I have moved house and the Internet is a little hazy at the moment. I know that I have loads of reviews- 177 to be exact last time I looked! Thank you so very much to all of you. A special thanks to Madison Bellows and hope4sall who very kindly put up with my incessant and no doubt annoying questions over the last few days! Thanks to you all, it's so great to hear from you and I will reply to your reviews as soon as is humanly possible!

Chapter 25. The Aftermath Sucks.

"What do you mean, she's not in her room?" Flack demanded, taking one look at Kate's terrified face and leaping to his feet. He reached out to her as she turned in wild circles, searching for her sister. "Where is she?"

"I don't know!" Kate cried. "You were the last person to see her!"

"Where would she go?" Davis asked, putting a hand on Kate's shoulder. "The bathroom?"

"She has one in her room," Kate replied, wriggling away from Flack's restraining hold. "Don, she's missing."

Davis was already striding purposefully towards the nurses station, flashing his badge and a charming smile at the young nurse in charge. Kate watched him, noting the woman's confused look and the shake of her head.

"Don." She turned to Flack, panic written all over her face. "Don, she's…"

"Probably gone for some air," Flack soothed, running a hand along her back in comforting strokes. "Kate, think. You told me about the twin tuition thing, can you…I don't know…sense her?" He was gesturing wildly with his free hand, causing other people around to stare at him.

"Don, we're not psychic!" Kate exclaimed. "I can't read her mind! I just know when something's wrong and trust me, something's wrong."

"Nurses haven't seen her," Davis reported as he joined them. "Mona is paging the security guard now. Maybe he saw her."

"I don't know," Kate said fretfully. "Where could she have gone?" She let out a gasp and her face turned bone white. Flack shot out a hand to steady her as she swayed on her feet. "Oh God, what if Sam Caulfield has her? Don, what if he - "

"No chance," Flack interrupted, shoving her into a chair and hunkering down so he could take her hands. "Kate, he's nowhere near here."

"I'll start looking around the exits," Davis offered quietly. "Maybe someone saw her leave."

Flack stood up, his eyes searching the waiting room for signs of Tara. "Thanks, Ty. She can't have gotten far." He felt a tugging on the leg of his pants and looked down. A little girl with a mop of inky black curls and huge brown eyes was looking up at him.

"Are you a policeman?"

"Yes, "Flack answered, looking helplessly at Kate, who tried and failed to smile. "Where's your Mama?"

"She's with Grandma," the child answered innocently. "She doesn't know I'm out here. But you're a policeman, it's ok to talk to you."

"How did you know I'm a cop?" Flack asked, incredulous. "I don't have a uniform on."

The child shyly pointed to his badge, which was clipped to his belt still. "That's how. It's pretty. Can I see it?"

Flack handed it to her, wondering how on earth he always managed to get caught in the middle of things. "What's your name, honey?"

"I'm Alexa Hathaway," she informed him smugly. "I'm four and a half. Is she a policeman too?" She was pointing at Kate, who was talking rapidly into her cell. "She's pretty."

"She sure is," Flack agreed. "And she's a Detective. Not quite a policeman. Like it, though." He bent down to look in Alexa's guileless brown eyes. "Alexa, we should find your Mom."

"Is the other lady a policeman too? She looks like that lady."

Flack instantly went on full alert. "Alexa - "

"You can call me Lexie," she told him trustingly. "Mama calls me that."

"Lexie," Flack said, smiling at her. His Grandma used to say that his smile would charm the cross off an ass. He hoped like hell that it worked on children. "Did you see another lady? Like Kate?"

Lexie cocked her little head to one side, considering, then nodded vigorously, her black curls bobbing up and down. "Yes. She went outside the door downstairs where Mama and me came in."

"You're a very clever girl," Flack declared, signalling to Kate, who came forward immediately. "Kate, this is Lexie. She saw Tara go outside through the ER entrance."

