Disclaimer: I obviously do not own CSI: NY. I just own my car, my laptop and my crazy muse who seems to want to write 4 different stories at a time. I also do own any characters that you do not recognize. You can borrow them if you ask permission first!

A/N: Here's the next chappie!! Thanks to all who reviewed. As always, please R&R. My muse loves the attention. :D Thanks to both Axellia and Aphina for betaing this! No song title this time, but the holiday kinda crept up on me timeline wise. I will admit, this was an extremely hard chapter to write for some reason. I hope everyone is happy with it!

Chapter 32.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day dawned bright and cold, and way too early for Cory's taste. She grumbled when Danny woke her up at seven a.m. She glared at Danny when she noticed the time. "Messer," she growled. "It's seven. I don't have to work today. Why the hell are you waking me up? That's why I prepared most of the food last night! So I could sleep in late!"

Danny grinned at her; he had expected her reaction. "It's your first Thanksgiving in New York. I'm taking you to the parade."

Cory looked at him. "Huh?"

Danny raised his eyebrows. "Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Ring any bells?"

Cory shook her head. "Sorry. Still asleep here."

Danny rolled his eyes. "Come on. Get up, get dressed and we'll go find a good spot to see the floats."

Cory laughed. "Why are you acting like you were just given the best Christmas present?"

Danny smirked. "It's very rare that I get to show someone the best that New York has to offer. It's a nice change."

Cory just shook her head as she got up. "I'm going to shower. Remember, lunch is at two, so we should be done in time for the game."

Danny rolled his eyes. "Yes, mom," he replied sarcastically.

Cory just stuck her tongue out at him. "So? You rooting for my boys today? They are playing the Jets."

Danny smirked. "For you…I'll make an exception. Plus, not a fan of the Jets. I hope your boys run 'em over."

Cory laughed as she closed the bathroom door.

Thirty minutes later, she was trying to comb out her hair when she heard Danny's phone ring. Damn. I knew that some things were too good to be true, she thought as Danny walked in with an apologetic look on his face. "Ya gotta go in, don't you?" she asked.

Danny shrugged. "Yeah. I'm sorry."

Cory gave him a quick kiss. "Don't be sorry for your job, chere. I understand."

"I'll try to be back for lunch, bella."

"I know. I'll keep it warm for you."

Hawkes woke up around seven and looked down at the sleeping woman in his arms. He smiled softly, thanking the heavens that Cory had moved to New York and he had met Lydia. Softly he stroked her arm, just enjoying being with her.

Lydia awoke at his soft touch and smiled at him. "Good morning."

"Good morning, sweetheart. What time do we need to be at Cory's?"

"She's serving lunch at two, so one or one-thirty?"

"Good," Hawkes said as he wrapped her in a hug, both of them enjoying the peaceful time alone. Both had just started to drift back off to sleep when the phone rang.

Lydia opened her eyes, sleepily. "Is that mine or yours?"

Hawkes sighed. "Mine," he said as he picked up the offending piece of equipment. "Hawkes? On my way." He looked down at Lydia. "Lyd, I'm sorry. I gotta go in."

She looked at him, understanding in her eyes, as she gave him a light kiss. "Shel? I understand. It's the job. I'll see you later, okay?"

Hawkes smiled as he got out of bed to get ready. Damn, why did I have to get called in?

Flack and Lindsay were still in bed, him softly stroking her stomach as she slept, when the phone rang. Sighing in regret as he recognized the number, he picked it up. "Flack." He paused for a moment as the voice on the other line gave him the details. "On my way."

He sighed as he hung up the phone and looked down at Lindsay. "Linds? Sweetheart? Wake up," he said softly.

She murmured drowsily, "What's the matter?"

"I gotta go in. DB on the subway."

Lindsay opened her eyes and smiled softly. "I'm sorry, hun. Hopefully, you'll be back by the time lunch is ready."

Flack smiled, thinking how lucky he was that she understood the job. "I hope. Go ahead and go over to Cory and Danny's. I'm pretty sure that Danny, Mac and Hawkes got called in as well. I still don't know how all you girls managed to not be on call today!"

