A/N: Just a notice for everyone...I plan to have a small scene at Ground Zero in the next few chapters. I know this is a touchy subject, so I am keeping it light. Mac is going to have some angst due to this. If I upset anyone, I sincerly apologize. I don't mean to have that happen, but it's an important set-up for my story. The chapters will explain, but it's all part of the revenge I spoke of earlier.

"Another body, another day."

Danny lifted the police tape and allowed Mac to duck under. It was a calm summer morning, with a hint of a light breeze on the horizon. They were situated near the Hudson River, not far from Ground Zero, where someone had reported a mangled body floating in the water.

Though he had physically moved on from the death of his wife, Mac's mind would occasionally stray back to that fateful morning. He silently chided himself and pushed the sorrowful thoughts from his head, focusing on the female body that lay before him and Danny. The latter bent down and examined the remains.

"She's taped around the wrists and mouth," his nostrils flared angrily. "Makes me think she was thrown in here, powerless against her attacker."

"We can only hope she was dead when she hit the water."

Danny continued with his analysis. "Bruises on the arms and neck. Some fingers on her left hand are broken, an' I've got two smashed kneecaps an' a black eye."

Mac's voice hardened slightly. "She was tortured, most likely raped, and thrown into the river. Unfortunately, any evidence of sexual activity will probably be diluted from the water by now."

"She's been here for about six hours and has no I.D.," Danny pointed out, eyes narrowing. "You alright?"

The older man nodded. "I'll be fine. Let's get her back to the lab. As of right now, she's a Jane Doe."

---

Lindsay shuffled through some papers as she sat in her shared office with Danny. They had been dating for three years, revealing their relationship to their co-workers after everyone had settled into the new office. All equipment and personal items had been lost in the explosion, and the city had given money towards purchasing new gear for the crime lab.

She was lost in thought when a pair of hands covered her eyes. Instinctively knowing who it was, she decided to play along. A familiar voice whispered gently in her ear.

"Guess who."

The young woman stifled a chuckle and shrugged her shoulders. "If I get it right, do I get a prize?"

She felt a nibble on her earlobe. "I think we can make those arrangements."

Lindsay shuddered as she felt goosebumps on her arms. He always had that effect on her. "Could it be my cowboy?"

The hands removed themselves, and Lindsay swiveled around with a big grin on her pretty features. "Well, look at that. I was right. So what did I win?"

Danny chuckled softly. "A night with the one and only Danny Messer."

She rose and gave him a kiss, tracing her finger along his jawline. "Really? I wonder, then, who I've been with all these years."

Danny tapped her nose lightly. "Watch yourself, Montana. You're getting' awfully cheeky there."

She smiled and changed the topic. "So how is Mac? I heard where the body was found."

His cobalt eyes suddenly became grey. "Not well. I mean, he said he was fine an' all, but I know it bothered him, being so close to where his wife died."

"I can't imagine how he must have felt," Lindsay's voice radiated concern for her boss. Danny flashed a half-smile; he loved her compassion for friends and family. It was one of the many reasons why she was so special to him.

"I'm heading down to the morgue now to hear Sid's results. I'll see you later, k?" He placed a loving, lingering kiss on her lips, wrapping his around her waist as her own limbs snaked over his neck.

She called after him as he left the office, a teasing note playing on her voice. "I'll be waiting for that prize, Messer."

---

"Mac was right. If she was raped, the water washed everything away."

Danny looked at the dead woman. She was young and pretty enough. "Anything else to report?"

Sid shrugged apologetically. "Sadly, I have no evidence that suggests she was dead when she hit the water, but she was unconscious. The killer showed no mercy. No name yet, but the medial clavicle isn't quite fused yet. Suggests she's a young adult, maybe 18 or 19. However, I did manage to find some blood underneath her fingernails. Whomever did this might have some scratches."

He lifted her hand for Danny to examine under the nail bed. "I sent it down to trace. Hopefully that will give you a lead on a suspect."

"Hopefully."

---

Mac rested in his office, rubbing his temples thoughtfully. He had only visited Ground Zero on the anniversaries, but other than that he wasn't too fond of entering the desolate land. Evil and death loomed in its surroundings.

He closed his eyes and couldn't help but think if the woman was dumped there on purpose. Granted she wasn't actually at the site, but she was near. They had found plenty of bodies in the river, but none were as close to Ground Zero as her. He did not even consider taking himself off the case; he was already emotionally attached due to her location.

Mac was never one to believe in coincidences, but even he could not deny the shudder that ran through him.

Something was wrong.