"Hi," Kate smiled at the little girl and sat down on the chair. "Did you see my sister?"

"She looks pretty like you," Lexie said shyly. Turning to Flack again, she smiled. "Is she your girlfriend?"

Flack grinned. "You'd have to ask her. Lexie, can you show me to where Grandma is while Kate goes to look for her sister?"

"I have a sister," Lexie held up her arms to him in a silent command to be picked up. "She's only two. I'm the biggest sister."

"You sure are," Flack agreed, giving her another smile. "Kate." He turned back to Kate. "Get on the phone to Davis and ask him to check with security guards patrolling outside. Ask Dee to check if she went upstairs. " He hoisted Lexie up in his arms. "I'll take her back to her Mom and meet you in a few minutes by the main entrance."

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Davis scanned the car park for any sign of Tara. Her description was easy enough, he thought. Just look for a mirror image of Kate, wearing a white nightgown.

"Where are you?" he muttered to himself, beginning a slow, methodical search of the grounds. She wasn't near the park style benches set in the lawn. Or near the fountain at the side entrance. His cell phone rang. "Davis."

"It's Flack. Any sign of her?"

"None yet, " Davis answered, still looking around the grounds. "I'm checking the south side now. Where are you?"

"Opposite to you," Flack replied. "Kate is with me. If we don't find her in five, we'll call the house and have some of the guys come over and lend a hand."

Davis disconnected at the same time Flack did. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a flash of white. He followed his instincts and headed in the direction of the blurry shape. Rounding the corner at the far side, he came to a stop at the sight in front of him.

Tara stood, staring down at a spot on the ground. The harsh lights of the hospital ground made her face look almost blue. She was shivering, but when Davis looked at the blank expression in her green eyes he knew she didn't feel the cold.

"Tara?"

She didn't answer, but continued to stare down at the ground.

"Tara? It's Ty. Officer Davis. I work with Kate at the five five. Remember me? We met at Mac's house for his daughter's christening."

She didn't look at him. "It happened here," she said, her voice hard and flat. "I think it happened here."

Davis started to approach her, but she shrieked and scrambled backwards. "Don't!"

"Ok," he kept his voice low and even. He pulled out his phone, started to dial Flack, but when she kept talking he flipped it shut again and listened to her.

"He came up behind me. I didn't hear him. Then he grabbed me." Her voice had a singsong quality to it that he recognised as having heard at various call outs to domestic violence and assault. "I tried to scream, but he held me down and tore my sweater sleeve so he could gag me with it."

Davis was slowly inching his way closer to her as she spoke, wondering how on earth he'd deal with this one. Everyone in the house knew what had happened to Kate Kennedy's sister. He'd peeped in the room periodically when he was on guard duty at the hospital. He remembered seeing her, lying still and pale in the bed and wondering what she was like when she was awake. Would she be thoughtful, like Kate? Or was she really the fiery one, like Flack claimed she was?

"He pulled down my jeans," she continued. "He tried to…his eyes." Tears were forming at the corner of her own eyes. "I can see them. They're looking at me."

"Tara," Davis said, very gently. "He's dead. He can't hurt you. Let me take you inside. Huh? We'll get Kate."

She blinked suddenly, her eyes clearing. "Kate?" Confusion spread across her pretty face. "Officer Davis? Why am I outside?"

"You must have wandered outside in your sleep," Davis told her, careful to keep his voice even and his movements slow. "Do you remember what you were dreaming about?"

She nodded, tears coursing down her cheeks. "Yes."

Davis looked down at her, noticing how tiny she was. Her small feet were bare, and she was shivering violently. "You're cold." He immediately unzipped his hooded sweater and draped it over her shoulders. She nestled into the warmth, her face losing some of that awful pallor. Her eyes looked haunted. "Officer Davis? Why am I here?"

"It's Ty," he told her. "I'm going to take you back inside now. Can you take my hand?"

