As Mac had woke up Rebecca after another hour, he smiled as they all were on their way back to the apartment that Rebecca had and she looked to be relieved. Hawkes had been warned she was coming back later so he was waiting for them. "Hey," he greeted smiling at her and walking ahead with her. Stella and Mac gave Hawkes a look which he rolled his eyes at. Stella had assured Rebecca they'd take the stairs so the two of them could talk. "Mac really took you out of there quickly."

"For good reasons. He wanted to know what I hadn't talked about yet and I'm still not done. We just agreed to keep it quiet until after dinner. I know you'd want to hear as well and I understand that, but for now? I want just one person to be let in."

"It's when you're ready to tell me that I want to know. Not before," he answered smiling at her and she chuckled at that with a blush. Hawkes had seen what all his colleagues teased him about. He was the first man to get her to smile and blush constantly. "Now this could just be me getting ridiculous, but does it bother you?" She glanced at him confused. "You can call me crazy. But dating a man of color?"

"No. It doesn't. Sheldon Hawkes, I didn't fall in love with you for how you look. I fell in love because of your personality," she began looking at him before they got out of the elevator. "I loved you for the caring personality you have to everyone. You don't care what side people are on, if someone's hurt you want to treat them. That was the reason you were someone to fall in love with. Not your skin," she warned before walking into her apartment before leaving the door open a crack as she saw Mac and Stella approaching. "Did you BYOC?"

"Nope," he answered and she looked at him shocked. "I'm thinking you might give me a glass," he began and she chuckled at him. Mac and Stella were being nonchalant in watching over them and watched as Rebecca was doing things she hadn't ever done before. She looked to be at home for once and enjoying a life of her own that didn't revolve around fear.

"You still thinking she needs to come back?" Stella was genuinely curious about where Mac's head was at. He nodded at her as he could tell Rebecca's eyes were looking for certain words to come out of their mouths and she was lip reading. "She looks to be healing."

"Hawkes is a great person for her to date, to be sure. But it doesn't change that we have a little girl with so much trauma that it's a volcano waiting to burst. She needs to get herself into a better place before we worry about letting her live her own life," he warned.

"Will we all be talking, or is it just you two?" Stella was just curious and Mac gave her a look that made Stella chuckle. "Thought so, but I wanted to be sure. After all, that's someone that I've always been helping. She's family," Stella reminded.

"I know and I think she's starting to see that. That she has a family. A healthy one." As Mac noticed the food was ready to go in the oven she took off into her room and he glanced over to Hawkes. "As your boss, hurt her? You'll wish I wasn't able to assign your scenes," he began and Hawkes looked at him shocked. "As someone who's spent almost a year with her undercover? Hurt her and you'll see what Marine training is capable of," he warned.

"Noted," Hawkes answered. As they watched Rebecca walk out they all had to look shocked as she was in black baggy pants and a long sleeve bergundy top. "You really meant it. You weren't going to wear anything that chafed."

"Not with the bandages. When do I lose them again? As in actually lose them?"

"Whenever Aubrey says you can. She said the fact that you aren't resorting to your heavier painkillers as she's tracking down if you fill that prescription? It's a good sign. But I'm wondering if you actually need them and are just denying yourself that right," Mac answered.

"I will not become like them," she responded closing her eyes and Mac noted a tear was forming. "I can't be like them," she responded before throwing the appetizers in the oven as she was seasoning the meat. "Appetizers will be ready by the time everyone arrives and then I can put the food on," she promised.

"You aren't like them. You already proved that," Stella answered looking at her. She ignored the comment and Mac instantly was able to see what Rebecca always tried to prove while she was at work and why she wanted to still work the case.

"You want to put your family behind you. Once and for all," Mac accused and she glanced back at him shocked. "You don't interrogate Talon unless needed because it's textbook, but you still want to work with evidence pertaining to Terrence Prescott. Meaning this case might be what you are looking for in your own way. Closure."

"I want to move on. Once and for all. No more putting it on the back burner," she responded. As the door opened she looked at Mac and shook her head and the three of the CSIs knew what she was hinting at. No more talking about her past. "Was wondering if you were coming Flack," she teased and he chuckled hugging her before Sam walked in and rushed her. "You always manage to get me like that."

"Well it's usually her or me. So take your pick little Mac," a voice responded and Mac smiled at the sight of Aiden walking in and hugging her.

"I'd take you any day. I see Sam often enough. I don't see you much anymore. How's the whole PI license going?"

"Got it. I heard about how you were shot at. By Talon," she began and Rebecca shrugged at that. "Don't be afraid to be human already. Don't want to turn into the real thing. He's too stoic for anyone's liking. How he landed Stella," she began.

"Stella's Greek. Let's be real. She wouldn't take no for an answer if she had some say on that," Rebecca began before ducking as Mac went to swipe at her head and she pulled out the appetizers and plated them up. Mac looked to see a couple Greek appetizers and a few New York ones.

"When did you learn Greek cooking?" Stella was impressed.

"Free time off case hours," she answered. Stella had to smile at that and as they all were about to continue, Rebecca's phone rang and she answered it quickly. "Detective Manx," she greeted casually as if nothing was wrong. Everyone watched as after a few seconds she looked shaken up. "Are you sure?" Within a few seconds she sighed and nodded. "I'll be right there."

