Special thanks to sparkyCSI, my wonderful beta. Where would I be without your help?

Chapter 6 – Vendetta

'Because you look really beautiful in that dress and I hate it that you dressed like that for him. And he's condescending because he's a D.A. What's the big deal? The guy sits on my couch and flirts with you openly in my face. I had to put up with his smirk when you laughed at one of his stupid jokes. I saw the way he looked at you as if you were a piece of meat and the way his eyes went to your chest every few seconds. You deserve better than that. You're a nice and smart person, not just a body. Are those good enough reasons for you?' he made his speech with his eyes lowered but looked up at Lily after saying the last word.

'So … you were jealous?' she asked disbelievingly.

He shrugged and lowered his eyes again.

'Donny, look at me.' She lifted his chin with her hand, task that was easier due to the fact that they were sitting on the couch. 'Is it true? Everything you said?'

He kept silent.

She looked at him in the eyes.

'I need you to tell me, did you mean it?' she asked softly. 'Because he's just a friend. And it's all he'll ever be.'

Flack didn't answer but leant forward and trapped her lips with his. When they broke the kiss he ran a hand through his hair but neither dared to break the silence. What they did was wrong and they wouldn't do it again.

The following day, Lily met 'The girls' in Mary's place.

'So, Lil, sweetheart, what's the problem?' asked a brunette called Emily.

'Yeah, you sounded worried,' added Mary.

Lily told her friends what had happened up to the point when she asked him if he meant it.

'What did he answer?' asked the always anxious Meredith.

'Nothing.'

'He didn't answer?' asked the redhead called Elizabeth.

'He kissed me,' said Lily and bit her lip.

'Was I right? Is he a good kisser?' asked Mary.

She nodded and spoke.

'That's not the point, Mary. It was wrong.'

'Why? You're both single,' said Elizabeth.

'Lisa's right,' supported Mary.

'But we're friends! These things shouldn't happen between friends!' interjected Lily.

'Maybe you should give him a chance, see if a relationship works out,' suggested Emily.

'I know it won't work out, Em.'

'Why not?', asked Emily again.

'Because he loves women and flirting. You know, a smile here, a wink there. And I'm relationship-challenged.' She put her head in her hands and added, 'Besides, sometimes I defend his suspects and if that strains a friendship, imagine what it would do to a relationship.'

'If he's so flirtatious and you're so shy you could balance each other, you know?' said Meredith.

'And you should put aside your jobs,' said Mary.

'We're both really into our jobs, they are who we are, we can't put them aside,' explained Lily.

'I just say you should try,' answered her blonde friend.

Lily sighed.

'I don't know what to do! How do I look at him next time we see each other? Remember we live together.'

'Maybe you should pretend everything's normal,' said Lisa with a tinge of sarcasm.

'Since when kissing a good friend of yours (who is also your roommate for the time being) is normal?' spoke Lily with desperation.

'See it from a different angle: why should kissing a cute man, who has the hots for you, be considered weird?' asked Mary.

'So he's hot?' asked Meredith.

'Oh, you should see him, Mer! He's got that manly look, you know, from being a detective and everything. And his eyes! God! They're gorgeous and his smile …'

'Could you stop it, Mary? You're making me feel even worse, if that's possible.'

'Any chance you'll introduce us?' asked Lisa.

'No! I don't want any of you to get involved with him. He'll break your hearts.'

'That's the problem, then? You're afraid of getting hurt?' spoke Emily.

Lily looked at her.

'I hate the fact that you're a psychologist. You always get things right,' she whined and Emily couldn't repress a smile or the sentence that came out of her mouth next.

'That's why I'm paid the big money for.'

'So … what should I do?'

'You should pretend nothing happened,' said Meredith sensibly.

'And pray tell, how on earth should I do that?'

'Aren't you always commenting on your fantastic acting abilities?' asked Lisa.

'Maybe I'm not that good?' said Lily with a smile.

'Of course you are, you'll do it just fine,' encouraged her Mary.

Lily sighed and looked at her watch.

'I should be going, girls. I want to take a long bath before he comes home. Thanks for the advice and the support,' said Lily and after saying bye, she went home.

She got there twenty minutes after and prepared the tub for the really wonderful and luxurious bath she was going to have. Once inside, she left her mind wander and relaxed. When the water was getting cold, she got out and put on her nightwear. Now more relaxed and calmed than before, she strolled to the living room and watched TV.

After a while, Flack came home with a worried look.

'What's the matter?' she asked him.

He didn't talk.

'Donny, you're scaring me, what's the problem?' her voice was etched with concern.

He sighed.

'There's a situation at the Precinct. Hawkes is accused of tampering evidence and stealing things from the lab. He has the prelim in five days.'

'Is there a chance he did it?'

'No. Mac is very careful and he protects the lab's integrity at any cost. There was a detective, not so long ago who almost tampered with evidence. Mac fired her straight away. He wouldn't tolerate it. Besides, Hawkes is an honest and smart man he'd never do it.'

'Are you sure? Sometimes we think we know people and then they prove us wrong.'

He shook his head.

'Does he have a lawyer yet?'