Tara looked at the big hand he was holding out to her. Her gaze travelled upwards to his earnest face and soft brown eyes. She nodded and placed her smaller hand in his, allowing him to lead her back towards the hospital.

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"You found her where?" Flack demanded as he listened intently to what Davis was saying. Kate looked up at him anxiously. He reached out to draw her to his side. Putting the phone aside, he looked down at her. "Davis found her. Westside car park."

Kate's eyes went as wide as saucers as she realised what he'd said. "Where is she now?"

"On the way," Flack said curtly. "Thanks, Davis."

"Where is she?" Kate repeated frantically. "Is she ok?"

"Davis took her back to her room," Flack answered. "He said she was sleepwalking, from what he can gather."

"Did she remember what she was dreaming about? Don, it happened there. It happened in that part of the grounds."

His arm tightened around her as he drew her out of the night air and into the hospital. She was quivering with impatience as they waited for the elevator and all the way up to the third floor. The doors opened and she was running towards her sister's room before Flack could stop her.

"Tara?" Kate burst into the room and stopped dead in her tracks, her jaw dropping as she took in the sight of her sister sleeping peacefully in her bed, holding tightly to Ty Davis' hand. "Ty?"

Davis turned slightly red before he shrugged his shoulders. "She was a little freaked when I got to her."

"What happened to her?" Kate demanded, turning accusing green eyes to Davis. "What did you say?"

"Kate." Flack's voice stopped her rant right in its tracks. "Davis found her, by the looks of it, calmed her down and got her back to bed."

Kate spotted the telltale signs of tears on her sister's cheeks and the way she was clutching Davis' hand, even in her sleep. "What did she say?"

"She remembers the attack," Davis told them. His eyes were almost black with the anger he was keeping in check. "It was pretty tough on her. She was out of it when I spotted her."

"Did she say anything else?"

"She kept talking about this guy's eyes." Davis was looking at Tara as he spoke, his thumb gently stroking across her hand. "Sais she could see them. That they were looking at her."

Kate didn't realise she was trembling until Flack pulled her to him and squeezed her against his chest. "He had mad eyes."

"It's ok," he murmured in her ear. "He's gone now."

"That's what I told her," Davis put in. "I told her that I saw him die with my own eyes. She sort of smiled and closed her eyes and she's been sleeping a few minutes now."

"Thanks, Ty," Kate said gratefully. "I mean it." She leaned over and kissed his cheek, to his extreme embarrassment.

"You can probably let go of her hand now," Flack commented dryly. "She won't notice."

"I probably could," Davis agreed, looking at Tara's small hand in his. "Probably."

Flack raised one eyebrow but made no comment. Instead he turned to Kate. "I should get you home."

"I'll stay here a while," Davis volunteered. "I've got no plans tonight,"

"No hot date?" Kate asked teasingly, smiling at him despite the worry plaguing her. "No hot chick waiting for you in a bar somewhere?"

"Not likely, "Davis snorted. "Girls tend to get sick of being stood up for night shifts and call outs. And of course the working on Christmas and holidays is a killer."

"Davis," Kate said as she stretched her arms over her head with a yawn. "You need to find another cop to date. What about Sasha? She's hot!"

"How about a nurse?" Flack suggested with a wicked grin. "They'll be working when you are."

"Ease up on the matchmaking," Kate ordered, elbowing him in the ribs. "Leave Davis alone!"

"Thank you," Davis retorted, rolling his eyes at his colleagues. "Ease up, Detective."

"Let's go," Flack said to Kate, who nodded tiredly. It had been a long day. She couldn't wait to get home and curl up in bed and sleep with no prospect of being called in to work.

"Mac promised me tomorrow off," she said to Flack as they hailed a cab. "I can sleep in!" She did a little dance of delight, making Flack laugh. "What time are you on?"

"I'm on the graveyard shift tomorrow," Flack said with a grimace. "Those tours usually turn into thirty six hour marathons for me."