Lindsay laughed. "Good planning, hun. We put in for it months ago. Although, we are on call for Christmas."

Flack leaned over and gave her a soft kiss and he got out of bed. "Go back to sleep. See you later. I love you."

"Love you, too," Lindsay murmured as she closed her eyes in sleepiness.

Mac and Stella had made it back to his apartment around five a.m. They had both been working on the case of a dead homeless man, which turned out to have been part of a bizarre suicide pact. Stella was still confused on the matter. "Mac? Why would the homeless make a suicide pact?"

Mac just shook his head. "I don't know, Stel." She smiled as he pulled her too him, caressing her lips lightly.

Stella smiled as she pulled slightly back. "Keep that thought. I still reek of decomp and I really need a shower."

Mac nodded as she walked towards the bathroom. "Lemon juice is in the fridge if you want," he called to her.

Stella turned around and winked. "Thanks." She turned and made a detour to the kitchen, taking the bottle of lemon juice out of the fridge.

Mac took off his suit jacket as he grabbed two glasses and opened a bottle of wine. He carried the bottle and glasses into the bedroom and lit some candles to set the mood. Thirty minutes later, he looked up to see Stella standing in the doorway, dressed in a lacy nightgown. His eyes darkened in lust as he appraised her body. Silently he poured the wine and offered her a glass.

"Thanks. I finally feel human again. I hate decomp!" she stated as she accepted the glass and took a sip. Smiling, she sat down on the bed next to him. "At least we'll get to sleep in a little. Cory said she wasn't serving lunch until two. Something about wanting it later so she could sleep in, but early enough to watch the game." She shook her head. "I just don't get her obsession with football."

Mac laughed. "Stel, she's from Texas. Football is practically a religion down there."

"How do you know that?"

He shrugged. "I was stationed down there briefly after boot camp." He set his glass down on the table as he stood. "I'm going to grab a shower."

Stella smiled as she lay down on the bed. "Okay." She closed her eyes, listening to the sound of the water as it lulled her to sleep.

Fifteen minutes later, Mac walked out of the bathroom to find Stella sleeping peacefully on top of the covers. He smiled softly, love filling his eyes as he looked at her. He gently moved over to her and began to slip the covers from under her.

Stella felt the small movement and opened her sleep filled eyes. "Hey. I fell asleep didn't I?"

Mac smiled down at her. "Yeah, but it's okay."

Stella smiled, seeing the smoldering desire shining in his eyes. Quickly she reached up and pulled him down for a kiss, which quickly progressed to something more intimate. She moaned softly as she felt his hands roam over her body.

Mac marveled at the softness of her skin as he undressed them both. He had just captured her lips again, when they both heard the phone ring.

Both groaned in their frustration. Mac sighed in resignation as he answered it abruptly. "Taylor."

It was Stella's turn to sigh as he got out of the bed and began to get dressed again. She watched as he ended the call and looked at her with sorrow. "DB on the subway," he practically growled in frustration.

Stella smiled. "It's the nature of the job, Mac. Both of us know that. Go. Process the scene and try to make it to lunch."

Mac laughed. "I will," he said as he gave her a small kiss, overcome by the urge to tell her that he loved her, but not sure if the time was right. He glanced at her one last time as he walked out of the bedroom.

Stella stared at the empty room, feeling the frustration filling her body as she tried to go back to sleep.

Cory looked around the apartment after Danny had left, sadness filling her heart. She had prepared everything last night, the only cooking she had left to do was to prepare the salad. She slipped into a comfortable pair of sweats and sat down at her computer, intending on trying to figure Montoya out. She knew that she had been having dreams, but the fragments of the dream were dancing on the edge of her consciousness.

Opening up the laptop, she stared at the screen for five minutes before giving up. Sighing, she made herself a cup of hot chocolate and decided to walk out on the balcony attached to the dining room. She stared over Central Park, trying to sort her thoughts into some semblance of normality, when she realized that she had not even begun to make plans for the wedding.

