Setting: Monday, August 10, 1998; New York City:

"Stella?"

Claire's voice drew Stella's attention from the floor length mirror she peered in. Turning, smoothing her hands over the business skirt suit, Stella opened her mouth to ask Claire's opinion then stopped at the sight of the tall red-haired man behind her new friend.

"Johnny? I thought you were tied up in court!" Stella swiftly walked over on the low heels Claire had loaned her to match the borrowed suit. Stella hugged the taller man to her warmly, smiling in welcome.

"I am," Johnny laughed softly. He let his vivid blue eyes rove over the very changed woman before him. "I'd forgotten how nice you clean up, Stel." The words held no condemnation. "I'm on lunch and thought I'd stop by real quick to give you moral support. I know Mac got you an interview at the crime lab today."

Nodding, suddenly nervous once more, Stella smoothed her jacket over her hips. "If I can get this job, I can quit the Fifteenth, Johnny. Mac swears he kept this latest fall from the records with the home treatment."

Reaching over to plant a kiss on Stella's forehead, Johnny nodded. "He did. Andy says they think you're on sabbatical to find your parents. No one has any clue you fell again."

Stella straightened and drew a breath. "I'm going to pass this interview and get the job. Then I'll be out of Narcs. The lab sounds like a great opportunity. But I hear the supervisor is a strict, no nonsense guy."

"He is," Claire confirmed, smiling as she moved to carefully hug Stella. "But just be honest and you'll do fine."

"Honest," Stella sighed. "I can't be completely open, Claire. If he knows about my past with heroin, I'll be booted to the curb."

"I don't think so. Be honest how you worked hard to kick the habit," Claire advised, pressing her philosophy. "Mac assures me the supervisor already knows about your history, so just be honest. Johnny's driving you down on his way back to court. Call when you need a ride back."

"You got it," Stella said. She reached for the resume and credentials Mac and Claire had helped her reproduce in the last two weeks. She wasn't very familiar with the twelfth precinct or the crime lb and hoped they were nothing like the corrupt fifteenth. Stella wasn't sure if she liked the idea Mac had talked so extensively with the lab supervisor.

Pausing on her way to the door, Stella looked over Claire and Johnny. "What if I'm tempted? I'll be around drugs at the lab."

Leering, Johnny leaned close and stage-whispered, "if you get tempted, just tell em and I'll tie you tomy bed for a couple months.

Stella slapped his chest, laughter breaking through her nerves. "You wish!" She hugged Claire one last time and followed the man from the house to his small car.

"Thanks, Johnny," Stella said, stepping back from the car to wave the driver on. As the car pulled away from the curb, the young Greek American woman turned to look up at the building she hoped she'd be working at in the near future.

Smoothing down her jacket one last time, Stella threw back her shoulders and straightened her spine, putting on an expression of serious intent. She stepped in through the front door and stopped at the front desk where a young woman in uniform sat, a tall black haired youth, perhaps nineteen or twenty, standing beside her, also in uniform.

"My name is Stella Bonasera. I have an appointment with the crime lab supervisor, please." Stella brandished her paperwork but did not relinquish it.

The dark haired man, well taller than six foot, nodded and gestured for the woman to follow him to an elevator in back. "This way, Ms. Bonasera. The supervisor's in the morgue right now, but he'll be up shortly. You can wait in his office."

"Thank you," Stella replied, offering an easy smile to the young officer.

"I'm Flack," the cop said in answer to an unspoken question. "Been here a year and that guy's strict, but fair. Can hardly find a better supervisor."

"That's good to know." Stella continued to smile, delighted at how smoothly the elevator worked. Money had definitely been allocated for maintenance in this precinct.

The elevator stopped smoothly and the doors opened, revealing a pristine looking work space, large with huge windows separating blocks of space into labs and offices. Don gestured to a set of stairs. "This way, Miss." He led her up the steps into a sparsely furnished office. "He'll be back shortly. Just wait here." And Officer Don Flack left her to her own devices, quickly heading back to the elevator and his front desk duties.

Stella looked around noting that the office held no personal items: no photographs of family, no knick-knacks, nothing to indicate the personality or background of the man who ran it. A single framed picture hung on the wall, but that was of President Ronald Reagan so didn't give much away. On the otherwise bare desk, beside the computer, sat a neat stack of files. A soft frown crossed Stella's fine features; she had no clue how to work this interview since she had no clue about the man who ran the lab. Finally, she decided to trust Claire's advice and just be honest.

Behind her the door to the office opened and Stella turned, smiling and already offering her hand. She froze when she recognized Mac Taylor, in a business suit, standing there, also smiling.

"Hello, Stella. Do you think you can resist temptation if I hire you?" Mac asked, still smiling.

Collecting herself quickly, Stella offered a more genuine smile and nodded. Mac took her hand and she firmly shook it. "Mac, I am clean. I worked hard to be clean. And I will stay clean. I want to work here." Stella realized just why Claire had stressed complete honesty; it was the only thing that would win over Mac.

"Then let me show you around. You can start training this afternoon." Mac answered. He moved past her to lead her out of the office then paused at the top of the steps. "Oh, and Claire says dinner's at seven."

With that he led her out to her new job.

"The best way to guarantee a loss is to quit.

Morgan Freeman"

Notes:

Second Note: In the SpeedBurn timeline series significant changes occur in various episodes, marking differences in each series. The initial drastically changed episodes are in chronological order: "Bait" (Without a Trace), "Reveille" (NCIS), "Lost Son" (CSI: Miami), "Bodies in Motion" (Crime Scene Investigation), "Summer in the City" (CSI: NY), and "In Name and Blood (In Birth and Death)" (Criminal Minds). Many episodes after those changed are also different. This story is number 1 in the grand scheme. Thank you.

.

Disclaimer: CSI: NY was created by Ann Donahue, Carol Mendelsohn, and Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Alliance Atlantis Communications (2004-2007), Alliance Atlantis Motion Picture Production (2004-2007), Alliance Atlantis Productions (2004-2007), CBS Paramount Network Television (2006-2009), CBS Productions (2004-2006), CBS Television Studios (2009-present), Clayton Entertainment, and Jerry Bruckheimer Television. Criminal Minds was created by Jeff Davis and produced by Touchstone Television (2005-2007), Paramount Network Television (2005-2006), The Mark Gordon Company, ABC Studios (2007-present), CBS Paramount Network Television (2006-2009), and CBS Television Studios (2009-present). NYPD Blue was created by Steven Bochco and David Milch and produced by 20th Century Fox Television, Fox Television Network, and Steven Bochco Productions. I am in no way connected with these people, and I do not claim ownership of these characters, lands, or names. I have borrowed them to share a story, and most likely not a story any of them would have written, had they had the time or no. I am making no money from this and it is just for my entertainment and that of free entertainment to a select group. Thank you.