Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or the songs.

Rating: K

Author's note: This was in response to a fanfic challenge on another site. The setting of a karaoke night and the songs used were part of the challenge, so credit goes to Kennedy for that part!!! I had to take up this challenge because I love Karaoke. My signature songs? Strawberry Wine and Crazy for You. It was written quickly, so don't be mad if you find typos. Here goes:

KARAOKE NIGHT!!!

No one had believed that Sid Hammerbeck would find the COD for the ancient corpse found rotting in an abandoned warehouse slated for demolition. No flesh remained, and the man had met his maker at least 50 years ago.

Peyton was chomping at the bit to get at the skeletal remains, but Hammerbeck insisted on having a go at Skeletor, as the staff had chosen to call him.

"I don't know Sid - this is her specialty," Hawkes warned. Mac, Lindsay, Adam and Danny all nodded their agreement.

"Doubters! All of you! Tell you what - I find the cause of death, and we're all going out Friday night - to the place of my choice!" Chuckling, the crew agreed, and Hammerbeck agreed to buy lunch for the next two weeks if he lost.

Two hours later, a triumphant Hammerbeck held up the file with the results: Arsenic poisoning. The substance could be traced through human hair - and Skeletor still had some of that. Long story short? Hammerbeck won the bet. Peyton pouted, but the rest of the gang - including Flack - agreed to go wherever their shifty ME decided to take them.

NYNYNYNYNY

"Kamatsu's Karaoke Kingdom?" Don Flack's voice was incredulous. The rest of the team looked on in horror.

"Oh, c'mon, it'll be fun!" Hammerbeck cheerfully strolled to the entrance, his posse reluctantly following.

"Yeah, like the root canal I had last week," Danny grumbled.

"Hey, it might be fun, after a few drinks, anyway," Stella smiled good-naturedly.

An hour later, Stella, the aforementioned drinks in her system soothing her nerves, pulled a balking Lindsay Monroe with her.

"Lady Marmalade? Stella! What about an easy bar song, like Friends in Low Places?"

"You're not in Montana anymore, Dorothy, come on," Stella laughed, dragging her.

Lindsay muttered her way through the "Hey sister, go sister, soul sister" stuff, but despite her best efforts, she began to get caught up in the song. By the end, she and Stella were hamming it up.

"Gitchie, gitchie, ya ya da da …" Lindsay jiggled and shimmied across the small stage while Stella freak-danced with a delighted Hammerbeck. Flack whistled appreciatively, Hawkes laughed so hard he was choking on his salsa and chips, and Mac – well, all Mac could do was stare at his female CSIs in wonder.

"Wow, just – wow," he muttered, eliciting a chuckle from Danny.

"Gotta say, Mac, never heard you say wow before, but …" Danny drew in a breath as Lindsay grooved her lithe body. "It definitely fits."

The ladies soon rejoined them amidst much applause. Everyone was chatting animatedly, except for Stella, who snuck over to fill out another song request. She resumed her seat, a sly smile on her face.

"Stella! What did you do?" Lindsay whispered.

"You'll see," her friend replied, a secretive smile on her lips.

"Thanks Dr. Hammerbeck – I don't think I've ever heard To All the Girls I've Loved Before sung quite that way before," said the announcer, patting Sid's back as he left the stage. "All right ladies and gentleman! Now you're in for a real treat! Singing Buttons by the Pussycat Dolls are our own crazy CSIs, Danny, Mac and Don! Let's hear it!"

"Stella! Did you do this?" Everyone – even Danny and Flack – were shocked to see the utter fear in Mac's bugged-out eyes.

"What's wrong, big boss man, you afraid?" The curly-haired Greek taunted.

"Our fearless leader? No way!" Danny shouted. Several rum and cokes had made him quite slaphappy. With assistance from Flack, who had chugged several beers, they dragged Mac to the stage.

They mumbled and grunted their way through the first chorus of "I'm telling you loosen up my buttons baby, but you keep fronting, saying what you going to do to me, but I ain't seen nothing … "

Soon, the cheering crowd had Danny and Flack getting into the music, however, much to the delight of Stella, who promptly jumped onto the table. Hawkes continued to choke on his food while Lindsay could only watch in amazement as Danny took center stage.

"Typical …Hardly the type I fall for …I'm likin' the physical …Don't leave me askin' for more …" Danny's Staten Island accent was clear as ever.

Lindsay gasped. Was Danny really unbuttoning his shirt? And did he really just sing that he was a sexy Mama? She shook her head. What bizarro world was she in? Whatever it was, Danny looked really cute when he danced … and that chest! Damn.

"Take it off, Danny boy!" Stella howled nearby. Danny was suddenly shoved aside by an equally inebriated Flack.

"You been saying all the right things all night long …but I can't seem to get you over here to help take this off …" Flack's hideously stripped tie came off and he threw it in the air.

"I'll help you take it off, honey!" A big-haired woman rushed the stage, held back only by her mortified daughter.

"I'm telling you loosen up my buttons baby … But you keep fronting …Saying what you going to do to me …But I ain't seen nothing …" Flack and Danny were sang together while pulling Mac to the front of the stage. Despite their best efforts, he refused to sing. Finally, Stella had had enough.

She shoved both younger men aside, grabbed one of their mikes and started singing to a startled Mac. "You say you're a big boy but I can't agree …'cause the love you said you had ain't been put on me …I wonder if I'm just too much for you …wonder …if my kiss don't make you just wonder what I got next for you …

The next lyrics were forgotten as Stella grabbed Mac by his tie and planted a firm kiss on his lips. Danny and Flack stood on the sidelines and gawked as the crowd cheered. Soon, they recovered, and provided the backup music.

"I'm telling you loosen up my buttons baby but you keep fronting …saying what you going to do to me but I ain't seen nothing …"

Mr. Kamatsu ended the song early, and a grateful Mac hurried off the stage, dragging Stella with him. The two exchanged heated words at the end of the crew's long table while the rest of them tried not to listen. A few unfortunate warblers took their turn on the stage. Then, Mr. Kamatsu called up Adam.

"This young man has a special dedication to someone he cares about."

A drunk Adam stumbled up and Danny shook his head. "Oh, naw, this can't be good."

"Um, Det. Taylor is the best boss ever. I love him like a dad … and I just had to let him know."

The group was all open-mouthed in shock and horror as Adam began to sing Wind Beneath My Wings. Mac groaned, head clunking his head on the table.

"See! I knew this could be fun," cackled Hammerbeck. Lindsay was laughing along with him when she felt a tug at her arm.

"You ready to blow this pop stand?" Danny grinned at her. "I'll drive you home - or get you a cab, actually. I've had quite a few."

A sober Lindsay might have said no, but a tipsy Lindsay was able to put her intentions of a professional relationship aside for the moment. They chatted on the way home, about life, the evening, how long it would take Mac to kick Peyton to the curb. At her building, Danny walked Lindsay to her door.

"So … I'll see ya tomorrow?"

"Ummm … why don't you come in for a moment?" She led him inside.

"Montana? Ya know, you said you wanted to just do our jobs? Is this part of it?"

"Maybe … I've been thinking, Danny. You have a choice with your past … either learn from it or let it cage you. I don't want to be in a cage Danny." She closed the door and leaned against it.

"Good to know, Montana. What does this mean for us? You don't wanna just do our jobs?"

"Well … I do have one job in mind for you." Lindsay sauntered up to him.

Danny licked his lips. "What's that?"

"Loosen up my buttons, baby."

And so he did.

The END