"Who else is on?"

"Angell and Maka," Flack answered, pulling out his wallet to pay the cabbie. "They're both putting in overtime. Maka wants time off for her wedding next month."

"Maka's getting married?" Kate squeaked. "When did that happen?"

Flack opened his mouth to answer and cursed as his cell phone rang. He looked at the display and frowned. "Hey, Messer. What's up? How's Lindsay doing? Good." He nodded at Kate's questioning look as she dug in her purse for her keys. Clamping a hand on hers, he tugged her in the direction of his apartment and handed her his own keys. "Ok. Great. See you tomorrow. I'll tell her. Night, Dan."

Kate was pushing in the door of his apartment and heading to the kitchen. "Want something?" she called over her shoulder.

"I'm going to grab a shower and change," he called back, disappearing into his bedroom. "Make yourself at home!"

Kate wandered around his kitchen, opening his refrigerator and finding herself pleasantly surprised to find more than beer and chips in it. She took out some butter and cheese, some tomatoes and some ham and set herself to work making a snack. At the back of the cabinet next to the sink was a can of hot chocolate mix. She sighed happily and fixed herself a large mug.

In the background, she could hear the shower going and the sound of Flack's deep voice humming to himself. She smiled at his choice of song. "…Yeah you, shook me all night long…"

He came into the kitchen to find her singing to herself as she grilled the cheese and put it on plates. The sense of déjà vu made him smile. She was singing AC/DC and fixing him grilled cheese sandwiches. The world was definitely turning the wrong way around.

Kate swung around, still singing and almost dropped the plate at the sight of Flack leaning casually against the doorjamb. "Hi." She handed him the plate, desperately trying not to be affected by the sight of him in bare feet and jeans teamed with a simple blue cotton Academy t-shirt. His hair was wet, his face freshly shaved.

He looked, she thought, at the risk of sounding like a teenager, totally hot.

"Thanks," he said with a smile, accepting the plate and sitting on the couch.

Kate perched on the seat across from him, ignoring his raised eyebrows and picked at her sandwich. "Who's Maka marrying? Is Lindsay ok? Do you think that Davis is home? I should call him and see how Tara was when he left."

"Kate." Flack regarded her with amused blue eyes. "Are you ok?"

"Of course," she said, her voice tingeing on hysterical. "I'm fine!" She jumped to her feet, knocking her cup of hot chocolate into her lap. "Ow! Damn, damn, damn!" She was hopping around, pulling her shirt away from her body in an effort to get the hot fabric away from her.

Flack calmly handed her a towel from the rail in the kitchen and told her to go into his room and find a shirt to replace hers. "Top drawer, they're all there. Take your pick."

She cursed herself as she went into the room and pulled her ruined shirt off. "What is wrong with you? Get a hold of yourself. He's just a guy!" She was muttering to herself as she pulled a shirt out of the drawer and started to put it on.

"And here I thought I was special," he said from the doorway. "Kate, give it a rest," he added as she squeaked and pulled his shirt up against herself again. "I've seen your bra before. I actually like that one."

She was blushing furiously. "Don, I-"

"Am a little jumpy?" He came towards her slowly, the gleam in his eyes unmistakeable. "I can fix that."

"Stop it!" She batted his hands away from her shoulders even as she began to tingle from the feel of his hands on her skin. "Don…" Her warning ended in a sigh as he began to stroke her bare back in rhythmic circles. The shirt fell from her hands as they came up to clutch his shoulders.

"You're so small," he said, his eyes travelling over her, making her blush hotly and raise her arms to hide her skin.

"Ah!" He said warningly as she moved away from him. "Get back here." He began to kiss her, softly at first, then deeper as she wrapped her arms around his waist and responded to him. "Beautiful."

Kate's last coherent thoughts before she gave herself up to the heat coursing through her was that he was a genius. That and the idea that making one person feel so much by doing something so simple should be a crime.

