Disclaimer: I am not connected in any way with the creators of any of the CSI shows. (I wish I was though, so Danny and Lindsay would get together already.) These are just my mind's version of the events that transpire on the show.

It was the perfect day for the Christmas Ball. Everything in the cosmos seemed to be aligning for the special night planned for New York's finest.

The weather was mildly cold, with a light dusting of snow that seemed so different from the usual New York sludge that everybody hated. Instead, they got small flurries that put into mind curling on a couch with a mug of hot chocolate, wrapped in your special someone's arms.

Even the crime rate was cooperating. It had been a slow day, with most of the team catching up on paperwork that had piled up and finishing old cases.

At around three in the afternoon, Stella barged into Danny and Lindsay's shared office and said, "Hey, Monroe!"

Lindsay looked up to see Stella walking to her desk. "Hey, Stel," Lindsay replied, pushing a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. "What's up?"

Stella perched casually on the desk and said, "You all done with your paperwork?"

Lindsay nodded. "Uh-huh. We both are," she said, motioning to a far corner of the office, where Danny was slouched at his desk and surfing the internet.

Stella grinned widely, "Grab your stuff, Linds. Mac's letting us go early to get ready for the Ball."

Lindsay smiled delightedly and asked, "All of us? Including Cassie?"

Stella nodded happily and said with a laugh, "What are you waiting for, Monroe? Let's go."

Lindsay's lips curved into a smile as she said, "All right, all right." She quickly stood and walked over to where Danny was lazily scrolling through various web pages.

Danny protested, "Hey, Montana, where ya going?"

Lindsay laughed at his expression and said, "Me and Stella are leaving early to go get ready for the Ball." She dropped a quick kiss on Danny's lips and started to walk towards the door. "Stel, can you wait for me here? I'm just going to the locker room and we can go get Cassie on the way out."

Before Lindsay walked away, Danny caught her hand and said, "By the way, I forgot to ask you something. I couldn't find my tux this morning. You happen to notice it when we cleaned out the closet when you moved in?"

Lindsay rolled her eyes as she answered, "Don't forget to pick up your tux at the dry cleaner's. I dropped it off two days ago, I figured you'd forget."

Danny said, "Thanks, Linds." He pulled her down to give her a grateful kiss and grinned at Stella, "I got the best girlfriend in the world."

In response to that, Lindsay rolled her eyes again, but she couldn't prevent the slight curling of her lips and the warm fuzzy feeling caused by his words. "I'll be back in a minute, Stella."

Stella grinned back at Danny in amusement. "You guys sound like an old married couple."

Danny blinked and looked at her, "What?"

Stella explained, "You couldn't find your tux, and she says she took it to the dry cleaners cause you'd forget? You guys sound like something on a sitcom."

Danny forehead furrowed in thought. "We do sound like a married couple, don't we?" He stared off into the distance, trailing off as he considered what Stella said.

Stella thought in amazement. Well, well. I mention marriage and Danny didn't get freaked out. This has got to be a first.

Just then, Lindsay re-entered the room. "All set, Stel. Let's go get Cassie."

Stella nodded, her eyes dancing slightly with the new knowledge she gained in the past three minutes. "By the way, I already called Jordan. Flack's driving her to my apartment after they finish up on something."

Stella then turned to Danny and said, "Hey, Danny. I don't think you heard what I said. Mac's letting everyone go early so we could get ready."

Danny was still staring off into space, mulling quietly to himself. Stella stifled a grin and whistled loudly, making Danny jerk at the sudden noise and say, "Huh?"

Stella couldn't help it this time, she smiled widely. "I said, Mac gave all of us the afternoon off so we could get ready for tonight. That includes the guys."

Danny nodded, finally getting it. Lindsay noticed his sudden silence and preoccupation and shot him a worried look as she walked over to him, placing her hand on his arm. "Danny," she asked anxiously, "everything all right?"

Danny blinked distractedly and saw Lindsay looking at him, her beautiful brown eyes clouded in concern. He smiled reassuringly at her and said, "No, I just spaced out for a while." He lifted himself from the chair to kiss her gently and gave her a hug. "You girls go on and get yourselves ready for us. I'll stay here for a bit longer but I might go home soon to get ready."

He slung his arm around Lindsay as he walked her to the door, with Stella trailing behind, staring speculatively at Danny. At the door, Danny kissed Lindsay again and said, "I'll call you when we're on our way, okay? All the guys will meet up here so the limo can pick us up and we'll come get you girls at Stella's."

Lindsay smiled, her worry gone. "All right, Messer. I'll see you later, okay?"

Danny grinned back at her and said, "Go. I'm excited to see that dress you've been keeping a secret from me."

Lindsay tossed a sassy grin over her shoulder as she and Stella walked away. "Trust me, cowboy. It's worth it."

Like Danny and Lindsay, Hawkes had also finished the backlog that had been sitting on his desk. Since no new cases had come in, he found himself wandering towards the Trace Lab to see what Cassie was up to.

He found her playing poker with Adam on one of the tables, her back to the door.

He decided to movie quietly and sneak up on her, lifting one finger to his lips to motion Adam to keep quiet. Adam nodded slightly to show that he understood.

He was just about to poke his fingers into her sides to tickle her when she said in an ominous voice. "Sheldon Hawkes, don't even think about it."

Hawkes dropped his hands to his sides in disappointment. Taking a seat on the lab stool next to her, he grumbled, "How did you even know I was here? I was really quiet."

Cassie rolled her eyes in exasperation and said, "I guess even guys with genius IQs have their moments." She explained, "In case you haven't noticed, this entire lab is built with glass, which by the way reflects."

Hawkes sighed again and conceded, "Fine, you win."

