Disclaimer: I own nothing and no-one from CSI:NY, I'm just borrowing them for a while. No infringement intended. Any new characters - well they're mine.

A/N: Welcome new alerters! This one's gone up thanks to RB10 who reminded me to get it posted! Hope you all enjoy!

Secrets

The week after New Year's went quickly. News of his engagement had made it back to the precinct before he did and the week was spent in a mixture of congratulations and being the brunt of just about every married man joke he'd ever heard. However, he was a little worried about Ellie. She'd gone back to work and had started the search for apartments. She was looking exhausted and was still having the odd attack of dizzy spells. Don was insistent that she go back to the doctor and she promised she would if it was still happening in another week. He made a note of the date and then would drag her there himself if she still did nothing.

What wasn't going to help was Nancy and Ed's impending visit. According to Ellie, they went to Florida or the Caribbean for most of the winter, which meant they were coming to NY just to see them. Ellie guessed that Nancy would want to try and tell them what type of wedding they were going to have and so insisted that they needed to discuss between themselves first what they wanted. Don had warned Ellie that she would need to compromise – he could tell that organising this wedding was going to be like negotiating a United Nations peace treaty! More to the point he was concerned about Ellie's health and didn't want her under too much stress. However, where Nancy and Ellie met, stress usually followed.

NYNYNYNY

They arrived at Ed and Nancy's apartment to hugs and kisses from both parents. Over an early dinner the conversation turned surprisingly, not to weddings but to where the young couple were proposing to live.

Ellie took out the apartment list that her and Don had narrowed down and talked her parents through it. Both listened with interest, Nancy being gracious enough to at least try and hide her disdain at most of the choices. Don sat quietly, but he could tell something was brewing. It was Nancy that started the ball rolling.

"Well, there's some very nice little places there, though some of the areas are a little, shall we say - not so appealing…"

Ellie sighed. It had all been going too well. "Mother, the areas are fine. Don knows this city better than anyone and do you really think he would let us live anywhere that was really dangerous? Ok, so it's not Park Avenue, but we have to go where we can afford. And before you say a word, no, we won't take any help."

Nancy started to say something but Ellie stopped her.

"Thank you mom, but no," she said firmly. "Don and I really appreciate the gesture, but we are going to do this on our own." Much to her surprise Nancy backed down.

"If that's your decision Elinor then that's fine. In which case we'd better start talking about the wedding."

"Well, if you ladies are going to do that, then Don and I can go and have a chat over a brandy," said Ed quickly, standing as he spoke, Don rapidly following.

Ellie smiled sweetly, "But it's Don's wedding too Ed, so it's only right that he should stay and have his say."

"Nonsense. We all know that every bride says that and really what happens is that she makes all the decisions and all the groom has to do is make sure he turns up at the right place at the right time, sober and in a clean shirt!" Ed winked at Don and motioned him out of the room. Don just shrugged his shoulders and smiled at the murderous look Ellie was shooting at him.

NYNYNYNY

Ed poured Don a rather large brandy and sat opposite him in his cosy study, the fire casting a wonderfully warm glow across the room. The men sat in a comfortable silence for a while before Ed spoke.

"I hope Ellie will cut her mother some slack on this wedding Don. I know it's the bride and groom's day, but this is very important to Nancy."

"I think Ellie knows that. I've told her that she'll need to compromise – but Nancy won't get it all her own way either. To be honest, Ellie and I haven't discussed it much – we're still getting used to being engaged."

Ed chuckled and nodded his understanding but his face suddenly turned serious.

"Don, Nancy did have a point about some of the areas that you two are looking to live in. Now, before you say anything, you need to be fully informed. I know you two want to go your own way and I appreciate and admire that I really do. In fact it's one of the things I've always loved about Ellie, that strong independent streak."

Don bristled slightly at the older man's inference as something he had said struck him. He looked evenly at Ed. "What do you mean I need to be 'fully informed'?" he asked.

Ed rose and went to his desk draw. Pulling out a box, he sat back down and put it on the table next to his chair. Taking off the lid, he produced a pack of about a dozen letters and handed them to Don.

