Disclaimer: I do not own any of the CSI NY characters, but Zoey is all mine!
A/N: So, I really feel bad about the cliffhanger I left. So here is an update. I was up early yesterday morning, class doesn't start until 1, and my brother owed me, so I made him do my morning chores I kinda got carried away with this chapter…oops!
kasmith101 – Flack is a good daddy, eh? More DL is on its way…not this chapter as much, but the next one!
Aemie – I know, the end was terrible ;) Leaving you guys with a cliffhanger, I felt really bad…oops!
AkimaDoll – I know, cliffhangers not fair, sorry!
Trixie7 – Hm, if I'd known you were going on holidays, I wouldn't have been so mean! Hope you enjoy then though!
wingsofabutterfly86 – here's what happens next!
xbexyboox – Thanks!
chili-peppers – I love fatherly Flack too. Lindsay is moving in with Danny…and that's not all…
bretam3 – Here is the next chapter, as quick as I could! Just because you asked ;) I don't want it to end either, I've got a whole bunch more things I wanna do with the characters…
PenguinGoddess – Sorry about leaving you guys hanging, but glad you're being patient about it
pucktofaerie – Kids actually think so simply like that, it's great. I wish it could always be that simple!
snowbear96 – do you really think I could be that mean and let Zoey die? Nah, that's way too much angst for my liking!
Becky – Here is more…again, I apologize for the cliffhanger ;)
demolished-soul – You will find out what's up with Zoey now…
The Little Corinthian – Parents, I think their goal is to embarrass their children. Good that he stuck around though ;) Wednesdays off is a very good idea. Works for me too, since I have early class Thursday mornings anyways…teehee, yes, a new level of insanity has been reaches…nice…Sexy daddy indeed, Danny too, very yummy. Drooling is allowed, as long as you clean up after yourself
dddynamite – I had to have some action…can't be fluffy and happy all the time ;) I promise though, I will make sure to have a happy ending!
DistractedlyHere – A litte scary actually, there was a shooting at a CEGEP (university prep school in Quebec) a couple days after I wrote that. Gave me chills listening to it on the radio and seeing the footage on the news
Chapter 10
It was absolute chaos when they arrived at Zoey's school. The medics were treating kids who looked battered and bruised, but Lindsay didn't see any gunshot wounds. She started to look around for Zoey. She spotted Flack's dad over by the SWAT truck; surely he would know where Zoey was. Flack obviously thought the same, because he started walking towards him.
Donald looked at the two detectives coming towards him and grimaced. They were not going to like this at all.
"Dad?" Flack asked his hopes instantly dashed upon seeing his father's face.
"She's inside Don." He turned to face Lindsay. "We are trying to establish a direct line to the classroom. From what we've gotten so far, the shooter is after another student. Zoey refused to leave. I'm assuming to protect the kid."
"Fuck Zoey!" Flack said angrily as he ran his hand through his hair nervously.
"Easy Flack." Lindsay soothed. "It's not going to help things to be pissed."
"She's right Junior. You are too involved, you need to stay out of the way, and let us work."
"Sir, the line is connected." A tech told Donald.
"Stay here Junior. I'll keep you updated." He said before ducking into the van.
Two hours later, little progress had been made. Well, in Flack's opinion anyways. The shooter, Murray, had released all the hostages except the one he wanted. And Zoey. She refused to leave. Flack was pissed…at the shooter, and SWAT for not just busting in…and Zoey for staying.
Flack's thoughts were interrupted by the phone in the van ringing. He and Lindsay both got up to listen in.
"Captain Flack." Donald answered.
"Donald. It's Zoey. I need a favour." She said nervously.
"Ok? Is everything ok?" he asked glancing at Flack and Lindsay. He motioned for the techs to get them headsets to listen in. Flack's breath caught when he heard Zoey's voice.
"It's ok. I'm fine, we are fine. No one is going to do anything they might regret."
"Zoey, we need to get you out of there." Donald started.
"No, you don't. But I need you to get someone to pick Ryan up at school."
"Fine, we'll take care of it. Can we talk to Murray?"
"He doesn't want to talk. Is Don there?"
"He is."
"Tell him not to worry so much." She forced a small chuckle.
"I don't think that's possible, but I'll make sure he tried. We'll take care of Ryan. You sure Murray won't talk?"
There was the sound of a struggle on the other end of the line. Flack heard Zoey starting to protest, and then some harsh words from a male, then the line fell silent.
Donald tried to call back right away, but there was no answer. He sighed. "Can we have someone get Ryan?" he asked Lindsay. It was no use talking to Flack; he was already out of the van pacing around.
"I'll go." Danny volunteered. "I know where to get him."
"Alright. Take him home, we'll call you if anything changes." Donald said nodding.
"Will do." Danny said before he turned to walk to a car.
About an hour after Danny left, the phone rang again. This time it was the shooter.
"Captain Flack."
"I want a helicopter and a million bucks." He demanded.
Flack scoffed. Who the hell is this guy?
"I'll look into it, but you need to show be an act of good faith Murray. Release the hostages, and we'll talk."
"I'd release Ms Connors, but she won't leave Drew, and he's not going anywhere. I'll call back in 20. Helicopter and money." With that he hung up.
"There is no way he's getting that." Donald said gravely.
