A/N: And it's over. Thanks so much for all the encouragement and feedback, and huge thanks to JaydenBell. All mistakes are mine, none of the CSI:NY characters belong to me, and I hope you enjoy :)

"Dammit!" Jess exclaimed as she hung up her phone.

"You're getting called in?" Adam guessed, pausing outside of her apartment building.

"Yes," she muttered. "And I was looking forward to my mother's spaghetti."

"I'm sorry." He paused, looking down at the ground for a moment. "Would they…do you think it would be okay for me to go? I mean, I could bring you some back."

For a second, Jess just stared at him; then she smiled slowly. "You'd be willing to do that? Put up with my family without me?"

"I love your family, Jess," he said quietly.

"They love you, too," she assure him. "And it'd be fine for you to go. You can give all of them my apologies."

"You're sure?" he asked. "I mean…it's okay with you?"

"Of course it is."

Adam smiled at her. "Okay. I'll, um…I'll come back here afterward. Maybe we can watch a movie?"

"That sounds great." She stepped forward and hugged him tightly. "I'll see you later then?"

He nodded. "Later."

888888888888888888888

"Adam," Patricia said warmly when she opened the door. "How are you?"

"Good. Sorry I'm late."

"That's okay," she said, ushering him in. "Come on, we were just sitting down."

"Adam," David called as they walked into the dining room. He reached out and shook the C.S.I.'s hand. "We were starting to think you guys weren't gonna make it." He frowned. "Where's Jess?"

"She, uh…she got called in to a scene. I'm under strict orders to bring her leftovers." He sat down and looked around nervously. "I hope it's okay that I came without her."

"Of course it is," Allan said firmly. "You're always welcome at this table, Adam. And not just because you're Jessica's friend."

"Speaking of friends," David interrupted as he filled his plate with spaghetti. "When are you going to ask my sister out?"

The whole table stopped, and Adam looked around, his eyes wide as saucers and his fork halfway in his mouth. Everyone seemed to be waiting for an answer, and he quickly slurped the rest of the noodles off of his fork before answering.

"I, uh…I didn't know I was supposed to."

Nathan frowned. "Did we read this wrong? 'Cause I thought…I mean, we all thought that you were interested in her."

"I am," he blurted. Then he blushed furiously. "I mean…Well, no. I meant that. I'm interested. I just…I didn't think that she…I mean…"

David smiled at him gently. "She's interested, Adam. Trust me. We've all just been waiting for you two to admit it."

"Oh. Really? And you're okay with that?"

Allan cleared his throat. "It's obvious that you two make each other happy. And I want my little girl happy, Adam."

Jacob laughed. "And it helps that we all like you."

When the others nodded in agreement, Adam couldn't help the goofy grin that spread across his face. "I'll, uh…I'll work on that, then."

88888888888888888888888

The last thing Jess had expected to see when she got home was Adam sitting outside of her apartment, a Tupperware container on the floor next to him. He had his arms wrapped around his knees, his eyes lost in thought, and for a minute, she just stood there and watched him. Then she remembered that he had been with her family, and a sudden worry gripped her.

"Adam?" she asked, stepping forward.

He looked up quickly, as though he had forgotten where he was. Then he was getting to his feet and wiping his hands nervously on his jeans.

"Jessie –"

"Oh God, they drove you crazy, didn't they? I'm so sorry, Adam. I shouldn't have left you alone with them."

He smiled at her. "No, Jessie, wait –"

She just kept talking over him. "I know they can be difficult to put up with sometimes, and my mother asks a ton of questions, and my brother just don't know when to shut up, but you have to know that they mean well. They like you, Adam, and –"

Jess didn't seem like she was going to stop rambling anytime soon, and he wasn't sure that he could wait for her to, anyway. Stepping forward, Adam rested his hands on her hips and pulled her closer before kissing her softly. Jess' breath caught in her throat, but the kiss was over almost as soon as it had begun, and it left her staring at him in disbelief.

"I didn't know I was supposed to," he murmured.

"Huh?"

"Your brothers, they asked me when I was going to ask you out, and –"

Jess closed her eyes and groaned. "Oh God –"

"I didn't…I had no idea you felt that way, Jessie. If I had, well…I would have done this a long time ago."

Slowly, she opened her eyes, a small smile on her face as hope welled in her chest. "Really?"

He kissed her again. "Really."

She looped her arms around his neck and returned the kiss, taking it deeper this time as he pulled her against him tightly.

"Then I'm very glad my family stuck their nose where it didn't belong," she laughed. Glancing down at the ground, she saw the plastic container again. "Leftovers?" she asked.

"Yeah. I was thinking maybe we could heat them up, have dinner while we watched that movie."

"Didn't you just eat with them?" she asked.

Adam shrugged. "It's your mom's spaghetti. I could eat it all day."

Jess laughed. "Then that sounds like a great plan to me."

She kissed him softly once more, and then turned towards her door, fishing her keys out of her purse. Adam bent down to get the leftovers, and was standing by the time she got the door open. Glancing back over her shoulder, Jess smiled at him and then slipped her hand into his, leading him into the apartment.