Thank the good Lord it wasn't.

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Flack stirred and looked at the woman sleeping beside him and smiled at the way she was sprawled across him in her sleep. It didn't matter what way she fell asleep, she seemed to gravitate towards him in her sleep and for the second morning in a row, he'd woken to find her sleeping cuddled up to his side, her head on his chest and her arm thrown across his stomach.

Kate stirred in her sleep when he slipped out of the bed and pulled on a pair of sweatpants. She sighed and immediately curled up in the warm space he'd vacated, a small smile on her lips. He leaned in and planted a kiss on her forehead, laughing when her arms shot up and grabbed him around the neck. "Hey!"

"I know you were awake," she said, opening sleepy green eyes and looking up at him. "Good morning."

"Morning," he replied. "Want some breakfast?"

"No," she retorted, "I want to sleep some more." She closed her eyes again, wriggling until she was almost totally covered by the blankets and buried in his pillow. She sniffed at it. "Smells like you," she murmured. "Nice."

Flack was amazed by her ability to fall asleep so fast. She simply wriggled until she was comfortable, and then went out like a light. The nightmares that had plagued her for weeks seemed to be gone away. He wondered if she was still afraid to go down to the morgue.

"Kate? Kaaaay teee," he teased, leaning down to poke at her nose. He laughed again when one small hand swiped at him and she let out a sound like a growl.

"Go 'way!"

He gave up and went to make breakfast. A glance to his watch told him that it was almost ten am. He never slept this late unless he'd been out the night before! He pulled on his sweater and running shoes and headed out towards the door. At the last minute he turned and scribbled a quick note to Kate to tell her where he was.

He ran his entire six miles with a smile on his face.

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Kate looked at the note on the counter and grinned to herself. "Gone for a run. Back soon. D." She grabbed the pen and scribbled a quick reply before letting herself out of his house with his keys and going next door to her own.

She pushed in the door and inhaled the smell of bacon and toast. Brian Cambelli stood in her kitchen making breakfast. He turned around just as she was sneaking towards her bedroom. "Not so fast, Kennedy!"

She jumped, flushing bright red. "Hi."

He grinned knowingly at her before turning to the living room. "Hey Deanna! Little sister's home!"

"Bite me!" Kate hissed at him, turning even redder. "Just bite me, Cambelli!"

"Well, well," Dee declared, strolling into the room with a broad grin. "Look who's doing the Walk of Shame! Hello, Katelyn."

"Deanna," Kate returned, equally formal. Then she gave it up and grinned at her friend. "Hi."

"Hi," Dee repeated, astounded. "Hi? That's all I get? What about details?"

"Of what?" Kate asked innocently, ignoring Dee's perusal of the NYPD shirt that fell to her knees,the bare feet and the tousled auburn curls that fell around her face. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

"You so slept with Flack!" Dee shrieked, making Brian wince.

"Dee, sweetie, I don't think they heard you in Australia," Brian told her, handing her a plate. He turned to Kate with a wide grin. "Want some breakfast? All nighters can make you…hungry."

Kate ignored him. "I'm going to visit Tara today. I've got a whole twenty-four without being on call." She turned back to hDee, who was struggling not to laugh. "Enjoy your breakfast. I'm guessing by that mark on your neck that I'm not the only one with an appetite today!" She left the kitchen as Dee's jaw dropped, Brian's laughter ringing in her ears.

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"You slept with Flack!" Tara accused the moment her sister stepped into her room. Davis, who was sitting beside her bed, choked on the soda he was drinking.

"Tara!" Kate exclaimed, mortified. She cast a furtive glance at Davis, who suddenly became engrossed in the paper he was reading. "Do you think that they heard you in Australia?" She borrowed the phrase Brian had used earlier.

"But you -"

"Tara!"

