Chapter Two- New York, New York

Thanks to Who-will-change-the-world, obsessedwithstabler, big-smiles-all-around, KWillows, and LegaspiWeaver for their reviews! This update is for them! I posted this twice. Once under CSI and once under Law and Order SVU, so I'm combining the thanks on one story. You guys rawk!

Disclaimer: Don't own any characters

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"We're what?" Nick Stokes demanded as Grissom explained the situation.

The whole team stood before him in a little clump.

"We're going to New York, Nick." Grissom said calmly. "Tomorrow. Pack quickly."

Catherine held up a hand. "You can't be serious Gil. Not all of us can just pack up and leave. I need to find someone to watch Lindsay." She said logically.

Warrick Brown rose his hand.

"This isn't the eighth grade Warrick, what?" Grissom asked.

"Uh, I have no problem with it." He said.

Greg Sanders nodded in agreement. "As long as I get to work in the field."

Catherine and Sara Sidle, the only two girls on the team, whirled and exclaimed, "NO!"

Greg made a face. "Give me a chance." He begged.

Grissom rubbed his temples. This was not how he had planned this to happen. He didn't think a case in New York would be such a big deal, but he had forgotten that some people other than him had a life outside of the office. "Catherine in my office now." He found himself saying. He had to convince everyone one by one.

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"Catherine, can't your mother watch Lindsay?" he asked patiently.

The strawberry blonde sat across from him, cross-legged. The posture made Grissom's heart tighten and his mouth go dry. Legs that went on forever with those sapphire blue eyes that looked deep into his soul. She was ambitious, strong, and responsible. She was raising a daughter, by herself. Her story never ceased to amaze him. How she came from a small town in Montana, to Vegas as an exotic dancer, and then poured her money into college to get where she is today, one of his most trusted CSI. His second-in-command. The only one he never has to check up on.

Catherine sighed. "My mother went back to the country for the weekend, but I'll see if my neighbor can watch her. Worse comes to worse, I might have to take her with me." She said.

Grissom took a deep breath. "Catherine, I really appreciate this. An old friend of mine really needs this favor and I need the entire team, especially you. No one knows blood better than you do." He said softly.

Catherine was won over. "Okay, I give. Please don't pull the pity act on me." She said with a smile, her voice dripping with so much sarcasm that Grissom had to laugh. "I'll bring Lindsay with me. Maybe she'll get a chance to see another part of the country."

Grissom got up to show her out. "Thanks Cath." He murmured as she walked out.

She turned to smile at him. "Anything for you Gil." She said flashing him a smile that made his heart turn.

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Convincing Nick didn't take long. Grissom found out that Nick was just worried that no one would be able to handle the Vegas crime lab with them gone. Grissom had explained that even before the team was here, there were people running it and all major cases would be put on hold for them. Nick gave in after that.

He was a nice guy…Texas born and bred. A good old-fashioned country boy. He had his quirks of course; they all did, however the ladies were attracted to his sweet demeanor like bees to honey. He always treated his ladies to coffee not beer and had the politeness and manners of a boy from the country. His work was always good and he was probably the most stable of all the CSIs. Grissom was glad to have him on the team.

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After Nick was convinced, Grissom picked up his phone. Warrick and Greg were eager to go. Sara never cared. She liked her job and if her job took her to New York, then she would follow it to New York.

Melinda picked up on the first ring. "Hey." He said. "We'll be there tomorrow."

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Melinda punched the air. "Yes." She whispered. She was finally going to have some professional help. She did the autopsies and she never missed a thing, but on the crime scene was a different story. Her specialty was the body, not the evidence. Her team of new forensics was not good enough for this case. Grissom was the best she had ever known and she knew his team would be made of the best of the best.

She smiled as she recalled the days when she and Grissom went the same school. He was weird, the geeky kid that always made the top score in science. The two of them had been friends for a while, but she still felt like there were things about the introverted man that she didn't know. She knew more then enough though and their friendship was solid. His mother had been deaf and so Grissom had learned sign language and in time taught Melinda. He was one of those guys that had a liking for things she could never understand. Such as bugs. She never understood that but she dealt with his bugs, because he was a good person. She got up and dialed the SVU.