"What I'm about to tell you goes no further. Even Nancy doesn't know about this and Elinor certainly doesn't. Now I know you modern young couples don't believe in secrets but let me tell you Don, in my experience there are times when a man has to keep secrets for the sake of his family. This is one of those times. What you have there are the threats made against Ellie in the month before the Mayor's Gala dinner. There's roughly a dozen letters there – and that's a monthly average."

Don's face screwed up in shock. He silently asked Ed's permission to look at the contents. Opening one at random he was stunned to find a threat to kidnap his girlfriend if Ed didn't send the writer one hundred thousand dollars. The next one said that she would meet with an accident if ten thousand dollars wasn't paid. Don couldn't believe his eyes.

"I assume you've been to the police about these?" he asked.

Ed nodded. "Better than that. Every single one is followed up by local police – the FBI if necessary - and my own people. They are harmless on the whole and I get them for every one of my children. I'm a very wealthy man and have a well known business profile. Ellie is less known so there's only usually up to a dozen. However, after the business with Kinnon, the press coverage, his conviction and all that, the number and nature of the threats has quadrupled."

Don looked up in part disbelief and part concern. He'd had no idea.

"Exactly," stated Ed. "With all the will in the world, I can't keep tabs on all those people and statistically, one of them may try to get to her. So we have to keep her safe. I'm sorry Don, but the options and resources that you and Ellie have between you without touching her money just won't cover that. You have more than shown how much you love her and how far you will go to protect her – I don't doubt that for a second and that is not what this is about, but I'm asking you man to man, to please, let me help you. We can come to some suitable financial arrangement if you wish, but we need to make Ellie as safe as possible."

Ed gave Don a little while to let the information sink in before he continued. He reached for a photograph and handed it to Don. He recognised the tiny girl in the picture immediately. Even then Ellie was gorgeous – and he'd know those eyes anywhere.

"I first met Ellie when she was about two and half. She was such a shy, tiny little thing. I remember her clearly, peeping out from behind her grandmother's skirts. She stole my heart at that very moment. I totally fell in love with that little girl and as far as I'm concerned she's mine. God willing, you'll be a father one day Don and when you are you'll understand that you will do anything to ensure the safety of your child."

"What are you proposing then sir?" asked Don. He understood what Ed was saying even though this was all a bit much to take in. However, even in his slight shock he could see the logic of Ed's words.

"Well, Nancy has a project that she actually thought about after meeting you."

Don looked up in total surprise making Ed laugh.

"If you let her explain it to you and more to the point, persuade Elinor to let her, I think it's something that will help us both."

Ed quickly outlined the idea and Don had to admit that it sounded good. Ellie was going to be a tough sell though. Thinking quickly he and Ed came up with a plan.

NYNYNYNY

The next afternoon Nancy, Ed, Don and Ellie were stood outside a tented apartment building in a lovely part of town. Not the most expensive but still a good neighbourhood – and more than Don and Ellie could afford.

On going back into the room Don had asked Nancy what she had been up to lately and Ed had asked her to explain to Don and Ellie about her newest project. Nancy took the hint immediately and insisted on showing, rather than telling them. So here they were standing in the lobby of the building.

"Okay, so we were talking at my ladies club luncheon about what our new project should be and after getting to know Don and all that you told me about him and your new friends Elinor, I came up with this idea."

"Ladies club?" Don whispered in Ellie's ear.

"More like the billionaire's wives club," Ellie muttered back.

Don and Ellie looked back at her. Taking her cue Nancy continued.

"Well it struck me that the people who work so hard to serve this city and community can't always afford to live in the better areas. So we thought what if we took over a building that wasn't doing so well, refurbished it and made the apartments rent controlled for the city's key workers – policemen, EMTs, firefighters, nurses, public school teachers etc?"

Don and Ellie looked aghast. "Wow," managed Don finally, "that's pretty amazing Nancy."

"Actually, yes mom, I'd have to agree, that's a great idea."

Nancy threw a sideways look at Ed who nodded his encouragement.

