Disclaimer: I am not Anthony Zuiker, Ann Donahue or Carol Mendelsohn. All the characters of CSI: NY are not mine…I'm just borrowing them for a little bit. I promise that I will put them back, exactly the way I found them when I'm done….Oh, Cory Reid is mine and I will take credit for anything she does. :)

A/N: The song is "My Immortal" by Evanescence.

Chapter 4.

Ray's

Cory and Flack were silent in the car on the way to Ray's. Flack kept looking at her, concerned about her apparent unease. She was lost in thought, thinking about James.

"Cory? We're here."

Silently, they got out of the car. Flack held the door to the bar open for her then followed her in. On auto pilot, she scanned the room, noticing that the bar offered Karaoke. She jumped a little when Flack touched her arm. "The gang's over there." Flack pointed to a group of people in a quiet and out of the way corner of the bar. Flack led the way to the group of tables.

"Hey Flack. Hey Cory," Danny and Lindsay said in unison.

Flack responded enthusiastically, but Cory was more subdued.

Cory looked at the tall, good-looking black man sitting at the table with the rest of the gang. Flack introduced him as Dr. Sheldon Hawkes. "Recently converted from medical examiner to CSI."

Lindsay looked at Cory. "Are you alright?"

Cory smiled at her. "I'm fine. I just hate funerals. I need a drink."

Danny signaled for the waitress to come over. The waitress looked at Flack and asked, "The usual?" He nodded in return. She looked at Cory. "Haven't seen you here before. What can I getcha, hon?"

Cory smiled, she knew she was about to shock at least one person. "Whiskey Sour, please."

"You drink whiskey, Feebie?" Danny looked at her in shock.

"I'm from Texas, Messer. I know I can hold my liquor better than you can." Without even stopping to think, Cory issued the challenge.

"You think you can drink me under the table, Feebie?"

Cory shot back, "Not think. Know." Cory looked at the others around the table. "Wanna make this a bet?"

Danny, trying to look nonchalant, replied, "100 bucks."

Cory smiled. "Fine. Anyone else want in on this action?"

Lindsay and Stella looked at each other. At Lindsay's nod, Stella replied, "We gotta 100 bucks that say that you take him down, Cory."

Flack and Hawkes quickly threw their support behind Danny. Mac just looked at everyone and said, "I'm not taking that bet."

Cory pulled out a 100 bill and put it on the table. "Ante up. Mac, you're in charge of the money. How many drinks have you had so far Messer?"

Mac was the one that answered. "He's had two beers."

"Then I've got some catchin' up to do."

--

A few hours later, Lindsay watched as Cory started on her fourth whisky sour. She was amazed. Cory was still acting like she was sober. Danny, on the other had, was clearly a little tipsy. She figured that both had consumed about the same amount of alcohol.

Danny was feeling a little light-headed but he was determined not to lose. "Hey…Feebie. Truth or dare?"

Cory looked at him in amazement. "Excuse me?"

"Ya heard me. Truth or Dare?"

Cory rolled her eyes. "Dare."

Danny was shocked. He'd expected her to say truth. Crap. Now I have to think of a dare. He thought quickly and then remembered that the bar had Karaoke. "I dare you to go up a sing a song."

Cory eyed him. "Ok." She got up and made her way to the DJ stand. Danny watched as she leaned close to the DJ and then grabbed a microphone. She walked to the stage and stood in the center.

The music already playing came to an end and the DJ announced her.

As the lights dimmed around the rest of the bar, soft strains of a piano being played came on.

"I'm so tired of being here."

At the sound of Cory's slightly breathy voice, Danny looked up in shock.

"Suppressed by all my childish fears.

And if you have to leave.

I wish that you would just leave.

'Cuz your presence still lingers here.

And it won't leave me alone.

These wounds won't seem to heal.

This pain is just too real.

There's just too much that time can not erase.

When you cried, I'd wiped away all of your tears.

When you scream, I'd fight away all of your fears.

I held you hand through all of these years.

You still have…all of me…"

The group at the table was stunned. Cory had a beautiful voice.

"You used to captivate me by your resonating mind.

Now I'm bound by the life you left behind.

Your face, it haunts, my once pleasant dreams.

Your voice, it chased away, all the sanity in me.

