A/N – Thanks for the reviews! I'm glad you guys like it so far. Here's chapter 1. HAPPY READING!!!

Disclaimer – I don't own CSI NY. Ugh!!

________________________________________________________________________

Dr. Sheldon Hawkes made his way into his apartment building at around 8:00 that cool Thursday evening in October. He had gone to work at 8:00 that morning so he was extremely worn out and tired. The first half of his shift was spent in the lab, analyzing evidence and trying to gather a solid lead. The second half was full of witness questioning and standing in the viewing room while Flack interrogated suspects.

Sure it was hard, but at the end an arrest was made and Sheldon was able to go home knowing he rid the city of one more criminal.

Sheldon made his way into the building and jogged his way up the two flights of stairs to his floor. He exited the stairwell and made his way down the hallway to his apartment. As he neared his door, he noticed a young woman about to go into the apartment next door.

She was a slender African-American woman with shoulder length black hair and smooth tan skin. She was dressed in simple blue jeans and wore a forest green pea coat. In one arm she balanced a cardboard box while trying to use the other to open the door with the key.

Sheldon, noticing her struggling, rushed to her side.

"Here, let me help you." he said, gently taking the box from her arms.

The woman looked up for the first time. When her eyes met Sheldon, he felt his heart skip a beat from some strange reason. He guessed it was because she was extremely beautiful. Her big brown eyes, somewhat hidden by the bangs that fell over her face, seemed to mesmerize him.

"Thanks," she said politely. "I guess there are some nice people in New York after all."

Hearing her speak broke Sheldon from his previous thoughts.

"Are you new to the city?" he inquired.

"Not really, I've been hear for about a year. I've just been in this position before and no one's ever seem to care." she told him, lightly brushing her bangs out her eyes.

Sheldon chuckled lightly. "Well, I try to represent for the nice guys of the world."

The woman also chuckled. "Well at least someone is." she told him has she opened the door to her apartment.

Sheldon noticed that the entryway was filled with boxes. "So, you just moved in?"

"Yeah, earlier today. You didn't notice your old neighbor moving out a couple of days ago?"

Sheldon shook his head. "Probably not. I'm always working so I probably wasn't home to notice." he said, handing her the box.

"Well, thanks again, uh, neighbor." she said.

"I'm Sheldon, Sheldon Hawkes."

"Well nice to meet you Sheldon. I'm Allison by the way. Allison Carter." she said, extending a hand to shake his.

Sheldon returned her handshake, trying to ignore the way her hand sent electricity to his.

"Well, nice to meet you too Allison. I guess I'll see you around"

"Definitely." she told him.

Sheldon smiled at her one last time before picking up his work bag that he had sat on the floor of the hallway when he was helping her with her box.

He made his way the few feet over to his front door and used his key to go inside. He sat his bag in the entry way of the door and dropped his keys on the front table.

Sheldon didn't stop as he made his way to his bedroom. After changing into sweats and a t-shirt, he got right into bed. Physically, he was completely drained, but, like most of the time, his mind was still in overdrive. He kept replaying the scenes of meeting his new neighbor.

Something about her made it hard for Sheldon to get her out of his head. He didn't know if it was how genuinely nice she seemed or the fact that she was very attractive.

Sheldon didn't know for sure but he hoped to be able to see her more to find out.

________________________________________________________________________

Sheldon woke up the next morning, grateful that Mac had given the day off. Sure, he loved his job but he hadn't had a day off in what felt like years, even though it was only a couple of months.

After showering and getting dressed in jeans and an old college t-shirt, Sheldon grabbed his coat and headed out the front door of his apartment. The moment he closed the door behind him, he heard another one open. He looked over to see Allison walking out of her door.

When she noticed Sheldon, a smile came across her face.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite neighbor." she greeted.

"Wow, I'm your favorite." Sheldon said, putting a hand over his heart, pretending to be deeply moved.

Allison laughed out loud at his antics. "Well of course you're my favorite neighbor. Though it may have to do with the fact that you're the only neighbor I have met so far."

Sheldon nodded. "Well. I guess that makes sense. So, um do you have time to grab a cup of coffee with your favorite neighbor?" he asked, unaware of how his mind came up with the idea of asking her to coffee, even though he was grateful it did.

"Lead the way" she said with a smile.

Sheldon returned the gesture and the two made their way out off the apartment building and onto the busy sidewalks of New York City.

"So, what coffee shop are we headed to?" Allison inquired.

"It's a little café owned by these two sisters. It's just at the corner here."

Just as he said, the pair entered the small but cozy café located on the same block as their apartment building. There were a few tables and chairs in the middle of the room and booths located along the walls.

Sheldon led the way up to the counter to place their orders. The old woman at the cash register smiled when she noticed Sheldon was her next customer.

"Hey Sheldon, how's it going." she said.

"Pretty good Marge. How about you?"

"Can't complain." she told him. She then noticed that he wasn't alone.

"Oh, and who is this pretty lady?"

"Hi, I'm Allison." the young woman said.

"Well, nice to meet you Allison. It's about time Sheldon got himself a pretty girlfriend. He's too good of a man to be single for the rest of his life."

Both Allison and Sheldon laughed lightly at the woman's assumption.

"No, no Marge, she is just a friend." Sheldon said with a smile.

Marge smirked at the pair. "Sure, we'll see how long that lasts."

Once again, Sheldon and Allison laughed at the old woman. They placed there orders, Sheldon with a black coffee and Allison with a cup of hot green tea. Sheldon, much to Allison's protest, paid for both of their orders. They took a seat in on the booths after Marge promised to deliver them their beverages.

After sitting comfortably in the booth, Allison spoke up.

"So, I see you come here often."

"If you consider once or maybe even twice a day often, then yeah, I do." he told her.

"Wow, that's a lot of black coffee."

Sheldon chuckled lightly. "Yeah, well when you work twelve hours shifts back to back, you do what you have to, you know."

Allison's eyebrows raised in question. "Twelve hours? Wow, where do you work."

"I'm a crime scene investigator with the NYPD." he informed her.

Allison's eyes got wide. "Wow, that's pretty cool. I have to be honest though, I didn't picture you as a CSI or anything."

Sheldon shrugged lightly. "It's cool. Most people don't. It wasn't first choice though. I was a surgeon, then a coroner before I went into the field."

"Wait, you're a doctor?" she asked.

Sheldon nodded.

"Wow, how lucky am I." she said.

Sheldon's eyebrows raised in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Allison smiled. "I live next door to a doctor. If I ever have a stomach ache or anything, I'll just knock on your door."

Sheldon let out a laugh before looking back at her. "Well you know you don't have to be sick to knock on my door."

Allison smirked at his comment. "Are you flirting with me Doctor?"

Sheldon just shrugged. "Maybe."

Before she could respond, a waitress had brought them their orders. Allison sipped her tea while looking at Sheldon who was looking back at her.

Normally Allison wasn't one to become so comfortable with someone she just met. But something about Sheldon was different. And she liked it.