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Ten minutes later, the whole squad was in front of her. Cragen was a little annoyed. He was the leader of the team and wasn't used to having Melinda call him and demand that he show up in the morgue without a good reason. He hoped she had one.

Olivia and Elliot were sitting close to each other. The two of them had built a close friendship and stuck by each other no matter what. Olivia was leaning against the counter and Elliot had his hand on the counter right beside her and standing slightly in front of her as if protecticing her.

Detectives John Munch and Odafin or Fin Tutuola were quietly arguing again. Something about Munch's paranoia about government conspiracies and Fin softly cursing at him to shut up so he could hear what Melinda was going to say.

Casey Novak, the ADA, slapped Munch gently on the arm and pushed a strand of red hair out of her eyes. "Hush." She hissed at him. "I think what she has to say is important.

Beside the redhead was a pretty blonde that was glaring at Munch with an icy cold blue stare and radiating anger as her main aura. Munch fell silent. She was Alexandra Cabot or also known by the SVU as Alex. She was the head DA and assisted in a lot of cases because of her familiarity in SVU territory and one of the toughest DA's. Anyone in the courtroom that wasn't with her, risked being burned by her fiery temper and ruthless words.

"Melinda, ignore the idiots. Tell us what's up." She said quietly. She rarely had to raise her voice. Her quiet but firm tone always attracted the attention of the entire room.

Melnda cleared her throat. "We're getting no where with this case. We have no evidence, the body isn't reliving anything other than the fact that the girls were raped and then killed in different methods. There is nothing similar about the cases, we can't even be sure it's the same person. The only thing we know is that each of the girls had paint on their hands. That's not gonna get us anywhere." She explained.

Olivia banged her fist on the counter. "I think we know what we're not getting Melinda." She said wearily. "I've been looking through those files, trying to find something. There is nothing that I can find. Nothing. I can't even begin to understand how this is happening."

Elliot moved to rub her shoulders. He was worried too, his partner was beyond stressed. He had gone home last night to be with his kids, but he knew that Olivia had stayed at the precinct. She had worked late that night and he had gone to work that morning finding her asleep on her desk with evidence photos scattered all around her.

"Tell us something we don't know, Melinda." Casey said hopefully, trying to keep Munch and Fin from diving down each other's throats. They were upset about finding nothing about the case and were ready to take it out on each other.

Melinda took a breath. "I called an old friend of mine for a very big favor. He's one of the best forensic scientists I know, he started working at the Vegas crime lab when he was 22. He's the best of the best and his team is made up of the best forensics scientists anyone can find." She explained.

Cragen was thinking it over. He wasn't comfortable about some random people coming onto his territory, working his case. Melinda seemed to read his mind.

"We have no choice Cragen. Someone's been killing girls and the scenario is strangely similar to a case they covered once. The real killer was never found, but they found the copy cat and he was executed." Melinda continued. "I know you guys don't want them on your territory, but I can't work another day with the group of amateurs that ruin the crime scene and lose evidence."

"She's right." Alex spoke up. The whole room to focus on her. "We don't have much of a choice. Five girls are dead in a week. Who knows how many more. We need solid evidence. We need some leads. We're being pushed into a corner here and I'm saying what Melinda's saying is a good idea. They know this case, I've read up on it. The Vegas team knows this case front and back. They can help."

Olivia was already agreeing with Alex. "She's right. Right now, it's not an issue of politics or pride. It's about getting this guy and putting him behind bars."

"By all means necessary." Elliot finished.

Munch, Fin and Casey were staring at Cragen. Casey felt like she had to speak out. "Don." She said softly. "We can't spare another week chasing nothing. We need something."

Fin and Munch were thinking about bribery. "Come Cap, I'll give you twenty bucks." Munch tempted.

Casey turned. "I so didn't hear that." She said in warning tone at Munch. One bribery charge could ruin the case.

Cragen gave in. "Okay, Melinda, do what you have to do, just give us something."

Melinda smiled. "They'll be arriving tomorrow. I'll call you guys back in when we have to brief them."

The rest of the team gave a sigh. Another night and who knows what would happen that night. Another girl could be dead, the killer could have fled the country. They didn't know. Part of them didn't want to know.

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Wow that was long! R&R and I'll update. Got some good ideas. I wonder what relationships are coming up…hint hint. ENJOY!