Her mind began to race as she remembered, with remorse, all of the planning that she had done for her first wedding. Silently a tear began to fall down her cheek, as she remembered the wedding gown that she still had in storage. "Damn. This is going to be hard," she said out loud, the wind whipping the words away from her. She stared down into the now cold drink as her mind took her on a pain filled trip down memory lane.

Finally, when she was so cold that her teeth wouldn't stop chattering, she walked back inside and sat back down at the computer. The iciness of the November air had help to clear her mind and she began to make plans.

She didn't realize how much time had passed, until the buzzer rang. Glancing at the clock, she was stunned to see that it was one and quickly went to buzzer. "Yes?"

"It's Lindsay. Can you buzz me up! It's freezing out here and it just started to snow!"

Cory laughed as she buzzed her in and waited for her to arrive at the door. "Hey. It's snowing?"

Lindsay removed her coat. "Yeah. Dear Lord it's cold out there!"

Cory raised her eyebrows. "Linds? I hate to break it to you, but you're from Montana. Isn't it really cold there during the winter?"

Lindsay laughed as she hung her coat up in the closet. "Yup. Doesn't mean that I liked it any more there." Lindsay looked at her. "How come you're in sweats?"

Cory looked down at her attire and grimaced. "Let's just say that I lost track of time." At Lindsay's confused looked, she decided to give her a break. "I've been making plans for the wedding."

"Oh. How is that going?"

Cory laughed softly. "Let's just say it's a good thing that I've planned a couple of weddings before or I would be so screwed."

Lindsay giggled. "Don't you know it! Listen, why don't you go get dressed. Is there anything that I can do?"

Cory smiled. "Unless you want to make the salad, nope. Everything else is ready."

Lindsay shooed her towards the bedroom and walked into the kitchen.

Thirty minutes later and the rest of the women were there. Cory grabbed the wine and began to pour everyone a glass, as they hung out in the kitchen, Cory putting the final touches on everything.

Lindsay saw that Cory was pouring her wine and knew that she would not be able to drink it. She sighed, knowing that Don had wanted to tell everyone together, but she didn't see a way out of the situation. She shook her head at Cory when she tried to hand her the glass. "None for me, but thanks."

Cory raised her eyebrows. "You pregnant or something?" she asked jokingly. Lindsay bit her lip and Cory's eyes opened wide. "Oh my God. You're pregnant!"

Lindsay nodded as Cory and Lydia squealed in delight. Lydia hugged her, since Cory was had her hands full with a baking dish of cornbread. "Does Don know?" Lydia asked.

"Yeah. I told him a couple of days ago."

Stella looked at her. "How'd it go?"

Lindsay drew in a breath. "Needless to say, he was a little shocked. But he's happy. So am I."

Stella smiled. "See, I told you that it would turn out okay."

Cory didn't miss the exchange. "Hey! I thought we were friends! Stella knows, but you didn't tell me? I'm crushed," she said with a mock pout.

Lindsay just rolled her eyes. "Stella's the one that put it together after I kept puking in the bathroom."

Cory nodded. "So, when are you due?"

"July fourth, so no June wedding for you! You can't get married until after then, because I don't want to look like a whale in your wedding photos."

"No problem," Cory responded. "I've tried to do the June wedding and look where it got me. I was thinking more along the lines of October," she said, her tone holding a bit of melancholy in it at the memories that had surfaced that morning.

All the women picked up on the tone and quickly changed the subject to make sure that she didn't get lost in the memories. Cory just nodded and let them help her feel better.

Fifteen minutes later, the timer had buzzed on the oven, signaling that the cornbread and the turkey was ready. "Well, I guess we should eat. Although, it doesn't feel right without the guys here."

The rest nodded their agreement, as they helped to load up the table with the food. Quietly, they sat down and Cory was just about to say grace when she heard the door open. She jumped up from the table and walked into the living room to find Danny, Mac, Flack and Hawkes walking in the door.

"Damn. You've got great timing Messer. We were just about to start without you. Close the case already?"

Flack was the one that answered. "Ended up being a suicide. Guy's wife had just left him, taking their kids, after he had been laid off."