"What's wrong?" Mac watched as she grabbed her badge and service weapon and Flack looked at her. "Rebecca, you're worrying me."

"My brother was just found murdered outside Central Booking. Never made it in," she warned. Mac grabbed his badge as well and followed Flack and Sheldon behind her to get in her car and they drove over and hurried over to the scene.

"Your brother confessed to shooting at you, but other than that we have nothing," Detective Lovato answered looking at her. "Was there anyone that you two knew? Someone that would want to see him murdered for talking?"

"That list could be endless. I couldn't give you names. I don't interact with him." Rebecca looked at the body knowing she could not even get near him before seeing Hawkes check his liver. "Estimated TOD?" Hawkes looked at her shocked. "He's my brother. I may not be able to touch evidence pertaining to him, but I can ask."

"Lividity suggests he's been gone for only a few hours. So shortly after you talked with him," Hawkes responded. She nodded looking at his body and closed her eyes. "Are you sure there are no names you can come up with for potential killers?"

"No. Talon and I parted ways after I ran from the Diners the second time," she answered honestly. Mac looked at her shocked and she chuckled. "I trusted Talon okay? But slowly I woke up and realized he didn't want to be helped so I left him alone. Most of his friends were dead by the time this happened. Overdoses so I have no idea. I'm going to head back to the lab and work with the Prescott evidence. See if I can't get a better lead as our only suspect is now dead," she answered before going with Flack in a cruiser.

Flack looked at her as they walked in. "So aren't you technically off the case?"

"If I touch the evidence that pertains to my brother. If I touch Terrence's? No," she responded. As she grabbed the wallet again she opened it up and looked at it. "Alright you, what are you hiding? You were a part of a cadaveric spasm. Terrence's hand was clenched onto you. So what secrets do you hold?" Flack looked at her and she revealed the notes. "Lindsay and the others took their notes for me. They know I like details about how the evidence was found."

"So do you hate him?" Rebecca looked at Flack confused as Jo and Mac caught up with them. "Your brother and your father. I mean you don't talk much about them and when you do, it's quite harsh on them. So do you hate them?"

Rebecca looked at the wallet and then straight ahead where Danny and Lindsay were processing the evidence on her brother. "I don't hate them. I'm angry with them and I don't know if I can ever let that anger go if I keep getting to hear their names. But hate? Too strong an emotion," she answered as she sat at the GCMS as she had found a new substance. "Hopefully I can pen the final chapter on my brother's story finally."

"We should. We have evidence that says the two of our vics were together," Danny informed revealing a DNA sheet. "Under Talon's nails? Is Terrence Prescott's DNA," he reported. She nodded and then opened the wallet again and saw something fall out. Mac caught it and opened an image before realizing what it was and Danny looked. "Is that?" Mac turned it so Rebecca could look and she gasped. "Becka? Is that little you? The girl before the CSI?"

"Yeah," she realized looking at the picture. "But why did Terrence have that picture?"

"Because we have this all wrong," Jo informed walking over. "We just got the prints of Terrence and Talon back. Are you sure you knew Talon?" Jo watched as Rebecca looked at her and she revealed the DNA. "I ran Terrence first. Here's who's DNA got a hit in CODIS," she reported.

"Talon," Rebecca breathed.

"So that means that Talon is," Mac began before Jo nodded. "This just got messy."

"No kidding. I just processed all my brother's stuff," she responded hurrying out of the lab and into the elevator. Mac waited a few seconds before following her as he watched to see which floor she got off of and he saw she was on the roof.

"New spot?" She glanced back and saw Mac before looking over the roof. "Rebecca you've been through hell. Nobody can blame you for that mistake. The DNA took too long to return to us otherwise you would have stopped processing that wallet a long time ago. I am going to clean this up," he assured.

"Doesn't change shit," she responded before Mac looked at her. "Sorry. Anyways it doesn't change that the DA will have a field day once they learn I'm the one who processed my brother's belongings," she finished before looking to him. "You mentioned a new spot. I had an old one?"

"Yeah," he began before gently hugging her. "Here," he responded and she smiled sadly looking over the city. "I won't let your first case back fall through. But I do want you to begin a report on what happened," he warned.

"I will. Also, um," she began before looking around to make sure there was no one else. "You swear not to make fun of me?"

"Considering you deal with Flack, Adam and Danny? I think you're pretty safe," he answered and she nodded at him before looking over the city. "Don't hold me in suspense though. You know exactly how I feel about people doing that."

"I think you were right. I um," she began before moving her hand a little erratically. "I needed the stability and still do from what was going on undercover," she mumbled blushing and Mac smiled at her knowing she was admitting it. "Please don't go bragging."

"I wouldn't think of it. Stella and I knew. We saw something in you that was different. You actually looked healthy. No offence. But you looked like a ghost prior to the undercover operation," he warned her and she nodded at him. "I know you may not like it but I think it'd be best if you came back," he informed.

"Not arguing. I just don't want to lose the apartment," she warned.

"That's fine. Hawkes can have the key so then you can go deal with it after shift as something normal and a place for you to crash should Stella and I still be working," Mac assured and she nodded at that. "Tomorrow, me and Stella will come get you from the apartment. But for now? Go home."

"No. I have a report to work on and on top of that, I need to figure out who knew who was who," she informed and Mac nodded at that.