Don shuffled along silently in the rain, not blinking as rain spilled into his eyes. He didn't care that his suit was soaking wet or that his pants were muddy as sin. All he could think about was actually getting to work in once piece. Why was this happening to him now of all times? He'd wanted to let Mac know he was ready to come back on the job. Not convince him he was a bumbling idiot.

" HEY! GET OUTTA MY WAY!" Don was suddenly rammed with a bike in the back and he cried out as a car sped by and splashed muddy murky water unto him. He groaned, glaring at the kid and the car.

" LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE!" He suddenly yelled. The kid, who looked about nine or ten, looked up at him, her blue eyes filling with tears as she ran to a woman.

" MOMMY! HE YELLED AT ME!" The little girl pointed at Don and Don groaned.

" No, Ma'am.. I'm sorry.. It's just that she slammed her bike into me and I'm having a bad day.."

The woman was a fiery looking red-head who walked swiftly to Don and began beating him with her purse. " YOU DON'T EVER TOUCH MY CHILD AGAIN!"

" OW!" Don jumped back and glared after the woman who glared back, took her child and hailed walked angrily away. " Damn it.." He muttered, rubbing his eyes and starting to walk again.

CSI:NY

" Find out where Don was?" Lindsay looked up from her file as Danny dropped down at his desk. Danny, who was grinning, just nodded.

" Yeah.. He'll be here soon. If you see Mac, let him know. I got some lab results waiting." Danny got back up from his desk again and Lindsay watched him go.

" Sure." She sighed, going back to her papers.

CSI:NY

It was another hour before Don finally shuffled into the crime lab, dripping water and looking like an angry wet cat. Mac emerged from his office and stared at Don, his expression tight from having to keep from laughing.

" Did you walk here?" The older man asked.

Don nodded.

" What happened to your truck?"

" Wrecked."

" And you didn't call anyone because…?"

" Cell phone's broke."

Mac chuckled. Danny and Lindsay had told him the story, and now there was probably even more to it. " Why don't you just sit down, get some coffee and warm up? If I need you I'll let you know."

Don was too tired to argue. He just nodded and walked slowly to his desk.

Author's Note : Well, Don finally made it to work. Now what'll happen there?