When you cried, I'd wiped away all of your tears.

When you scream, I'd fight away all of your fears.

I held you hand through all of these years.

You still have…all of me.

I tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone.

But thought you're still with me.

I've been alone all along.

When you cried, I'd wiped away all of your tears.

When you scream, I'd fight away all of your fears.

I held you hand through all of these years.

You still have…all of me….

Me…

Me…"

Cory had been so lost in the song that when the applause broke out it startled her. She looked up in shock as people were giving her a standing ovation. She walked back to the DJ booth and returned the microphone.

"Darling," the DJ said. "You can come up and sing anytime you want."

"Thank you." Cory felt her cheeks flush in embarrassment. She picked her way back to the table she was sitting at with words of praise following her.

When she sat down at the table, she noticed everyone staring at her in shock. "What? I'm in the choir at my church back home." She shrugged and looked at Danny. "So, Messer. Truth or Dare?" She had a twinkle in her eye when she asked that.

Danny looked like he couldn't form a complete sentence. "What?"

"Truth or Dare?"

"Um…dare."

"I dare you to do a shot with me."

"A shot? That's all?" At Cory's nod yes, he agreed.

Cory got back up to go the bar. Lindsay and Stella followed her. "What was that song that you sang?" Lindsay asked.

"It's called "My Immortal" by Evanescence. It was the only song I think I could have sung on short notice."

Stella responded, "It was beautiful. You were really into the music. It's such a sad song."

"Yeah. Usually I sing something more upbeat when I do Karaoke, but with how today was I just wasn't in the mood for upbeat."

She got up to the bar and waited for the bartender to make his way over to her.

When the bartender made his way down to the three women he smiled. "You sounded amazing on the stage and more people are ordering drinks after you sang."

Cory blushed. "Thanks."

The bartender winked at her. "I'm Greg, by the way. Haven't seen you in here before. You a new cop?"

"I'm Cory. Do I look like a cop?"

Greg tried to backpedal a little, afraid that he had offended her. "No…not really…"

Cory interrupted him by laughing. "I'm an FBI agent. It's alright. I'd like to get a couple of shots."

"Sure. What do you want?"

Cory thought for a moment. "Do you know what a Fade to Black is?" Greg shook his head no. "It has Jagermeister, Bicardi 151 and Goldschlager."

Greg raised his eyebrows. "Ya sure ya want that?"

"Yes. It's a dare. Messer over there dared me to sing Karaoke so I dared him to do a shot with me. We have a hundred bucks riding on who can hold their liquor better. I don't lose."

"Awight, then. Two shots comin' up."

As Greg made the drinks, Stella turned to Cory. "Are you going to be ok? Those are so pretty strong liquors."

"Just make sure someone gets us home ok. I'm not exactly sure how this will hit me after everything I've had to drink tonight. I only hope that it hits Messer harder."

Greg came back with the drinks. "Here you go. Two…what did you call it?"

"Fade to Black. Thanks."

Carefully, Cory carried the shots back to the table.

--

While the girls were at the bar, Mac studied Danny carefully, taking note of how drunk he seemed to be. "How ya holding up, Danny?" he asked.

"I have ta tell ya, boss. I think I'm drunk. Plastered. I can't think and she's…she's fine?"

Both Flack and Mac started to laugh. "She's not only fine, but she flirting with the bartender right now," Flack managed to get out.

Danny quickly turned around, only to grab for the table because he was off balance.

Mac's tone grew serious. "Danny, after this shot, I think you should get home. And pass out."

Danny didn't even try to argue. "K, boss."

Flack was watching as the women started their way back to the table. "Danny. Come on, man. Pull it together. I don't want to lose a hundred bucks because you got drunk under the table by a girl! Here they come. Pull it together, Man!"

Cory walked up to the table. "Here ya go, Messer. One shot. By the way, when we get done with this, I'm going home. I've been up almost 20 hours."

Danny eyed the drink warily. "What is this?"

"It's called a Fade to Black." Cory raised her glass, "Sláinte!" With that she downed the shot.

"Was that French again, Feebie?"

Cory put the shot glass back on the table. "No, it was Gaelic. Just drink your shot Messer. Or do you want to call it quits and let me win the bet?"

"I ain't no quitter!" Danny quickly down the shot.