"I should go," Davis said suddenly, getting to his feet and looking from Kate's flushed face to Tara's gleeful green eyes. "I go on shift at one." He clasped Tara's hand in his a moment, then released it. "I'm glad you're feeling better today. Remember what I said, ok?"

"Thanks, Ty," Tara replied, smiling up at him. "Thanks for stopping by."

"Anytime," Davis told her, picking his hat up from the nightstand and putting it on his head. "See you, Tara. Bye, Kate."

"Bye," Kate echoed after him, watching his tall figure leave the room. "See you soon!" She turned to Tara and narrowed her eyes. "Start talking!"

"About what?" Tara looked puzzled. "What are you talking about?"

"Why was Ty Davis here? And why are you blushing?"

"You're just trying to change the subject from you and Flack getting it on," Tara retorted. "Ty stopped by this morning to see if I was ok. He was really good to me last night, Katie. I don't know how I would have stayed sane without him."

"How so?" Kate asked, shocked. "When I left you were sleeping."

"I woke up," Tara said shortly. "I woke up and he was still holding my hand. He's a good guy, Kate. He deserves better than me."

"Stop that!" Kate protested, outrage coming off her in waves. "That's a terrible thing to say about yourself. You're more than good enough for any guy. Especially Davis."

"I don't want to get involved with any guy." Tara's voice was flat, but her eyes showed her distress. "I can't, Katie." She stopped for a second, steadying herself, then took a deep breath. "I can't right now."

"That's ok," Kate said softly. "It's to be expected." She took her sister's hand. "Tara, I was kidnapped. Derek Ames was shot inches from me. And he did the same things to me that he did to you. But just not as bad."

"I don't know what he did while I was out," Tara told her, tears beginning to fall. "I keep imagining him, standing over me while I was unconscious, touching me. Kate, I can't sleep…I can't eat. I keep seeing his eyes-"

Kate simply reached over and wrapped her arms around her twin, holding on tight and whispering in her ear like she'd done when Tara had been broken hearted over Paul Delaney when they were eighteen.

"I wish Mom was here," Tara sobbed. "I want her."

"Me too," Kate said, feeling her own tears rise. "It feels like forever since we've seen them."

"I wonder what she'd say if she were here," Tara mused, pulling back from Kate and scrubbing her eyes furiously.

"Tara, my darling girl," Kate began in a perfect imitation of her mother's Irish accent. "Get off your arse and look to the bright side. It's the aftermath of a shock you're feeling, not a thing more!"

"You're not dead, my love," Tara continued in the same brogue, a smile breaking across her face. "So face it head on and use the courage God gave you!"

Kate gave an unladylike snort. "Aftermath of a shock, my ass. "

"The aftermath sucks, " Tara agreed. She leaned her head against her sister's shoulder. "I'm glad you're here, Katie. I'm really glad you're here."

"I'll always be here, " Kate told her, just as she had years before after the Paul Delaney fiasco.

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"What was so urgent you couldn't wait for me to get to work?" Flack grumbled as he slid into the seat at the diner where he and Danny met for lunch once a week. "I was going by the hospital to-"

"Lindsay's pregnant," Danny blurted out suddenly. "I'm a dad, Flack. A Dad!"

"What?" Flack's eyes went as wide as saucers. "What? That's great! Congratulations, man!" He stood up to clasp Danny's hand, and then simply hugged his best friend. "Well done!"

"I didn't do it alone," Danny joked. He was grinning so hard that Flack thought his jaw would burst. "I'm going to be a father!"

"I'm happy for you, Dan," Flack said sincerely. "That's the best news."

"It's a little scary," Danny admitted. "We haven't told people yet. But I had to tell someone and Lindsay said it was ok. She's telling Stella and Mac now. We didn't want to do the big announcement thing. It's like tempting fate or something."

"A little scary," Flack quipped. "Messer, getting married was a little scary. Having a baby, well that's just…" Words escaped him.

