up their cues, they walked into the dining room.

Hawkes looked in amazement at the feast set upon the table. "Cook enough food, Cory?" he asked.

Cory smiled. "We wanted to give you the perfect Texas meal. You have chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, green beans, salad, biscuits, cream gravy and for dessert, homemade apple pie."

Lydia and Stella looked at each other. "There goes the diet," they said in unison.

Cory laughed. "Why do you think I don't cook like this very often? I'd be as big as a house!"

All of the women laughed at her sally. They all sat down at the table and began to fill there plates.

An hour later, all of them were feeling extremely full. "Gawd," Flack uttered. "I don't think I can eat another bite."

Mac nodded in agreement. "That was very good. My congratulations to both of the chefs."

Cory and Alexis smiled at each other. Alexis looked at the guys around the table. "Okay, guys. We cooked, y'all can clean."

All the men nodded, knowing this was the routine from the couple of times that Cory had cooked for everyone.

While the men were in the kitchen, which wasn't very dirty, all the women went into the living room, to prepare for the movie. Alexis looked at Stella. "Stella, right?" Stella nodded. "I absolutely love your boots. Where did you get them?"

Stella smiled. "Barney's, at a sale."

This comment started a lively discussion on clothes, shoes and where the best day spa was. The discussion continued until the men came back from the kitchen.

Cory nodded, once they came in, and settled on the floor in front of the TV. Danny settled beside her, while the rest of the group chose their own seats. Once everyone was seated, she hit play on the DVD player and watched the credits for The Forty-Year Old Virgin begin.

A couple of hours later, the movie was over and everyone was making their way home. Cory looked at her mother, who looked more relaxed than she had seen here in a while. "Did you like everyone?"

Alexis nodded, stifling a yawn with her hand. "Everyone was so nice. Thank you." She yawned again. "Okay. I'm going to retire now. Y'all have a good night."

Cory quickly gave her mom a good-night hug before settling back on the couch next to Danny. She smiled at him. "Did you have fun tonight?"

Danny smiled down at her as he put his arm around here. "I did. But more importantly, are you less stressed now?"

Cory sighed as she leaned into him. "Yeah, I am. This was good for us." She turned her head up and captured his lips with hers. "No more talking," she murmured as she drew him off the couch and towards the bedroom.

AN: So everyone happy with the fluff???? And the two chapters in a week:D What can I say...my muse was very productive over the weekend!!!

brainDamage - One one turned himself in...the other is still in the wind...I'm thinking that one detail may come to be very important...I'm not sure, I have no clue what's going on with that. Are you sure you want me to post the next chapters:D My beta yelled at me when I sent them to her. I'm trying to get my muse to come back to the HP fic...but she's being stubborn. :(

CSI junkie - Your spidey sense is correct. The next couple of chapters are very much action filled. I hope you enjoy them!!!

Axellia - Put down the pepsi...step away from it! lol I'm glad you can't wait, even though you know what's coming up!!! That means I did my job right! Have you caught the similarity between Cory and myself with the organization bit:D