"Ouch," Lindsay said from behind Cory. "Welcome to the most depressing time of year."

Cory just shook her head, knowing that the team was going to see an increase in the number of suicide calls that they received. "Why don't you guys go and wash up. We can wait a few minutes to dig in."

The guys did just that and soon all were eating the typical Thanksgiving dinner.

After they were done, Cory looked around. "Anyone save any room for dessert?" She was met by a bunch of groans. "Fine, then. Guys you know the drill. I cooked, therefore I don't clean. But don't feel bad, there's not much to clean up. Just the dishes that we ate on, which do not—I repeat, do not—go in the dishwasher."

"Aye, aye, Captain!" Danny exclaimed with a smart salute to her as they gathered up the dishes to take to the kitchen.

Stella smiled. "Cory, I so wish that I could get that response out of the guys."

Cory laughed. "What can I say? I'm good. Plus, they know if they don't, I won't cook."

Hawkes walked into the kitchen to find that Flack and Danny were arguing over who was going to wash the dishes. He just shook his head and shared a glance with Mac. "Mac? How about I wash, you dry and we let the wonder twins put away all the food?" Mac nodded his agreement and Hawkes began fill the sink with hot water.

Danny and Flack looked at Hawkes with gratitude. "Thanks, Sheldon," Flack said sincerely. "I really didn't want to wash dishes again."

"Not a problem. Tell me something. Is Lindsay okay? She wasn't drinking with the meal," Hawkes asked, trying to get some confirmation on his suspicions.

Flack grinned. "She's fine." He paused for a more dramatic effect. "We're pregnant."

Hawkes and Mac both smiled knowingly, while Danny almost dropped the casserole dish he was holding. "She's pregnant? There's going to be a little Flack running around soon?" He shuddered dramatically, while Mac tried to stifle a laugh.

"Grow up, Messer," Flack retorted. "At least they won't be your spawn. I shudder to think about little Messer juniors running around."

Danny looked at Mac and Hawkes, trying to get some support. "Come on guys. Help me out here!"

Hawkes looked at him. "Not me, Messer. I've had my suspicions for a couple of weeks now."

Mac smiled too. "This wasn't news to me."

Danny sighed dramatically. "Why am I the last person to know anything around here?"

Flack, sensing Danny's weakness, shook his head. "See Messer. That's why you're not a homicide cop. No attention to detail."

Danny finally admitted defeat and spent the rest of the time, trying to ignore the barbs that the guys were sending his way. When they were finally done, they walked back to the living room, just as the game was starting.

AN: Okay guys. Here's a good shipper's chapter! Hope y'all liked it! (I must say now...The Cowboys ROCK! 7-1. Hope they beat the Giants on Sunday. If they do, I may add a bit to chapter 28 that details the ending of the game. (:p) Anywho...Please go read and review Gotham's Heroes! I'd like to see if any of my regular reviewers like it as much as I do!

Soccer Bitch - I can't imagine. I live in Texas, so I'm used to dealing with ice, friggin hot temps (record stands at 113 at the airport) and the occasional tornado, but not really fires. I'm glad that everything is okay! I'm glad you liked the chapter. I haven't written a completely fm Radio chapter since they got back from their honeymoon!

magic munchies - 154. (:p) Thanks! I'm glad you are liking this. This gives me hope that when I actually finish my novel, I might have an audience! (brushing up on my Spanish--which I don't speak but a couple of words-- Muchos gracias! Adios!

CSI junkie - Of course he had a couple of "Open Mouth, insert foot, chew vigourously" moments. I just have this vision in my head that he is terrified of messing a kid up. But things will work out for them. I haven't decided whether or not it's going to be a boy or girl yet. I'll have to see where my muse takes me.

Axellia - Feeling better? I told you that you were going to get sick from working so much, but I'm not one to talk. I'm working 6 days a week right now. (sighing) I really wanted to do NaNoWriMo this year, too, but I can't seem to find the time! You were definitely on the ball. We need to hook up online and finish plotting GH. They certainly would have great looking kids...Now I'm off to the gutter. (:D)

Note to MJ and brainDamage...Miss you guys!