"Terrifying!" Danny said fervently. "Flack, what if I'm a lousy father? What if I fail my kid in some way?" His blue eyes were serious behind his glasses. "What if I fail Lindsay?"

Flack leaned forward and propped his head in his hands. He looked at his friend, who was shredding his napkin now. "Messer, listen to me. You love Lindsay, right?"

"More than anything," Danny agreed. "She's my whole life."

"And you'll love your kid, won't you?"

"What kind of fool question is that?" Danny demanded. "Of course I will. I do already," he corrected himself. "God, Flack. It's the size of a peanut and it's already the most important thing to me."

"Then how can you fail either one of them?" Flack asked simply. He sat back triumphantly. "You have to admit, I have a point."

"Shut up." But Danny was grinning widely. "I hate it when you're right."

"I hope the kid takes after your wife," Flack shot back with a grin. "Otherwise we're all screwed!"

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"No way!" Kate shrieked into the phone. "Stella, that's amazing! Is she here?" She was peering around the bar as if Lindsay might appear out from under the table. They had all chosen to meet at Sullivan's bar to celebrate Danny and Lindsay's good news. Kate hadn't heard until Stella mentioned it.

The other woman had apologised profusely for not telling her earlier, but she had forgotten in the excitement.

"It's our first lab baby!" Kate exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. She sat next to Flack, who had an arm stretched casually across the back of her chair, playing with the ends of her hair.

"Not our last, though," Stella said with a smile at her husband. "Right, Marine?"

"Yes Ma'am," Flynn drawled, making Kate's jaw drop.

"You're not!" She almost spat out her wine. "Seriously? You're not!"

"I'm not, " Stella agreed gravely. "Yet."

"Stella," Flack groaned, turning pale. "I don't want to know!"

"Jealous, Flack?" Flynn joked, grinning at the younger man. "You have a thing for my wife?"

"Nope," Flack tossed back, grinning. "Sorry, Stell. You're hot and all. Ow!" Stella and Kate had both kicked him under the table. "What is wrong with you two!"

"Hot?" Kate asked, pretending to be outraged. "You're not supposed to say that!"

"Flack, my friend," Flynn said cheerfully, popping a handful of nuts in his mouth and grinning widely. "My advice to you as a happily married man -"

"Who's never home," Flack interrupted scornfully.

"Happily married, " Flynn emphasised, "and my advice to you is to just tell her she's right and she won't shoot you!"

"Who won't shoot who?" Lindsay asked as she and Danny arrived to a flurry of hugs and kisses and congratulations.

"Nice work, Mama," Kate said, hugging Lindsay. "Congratulations, Pa Messer!" She bestowed a huge hug on Danny, who was almost puffing with pride.

"Good job, Montana," Flack reached out to gently hug Lindsay. "You feeling ok? Messer taking care of you? Cause I can have him arrested if he doesn't."

Hawkes and Mac, who had arrived behind them, were waiting to congratulate Lindsay, who found herself passed from pair of arms to pair of arms.

"Can I have my wife back now?" Danny demanded. "Hawkes, let go of her. Get your own woman!"

Hawkes grinned and kept hold of Lindsay, who laughed. "Can't, " he deadpanned. "She loves me."

"I do," Lindsay answered, grinning at her outraged husband. "Danny, I'm sorry, but I do."

"You said it to me first," Danny argued, reaching over Kate and pulling Lindsay to him. "And anyway, she likes me better, don't you?"

"All things considered, "Lindsay agreed. "I probably do."

Flack caught Kate's eye and squeezed her hand under the table. He leaned over and kissed her cheek, ignoring Mac's raised eyebrows and Stella's 'I told you so' look at Flynn.

"It's going to get better now," he whispered. "I promise."

Ok, so fluff again. But I like it. I like happy people. I'm a great believer in happy people and happy endings etc. As ever, reviews/ comments/ suggestions gratefully appreciated. I can even take criticism as long as it's not abusive!