True to his word, he called back 20 minutes later. "Where's my chopper?"
"I need those hostages Murray." Donald said calmly. "Let them go and-." He was cut off by the sound of a struggle and Zoey yelling in the background. Suddenly the sound of two shots echoed though the phoneline. Flack's face paled.
"Murray? Murray! What happened?" Donald yelled into the phone. All he got in response was the phone hanging up.
Donald turned and yelled outside the van. "SWAT! Let's go, prepare to enter!" Flack watched helplessly as everyone scrambled around him.
The phone rang again. Donald motioned for Lindsay to answer.
"Detective Monroe."
"Oh thank God. Lindsay!"
"Zoey! What happened? Are you okay?" she panicked. Flack motioned for SWAT to hold there positions.
"We are coming out. Drew's coming first. He was shot in the arm. He's coming out now, ok?"
"Ok, hold on." Lindsay motioned to Flack.
"Hostage coming out!" Flack bellowed from the van. He watched as the school doors swung open and the kid came running out.
"Don's there?" he heard Zoey ask.
Lindsay chuckled. "You can tell by hearing him yell in the background?"
"Is he mad? Probably?" she asked.
"He's worried. But would probably skin Murray is he had the chance, ya." Lindsay smiled.
"Ok, well we are coming out. He's not armed, make sure you tell them."
"Ok, we're waiting."
Flack watched the door nervously. It opened slowly as Zoey walked out with the guy right behind her. She was holding the gun, and quickly put it on the ground. SWAT went dashing towards them. He could hear Zoey yelling for them not to hurt Murray. It took two SWAT officers to pull her away.
She burst into tears the second she saw Flack. He pulled her into a hug as she cried into his chest. They must have stood there for ten minutes before she spoke. "I want to go home." She told him.
He nodded. "Ok, let's go."
Once they got into the car. She spoke again. "Ryan?"
"Danny and Lindsay are going to take him, then he'll go to my parents, is that ok?" he asked.
She nodded silently and stared out the window.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"She alright?" Katherine's voice asked nervously through the phone.
Flack sighed. "Honestly Ma, I don't know. She won't say much. She's taking a bath now."
"Ok, but she's not hurt."
"No." he answered."
"Thank goodness. Ryan's here. We just told him she wasn't feeling well."
"Thanks Ma."
"Go take care of her Donnie."
He sighed as he hung up the phone. He stared at the bathroom door before he decided to go for broke. "Zoey?" he asked knocking on the door. "Can I come in?"
"Uh, I'm in the tub Don. I'm not decent." She said with a slight teasing tone in her voice. He was relieved that she was attempting to be humorous.
"I've seen it before, remember?" he smiled.
"That was different! Just a minute. Let me strategically place the bubbles…" she giggled. "Ok, you can come in."
He opened the door. He tried not to stare, but it was hard. "You, uh, ok?" he asked as he sat on the toilet.
"I just….I dunno. He was my student. How could I not've seen it Don?" she asked.
"Don't do that to yourself Zoey. What happened today had nothing to do with you. There was nothing you could have done." He told her.
"It's just; I feel there is something I could have done." She sighed.
"I don't want you to teach in Harlem anymore." He blurted out.
She narrowed her eyes and stared at him.
"Zoey, its dangerous." He pleaded with her. He knew he'd struck a nerve with her.
"Well, too bad. It's my job." She stated as she stood up in the tub. "Towel." She demanded her earlier shyness of exposing herself gone.
Flack paused for a brief moment, taking in the sight before him. He unconsciously licked his lips. He didn't have time to react before she stepped out of the tub and slapped him across the face. "Don't you dare check me out right now." She fumed.
'Holy shit' he sighed rubbing his cheek. "Zoey, I…"
"No. You know what?" she started as she wrapped herself in a towel. "I'll stop working in Harlem, when you stop dealing with criminals." She said walking out of the bathroom to her bedroom.
Don jumped up to follow her. "That's not the same!" he exclaimed, his cheek still stinging.
"Look. You have no say. We aren't married or engaged. We don't have any kids together. You have nothing on me." She shot back.
"Fine! So if we got married, or had a kid, you'd listen to me?" he asked, almost daring her.
She regarded him for a moment. "Ya, I would. I'd consider it."
"Ok, then let's do it." He exclaimed.
Zoey looked at him in surprised. "What?" she asked quietly.
"Let's do it. Get married, have kids. Although, technically, we already have one." He pointed out.
Tears started forming in her eyes. "Are you serious Don? Because you can't just take it back in a week. We've only been together 4 months." She started to cry.
"Zoey, I'm serious. Jesus, today when you were in there, it was horrible. I kept thinking how I would tell Ryan. I can't lose you guys." He said hugging her.
"Married? Are you serious?" she asked.
"If you'll stop working in Harlem." He stated. "Actually, I probably would anyways." He laughed.
"Ok, let's compromise. I'll stop working in Harlem when I'm pregnant." She smiled, thinking it would give her another couple years. After all, Flack had admitted he was scared.
"The second you find out." He agreed. "And we start trying now."
She pulled back and looked up at him. "Are you serious?"
"Totally."
She squealed with happiness and jumped up, wrapping her legs around his waist.
"Don't you want to see the ring first?" he laughed.