Chapter two

I apologize for any typing errors or errors with the characters as I don't know them that well. Feel free to point out any problems as its helpful and as always, pleeeeaaaaseee review!

Lindsay sat at the desk in a dimly lit office, rubbing her arms to try to keep warm. Her boss seemed to notice this.

"I've been telling them to fix that stupid heater for ages," he said, strolling slowly around his office and then to his desk. He sat down heavily in the leather chair and leant back.

"So what's this word you wanted?"

Lindsay looked blank, and then remembered why she was there.

She took a deep breath.

"Can you see anything?" Stella popped up behind Danny, knocking him into the wall.

"Well I could until you did that."

"What?"

"Knocked me!"

"No, what can you see? They kissing yet?"

Danny jumped down from the chair he was standing on, pulling Stella with him.

"I assume that because you guys are standing on a chair spying on your boss and an employee of his through the tiniest of windows, and not re-typing your shoddy reports, you think that Lindsay will be able to win him over?"

Flack was stretched lazily across a desk, gazing at the two CSI's with an amused expression.

"Of course she will. I hope." Stella plonked herself down into a chair and turned to face Danny.

"So what did you see Danny?"

"Well," Danny walked over to the water cooler and pulled the lever. The soft sound of water trickling into a polystyrene cup filled the otherwise empty office. He picked up the cup, downed its contents in one and sighed.

"She was sitting opposite him at his desk and they were talking."

"Well that was worth the build up," Stella sighed and allowed her head to flop onto her outstretched arms.

"I….er….," Lindsay looked at her boss nervously. This was harder than she had thought it would be.

"I just wondered if you were ok."

Mac looked at her.

"Ok?"

"Yeah. It's just….you seem kinda…..miserable." Lindsay frowned at her own choice of words.She was about to continue when she notices the confused expression on Mac's face.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not that in a bad way.. I…er..," she gave up.

"You know, I'm actually not surprised you noticed," was all he said.

"Well, you did seem kinda uptight back there in the offices."

Mac picked up a pen on his desk and began to fiddle with it.

Lindsay decided to probe a bit further, worried by Mac's absentminded behavior.

"Is everything alright? Only, you are always telling me that I can talk to you if I need to, and it works both ways…"

Mac looked up at her from his pen.

"What are you doing for Christmas?" He asked her.

She was slightly taken aback at his odd question.

"Er….nothing much, why?"

"Who are you spending it with?" He now had an almost angry expression on his face.

Lindsay didn't know what to say.

"Mac I really don't know where this is going, what's wrong?"

He stared at her for a while, and then looked at a photo on his desk.

"No, it doesn't matter…..I'm sorry…"

It suddenly dawned on Lindsay why Mac was so unhappy.

"Are you all alone for Christmas?" She hadn't meant it to come out like that.

Mac didn't look up from the photo, but turned it around so that Lindsay could see it.

"That's my sister. She lives in Australia. Long way away, Australia."

Lindsay paused.

"And there's no-one else?"

Mac didn't answer.

Lindsay picked up the photo and studied it.

"She's pretty," was all she could think of to say.

"So this talking thing, does it work?" Mac asked quietly.

Lindsay placed the photo frame back on the desk and turned it to face him.

"Wanna find out?" she smiled sympathetically.

"Ok you lot, I think that is sufficient punishment for the load of crap I wasted an hour reading."

Mac gave the go ahead for the tired and extremely grumpy CSIs to go home. Flack whooped, but on seeing Mac's face he decided it was best to leave quietly. Danny winked at Lindsay and slung his bag over his shoulder, following Flack out of the office, closely followed by Stella. Then it was just Mac and Lindsay.

Mac leant against a doorframe and sighed.

"Thanks," he said, looking at the ground. Lindsay looked up from her desk.

"What for?"

"I haven't been able to say any of that stuff about Claire… or my sister to anyone for a long time. You were right, it did help."

Linday smiled.

"Does this mean I get let off writing the report again?"

Mac chuckled.

"Yeah, about that. I didn't do it just now because they wanted to get home, but I will apologize to everyone tomorrow. It was wrong of me to take my problems out on you guys, and I really am sorry."

Mac was standing opposite Lindsay now, a sorrowful smile on his face.

"Mac everyone does that sometimes. Don't worry about it. Besides, those guys are pretty understanding, You have to be in this job."

"I guess. Is that why they sent you in to try to win me over?" Mac said, leaning against Lindsay's desk.

She blushed.

"Yeah. Did it work?"

Mac looked thoughtful.

"Want me to walk you home?" he said, smiling.

"Take that as a yes then. I'll get my coat."

The two of them got ready to leave the office and brave the midnight streets of New York, but they did it smiling, each of them thinking of the other.

More fun to come on the way home……