A couple of minutes passed as Cory said her goodbye's to the group. "Well, I'm goin' home now."

Flack and Mac protested to this. "You're a single woman, who despite her constitution just consumed enough alcohol to drop a horse. You are not going home alone!" Flack said.

"Ya wanna protect me Flack?" She raised her eyebrows. "Fine, you can walk me home. I live about a block from here." She looked up in time to see Danny stagger out of his chair.

"Flack? What about Messer? How's he goin' get home? He can't drive."

Flack looked at Danny thoughtfully. "I'd take him, but tomorrow is his off day and I still have to work. He would have no way to get his car." Hawkes, Mac, Stella and Lindsay all nodded in agreement.

Cory thought for a moment. "What about if you bring him to my place? He can just pass out on my couch and since I'm so close to here, he can just walk over here tomorrow."

"Why you guys talking about me as if I'm not here? I am capable of making my own decisions. I can drive myself home."

Mac took a stand at this. "No. Danny you are way to drunk to drive. Give me your keys right now." Mac looked sternly at Danny, willing him to come to his senses. "Cory, I think the idea of letting him crash on your couch is a good one. Flack, take them both to her house."

--

By the time Flack, Danny and Cory had gotten to her apartment it was almost 2am. Danny was starting to feel the effects of the Fade to Black and couldn't walk in a straight line.

Cory was starting to get worried about Danny. He's really drunk. I shouldn't have gotten him the Fade to Black. I should have stuck to Tequila. Damn me. I'm way to damn competitive for my own good.

Cory looked back over her shoulder as Flack helped Danny navigate the stairs. She opened the door to her apartment and left it open so that it would not interfere with the guys progress.

"Flack. Just get him to the couch." Cory was walking toward her closet where she kept extra blankets and pillows, just in case. When she got back to the living room, Danny was sitting on the couch. She put the blanket and pillow on the couch and then made her way to her kitchen.

"Do you want some coffee or something, Flack?" She called out to him.

"Coffee's good. I think Danny here could use some, too."

Cory put the coffee on to percolate and grabbed a two glasses for water. She filled one up and reaching into her cabinet and got out some ibuprofen. Quickly she swallowed two tablets, trying to stave off the hang-over headache. She grabbed some more and the other glass of water and walked into the living room where she saw Danny sitting with his eyes closed.

"Messer. Hey! Messer! Don't pass out on me yet." Danny opened his eyes. "Here. Take these." She handed him the pills and the glass of water. Without a word he swallowed the pills.

Flack looked at her in speculation. "What did you just give him?"

"Relax, Flack. It's just ibuprofen. It will help to minimize the hang-over in the morning. I'd better go get the coffee." She stood up, but swayed when she got standing.

Flack grabbed her arm to steady her. "You ok?"

"Yeah. The last shot is just hitting me now. Let me get you the coffee."

"Cory. That's ok. Let me just get Danny fixed on the couch and I'll leave so you can go to bed."

Flack quickly maneuvered Danny so that he was lying down. He covered him with the blanket and watched as Cory walked back into the room with a bucket.

"What's that bucket for?"

"In case he has to hurl during the night. I don't want puke all over my apartment." Cory turned to Danny. "Messer? Can you hear me?"

Danny replied sleepily, "What?"

"I put a bucket on the floor by your head. If you need to throw up in the middle of the night, use that."

"K." With those words Danny passed out.

Flack looked at how exhausted Cory looked and took pity on her. Without a word he walked into her kitchen and fixed himself some coffee in a travel mug that she had set out. He turned off the coffee pot after he had filled up the mug.

"Cory. Get to bed. I'm borrowing your travel mug, but I'll give it back to you when I see you again."

Cory didn't argue. She just followed Flack to the door and said good-bye. After she had locked the door, she turned out the lights, walked into her room and fell into the bed. She was asleep before she could remember to change into pajamas.

Axellia-Glad you delurked! i must confess i'm the same way! btw-i love the way you write as well...i am a die hard DL shipper too and that's how this story started but my muse had different ideas...i've learned to go along with her or she'll leave me again! as per who the insider is...my muse has not told even me yet!

pnkrckprncss- is is good or bad that you're hooked? i definitely check out Something Corporate!

chili-peppers, danielle,-thanks! glad y'all are keeping up!