Adam interjected, "What time is the limo picking you guys up tonight?"

Hawkes shrugged and said, "All I know is that we're all meeting here and then we're heading to Stella's to pick up the girls." He realized something, "You're not riding with us?"

Adam shook his head and said, "Nope. Trina needs to finish something and we'll be a little late so I can't hitch with you guys."

Hawkes grinned at Adam, "Guess you got over your fear, huh?"

Cassie interjected, "What fear?"

Adam blushed and quickly said, "Nothing, nothing."

He was saved by Stella and Lindsay's arrival.

"Hey, Cass," Lindsay said. "You busy?"

Cassie shook her head. "Nope. Not unless you count kicking Adam's ass in poker as busy."

Hawkes, Stella and Lindsay laughed at Cassie's reply while Adam tried to look hurt. "Hey, you were not kicking my ass. You were… mildly mistreating it."

Cassie snorted and waved her hand. "Semantics." She turned to Stella, "Why? What's up?"

Lindsay said excitedly, "Grab your stuff, Cass. Mac's letting us leave early so we can get ready for tonight."

"Awesome!" Cassie exclaimed. She walked quickly to one corner of the lab and grabbed a small duffel bag that held the basic necessities for getting ready for a big party and grinned at the other two women, "Okay, I'm all set."

Hawkes laughed and said, "Looks like you guys are ready to go." He reached out for Cassie's hand and pulled her close for a quick goodbye kiss. "I'll call you when we're on our way, okay?"

She kissed him back briefly and grinned at him, "Sure thing, Doc." She hugged him one last time and followed Lindsay and Stella out of the lab.

Meanwhile, Flack and Jordan were on the way to Stella's apartment.

"So let me get this straight," Flack asked, perplexed. "All four of you are going to get ready at Stella's apartment?"

"Uh-huh," Jordan answered distractedly, rummaging in her purse for her phone. She found it and slipped it back into the clip at her waist before turning her attention to Don. "Why?"

"Well," he said, "I just don't understand why women have to get ready for these things together." He reasoned, "I mean, Danny, Hawkes and I are going to this thing too, but we're going home to our separate apartments and meeting at the lab."

Laughing, Jordan replied teasingly, "That's cause it doesn't take much work to make you guys gorgeous. I mean, you guys take a shower and slip on a tux and there you go."

She continued, "Now us women on the other hand, have to do a million and one things before we can be considered properly attired for any formal gathering."

Flack shrugged his shoulders and said, "If you ask me, you could take a shower and put on that new dress of yours --," he glowered at her, "-- which by the way, I haven't seen yet, and you'd look perfect already."

Jordan melted inside at the sweetness of his words. She leaned across the front seat of the car to press a brief kiss on his cheek. "Thanks, baby. That's really sweet of you to say that."

He grinned at her and then he grew quiet as they reached Stella's building.

Jordan noticed his sudden silence and asked, "Don?"

Flack glanced at her, "Hmmm?"

Jordan pressed, "What's on your mind? You look a million miles away."

For a minute he looked uncertain. A slightly nervous look appeared on his face as he parked the car on an empty slot in front of Stella's building and killed he engine. Then he squared his shoulders and said, "Actually, I've been meaning to ask you something."

Jordan grew concerned at the sudden seriousness of his tone. "What is it, Don?"

Flack reached across the seat and took her hand in his. "See, I've been thinking," he paused for a moment, unsure of how to continue. Then he remembered the first time they kissed, when Jordan let him know that she appreciated his directness. He took a deep breath and decided to bite the bullet.

"I want to ask you to move in with me."

Jordan's eyes widened. "What?"

Flack repeated himself, a little surer this time. "I said I want to ask you to move in with me."

Jordan was floored. A happy, giddy feeling started in the region of her heart and engulfed her entire being. "Are you sure?"

Flack nodded, looking straight into her eyes. "Thing is, I kinda like waking up next to you in the morning, and being at home without you there…" he trailed off, trying to find the words. "It's just not the same I guess. It's lonelier. I think my apartment's sad when you're not there," he attempted to joke.

Then he looked straight into her eyes and all traces of joking fled. "Most of all, I'm sad when you're not home with me," he said softly.

Jordan was unable to keep the smile from breaking across her face and she curled her palm tenderly over his jaw. "Well, we don't want any apartments to be sad, so I guess I'll have to move in with you."

Flack smiled in relief. She said yes. "Really?"

Jordan nodded. "Uh-huh."

Flack reached out to give her a tight hug. He pressed a kiss into her hair and said softly, "I love you, Jordan."

For the second time in the last ten minutes, Jordan's eyes widened and she pulled back, looking at Don with emerald eyes shining with suppressed happiness. "You love me?"

Flack grinned and lightly rubbed his fingers over her smooth cheek. "Yes. I really do."

Jordan slipped back into his arms, hugging him tightly. "I love you too," she whispered back softly against his neck.

They sat there for a moment, savoring the feeling of being in each other's arms, intimacy elevated to a new level when they both said the words they had been feeling for quite some time.

Suddenly, Jordan giggled.

Flack pulled back a little and gazed down into her happy face. "What?"

Jordan answered, "I just remembered that you hate moving and now we have to do it again."

Flack groaned, "Damn." Then his face softened as he whispered to her, "Good thing you're worth it, Addison."

Then he lowered his head to hers and kissed her thoroughly.

The next chapter will show the girls getting ready and the guys' reactions when they see their women in their gorgeous new dresses.

So who exactly won the bet, Danny or Lindsay? Stick around to find out more in the next chapters.

NYPD Christmas Ball coming up:D Please review! It means a whole lot to me when you guys tell me what you think about the latest additions to the story. Thanks again to all those who took the time to review. :D