"It turned out that one of the ladies in our group knew of this building. It belonged to her husband's family and her mother-in-law is very elderly and has no intention of doing anything with it, so our trust bought it for next to nothing – it was a burden to the family and none of them had any plans for it. As you can see, the refurbishment is already well underway – I was going to keep it a surprise until it was done, but then you said that you were looking for somewhere so I thought …."

"Mom no," said Ellie. "Don and I want to do this on our own, with our own money."

"Hang on Ellie, let's just hear Nancy out," interrupted Don much to Ellie's surprise. He wasn't comfortable doing this, but Ed was right. If there was that level of threat to Ellie and this was a way of protecting her he'd do whatever it took - although just being in a better part of town wouldn't necessarily do it on it's own. That said, he was sure that Ed and Nancy would have more up their sleeve. He pushed on. "If I'm hearing Nancy right, she said these places are to be rent controlled and made to be affordable to those of us on a city salary, so it means we can still pay the rent ourselves right Nancy?"

"Yes. Absolutely – although you know we wouldn't be comfortable taking rent from our own daughter and son-in-law."

"No we wouldn't," added Ed quickly, "but if that's what you insist on doing we'll respect that."

He let the comment hang so that Ellie had time to think. "So, do you want a look round?"

Ellie looked at Don who smiled positively at her.

Nancy showed them around a one and then a two bedroomed apartment, chatting excitedly and asking advice about how they might vet applicants and who they would like to live there. Don had to hand it to Nancy, the apartments were beautifully finished, the décor tasteful but not fussy and quite neutral so that families and individuals could put their own stamp on the places.

Don's thoughts immediately went to the Messers. After their own family being so horribly violated, they had decided to move very quickly, not being able to deal with living in the same apartment but still had not totally settled in their new surroundings either. This could be a great fresh start for them and they'd be living in the same building as him and Ellie. Not only would their best friends be on hand, that would be an extra two pairs of eyes watching out for Ellie. As far as he was concerned the whole place could be let to cops with part of the tenancy agreement to look out for Ellie.

Finally, Nancy took them up to the top floor. The apartment was cramped and dark and had yet to be touched but also had a large area of roof untouched. Next to it was the building that used to house the old lift shafts.

"This was the building supervisor's apartment. So, the plan is that this – if you wanted – would be yours…." She smiled at Ellie who was biting her bottom lip. "BUT, I have a plan! Now the question is, do you want to know or will you trust me?"

"How about a bit of both?" questioned Ellie. "It's not that I don't trust your taste and judgement mom, it's just that I won't have us living in anything wildly different from the others."

"Well, the plans have already been drawn up. I won't lie Ellie, this apartment will be a little more special than the rest and if you and Don agree to take it then I won't apologise for adding some extra touches to it – you are my daughter. However, I promise not to go all out as I would want and that some of the features will stay with the apartment if you ever move out."

"What about the rent?" asked Don. He needed Ellie to know he was still on side.

"Well, we saw when you showed us the others you were thinking about how much you were willing to pay and as the whole point is to be rent controlled these places would definitely suit your budget – that's the whole idea," answered Ed smoothly.

Don took Ellie to one side. "We'd never be able to afford an apartment in this area in any other circumstance Ellie – and we know it's for real as the building will have other cops as well as firefighters and the other people Nancy mentioned and is already well on the way to being finished. I was thinking maybe we could even get Danny and Lindsay in here."

"So you don't think this is just a way to get us to fold into what they want us to do?" she asked.

"Look around, not even Ed and Nancy could have set this up in that amount of time. No, I think we'd be fools not to go for it."

Ellie nodded and smiled. "Thanks mom – we'll take it."

Nancy was clearly thrilled and as she started to talk Ellie through the plans, Ed walked over and clapped Don on the shoulder. "I know that it's hard for you to keep things from her, but in this instance, you've done the right thing."

Don watched his financee walking the space with her mom, trying to picture the changes. "Actually, this one wasn't so hard. I mean this idea was already up and running and because it's rent controlled, it really is somewhere we could afford, so it's not so bad. Okay, we've got the heads up and looking at Nancy's face, I'm sure this one will have a little extra to it, but on the whole, this is one secret I can live with."