I don't own CSI: NY or any of the related characters. I do own Samantha and Jonathan though.

Thanks to Kyra and White Rose for reviewing your comments are much apprieciated

What's Golden

Chapter 2

Sam Kenson jogged down the stairs for the fifth time this morning, tossed her son his blue jacket and headed back to the kitchen worktop. There awaited her nice hot coffee. She removed it from cupboard shelf, on tiptoe and arm stretching and took a satisfied sniff. The eyes of her eight year old son never left the mug and it rose to her lips emptying the liquid into her awaiting mouth.

"You know the rules Jonathan no coffee till you're twelve"

"But Mum"

"No buts go brush your hair, clean your teeth and wash your face"

I chuckled softly as he went off to the bathroom; finishing my mug I stuck that in the sink with the plates from yesterday. On the dining room table was my kit, well the case I used to have my kit in. It was empty but sterilized. Next to it were papers on the latest techniques, and a few recent studies presented at conventions. I had been up to eleven swotting. I sat in a chair and zipped up my flat boots whilst re-reading the latest in fingerprinting technology. I stood testing the length in my trousers to the floor, finding they sat half an inch from the ground.

I grabbed Jonathans lunch bag, added a cheese sandwich to the cereal bar, crisps and blackcurrant juice. Once he was done in the bathroom he shoved lunch into his backpack in time for the school bus to arrive. I waved him off, took a deep breath. Time to return to the world no-one wants to see.

The weekend passed in an insomnia assisted haze of cold cases and a couple of hold-ups. With Stella on the nightshift it's much easier for her to observe the hours I spend in my office and thus target my short fallings in the sleep department. I've spent more time at my apartment in the past two weeks then I have since moving in actually sleeping one night, the rest spent staring past the television screen, a mug of coffee in arms reach, a cold case on my lap.

I keep a close eye on the shift rota pouncing on nights Stella has off locking myself in my office till day rolls round again. Of course I have been caught out twice (So far) Stella appearing on her nights off to bend my ear, watching me like a hawk till I actually want to see the four walls of my apartment.

I find myself in reception at ten to nine waiting for Dr Kenson to appear through the doors. I haven't slept for three nights; I've drank in the region of thirty cups of coffee in this time and feel grainy around the eyes. The caffeinated energy keeping my mind awake is on edge looking for signs of sleep so I can make a smooth exit when my mind does finally quiet.

At precisely five to Dr Kenson arrives charcoal suited, hair pinned up and two inches shorter than I remember.

"Morning Dr Kenson"

"Sam is fine Detective Taylor. I'm not late am I?" Her eyes narrowed slightly searching for a clock.

"Mac is fine, no, slightly early in fact. I assume you have been issued with a weapon?"

"Yes" She pulled back her jacket to show the standard issue gun on her hip "just need my kit and ID"

The receptionist handed over a wallet with a badge and ID card plus a form to sign

"Right" Twirling the pen over the page and handing it back to the receptionist "When will I be sorted out with a kit and equipment?"

"After the tour, if you'd like to follow me"

I sat down opposite Aidan and cleaned my glasses. Mondays are often a slow start. Everyone's coming down off the weekend and can't be bothered to do anything. Which is good for everyone but us. The only thing of note that was happening was the arrival of a new CSI. And that excitement would last all of however long it was till we were introduced. Then the lab techs would start a pool on how long it would be before she solved her first case.

"Alright there Danny?"

"Sure Aidan, just hating Monday mornings"

"Isn't there a boomtown rats song about it?"

"Yeah theres a best of coming out"

"Figures" Aidan got up to make some coffee

The following ten minutes inched by. I grabbed a random forensics journal in an attempt to pass some time but as luck would have it Mac came in Dr Kenson in tow with heaven forbid, assignments!

"Alright Danny, Aidan this is Dr Samantha Kenson"

"Sam is fine" She interjected

"Sam this is Aidan Burn and Danny Messer"

"Nice to meet you" She shook our hands in turn

"Okay Danny, Aidan another hold up downtown" I snatched up the assignment sheet, read it, passed it to Aidan "The detective will meet you there" He added "Sam you're with me, body on the floor in Brooklyn"

After a round of rock, paper, scissors I got in the passenger side of the department issued vehicle. That's typical. New CSI with the boss man.

Mac insisted on driving, I carried my replenished kit up into the apartment block. Two uniform stood on the door. Detective Don Flack, as I was introduced was interviewing neighbours. He seems nice enough.

The body was on the bedroom floor, male, twenties face down in a pool of blood. I half expected to feel the bile rising up my throat, but felt no sensation of it. I placed down my kit and edged around the scene making notes as I went. Mac followed later with a low-down on the vic.

It surprised me how much I did automatically whilst processing the scene. From printing to using the ALS (they were around before I left but this is a new model) till I found myself reaching down the side of the bed, groping for an object just out of my reach. I shifted my weight slightly leaning further in, gripped it with my tweezers and slid free, wrenching my arm slightly out of the gap. A condom. Typical. First day back and I pull a condom from behind a bed.

I looked over the room where Mac was printing the closet door, at one point he paused, screwed his eyes shut for a few seconds before swirling the brush round in the same over-controlled manner as before. The stilted work ethic of Mac, the fact he never seems truly focused on what's around him bothered me slightly the way he photographed and picked his way around the body before the coroner removed it then searched and processed his half of the room with preoccupied interest. I couldn't be bothered to look into that right now so I settled for telling him about my discovery before starting on the living room.

Once we got back to the lab and began to process our findings I found myself heading straight for the coffee pot after logging the evidence in. Apparently Sam works fast as the samples were already with the techs and the photos being printed. When I found her in the layout room, she was making notes on her notes. When she disappeared for a break, I took a look I was fairly sure her note's notes had notes.

My mouth twitched up slightly before I headed to my office. There was nothing to do till the photos, autopsy and samples were done. Five minutes, just resting the eyes.