'Don't know.'

'Is he in custody?'

'Not yet, they don't have much evidence, but enough to accuse him,' he told her.

'Good. Give me his number.'

'What? Why?'

'I want to take his case,' she said simply.

'He can't pay you; we don't earn that much money.'

'I don't care about money, I've got enough. If you're so convinced this man is innocent and you're so worried about him I'll take his case. I'll make sure he has the best defense possible,' said Lily determinedly.

'You'd do it for me?'

'You're my friend and I don't like you being worried so if I can help you, I'll do everything in my power.'

He gave her Hawkes' number and she called him right away.

'Hello. Can I speak to Dr. Hawkes, please? … Good evening, I'm Lillian Stewart, I'm a lawyer and I'd like to take your case … Why? Well, you see, I'm Don Flack's friend and he's certain you're innocent. I want to prove it … Don't worry Dr. Hawkes, we'll discuss that later. I'd like to meet you as soon as possible to start preparing your defense … I'll be there in half an hour. Bye.'

She hung up and went to the bedroom to change. She got out after five minutes and grabbed her briefcase.

'I've got to meet Dr. Hawkes,' she said while putting her jacket on.

Flack nodded.

'I'll give you a ride. Where are you meeting?'

'At a café in Central Park.'

Lily arrived earlier as she hadn't had to wait for the metro and sat at a table. She ordered a cappuccino and waited. Hawkes arrived ten minutes later.

'Lillian Stewart?' he asked the young woman.

She nodded.

'Dr. Hawkes?'

Now it was his turn to nod. They shook hands and he sat down.

The waitress asked for his order and came a few minutes later, with a cup of coffee.

'So, what happened?' asked Lily in a business like tone.

'I don't know,' said Hawkes honestly. 'I was working on a case when Mac called me to his office and told me there were charges against me.'

'What do they accuse you of?'

'Tampering evidence and stealing supplies from the lab.'

'In which case?'

'The Perry case. It was a crime of passion; Mrs. Perry was killed by her husband's mistress. Stabbed three times to the chest, the mistress' prints and blood on the hilt of the knife which belonged to the Perry household. Open and shut.'

'So why are they accusing you of tampering evidence?' Lily was puzzled.

'We seal the envelopes with a tape. Sometimes it isn't sticky enough and it doesn't paste itself completely. The envelope with the murder weapon was slightly opened.'

'You analyzed the knife, didn't you?'

He nodded.

'Wouldn't it be simpler for you to take off the tape completely and seal the envelope all over again? And what, are they implying you planted the fingerprint on the knife?'

'And the blood.'

'So you took a blood sample from her, only God knows how and planted it on the knife? It's simply stupid,' she laughed.

Hawkes nodded.

'What have you supposedly stolen?'

'Some chemicals that are used to test for blood.'

'Why would you want those?'

He shrugged.

'I didn't do it. I'm going to be sent to jail and I'm going to lose my job when I'm completely innocent.'

'You work for it, Dr. Hawkes, have some faith in the Justice System. I think there's something nasty in here, but we'll figure it out.'

They kept on talking. When the second mug of coffee had been drunk, both of them went home.

As part of the defense, Lily had to investigate in the Crime Lab. She asked Flack to introduce her to Sheldon's boss. He took her to the lab and walked her to Mac's office. She knocked on the door and Mac motioned them to come in.

'Mac, this is Lily; she wants to ask some questions. This is Detective Mac Taylor,' Flack introduced them.

They shook hands.

Flack left them alone and Mac told her to sit down.

Lily asked Mac about the regulations of the lab, Hawkes' work ethic and a bit about his life. They also talked about the case against Hawkes and the case she was going to build.

'Something's not right and I'll find out what,' Lily told Mac.

'Be careful, this prosecutor, Atkin isn't one to play by the rules. We got into quite an argument some years ago. He wanted us to lie and say the evidence pointed to one guy when actually two people were involved. We didn't do it and he lost his case.'

Their conversation was solemn, serious and both demonstrated great respect for the other. After a while they stood up and shook hands before she left Mac's office. Some time later Lily finished interviewing Sheldon's colleagues and left the building.

Lily stood up, her heels clicking on the floor as she strolled confidently around the room.

'When this case came to me, my first reaction was surprise. Why would an accomplished doctor and CSI tamper with evidence and risk everything he's worked for? Why would an honest and ethic man change his values and steal? I talked to his co-workers and to his boss and they all agreed on the same thing: Dr. Hawkes is a good, hard working man.

Lily entered the office and he told her to sit down.

'Honestly, Danny, what's your opinion of Dr. Hawkes?' she asked.

'Great man.'

'Detective Bonasera, what do you have to say about your colleague?'

'A hard working man, committed to the job, nice, caring. He's a fantastic investigator.'

'I don't think he did it. He doesn't have a motive. Sheldon works to help people,' were Lindsay's words.

'He worked on the morgue for several years. He was very respected, thorough, with a great knowledge of anatomy. A shame he went to the field. He's like a friend I had in school, always the teacher's pet …'

'Thank you, Sid,' she interrupted him.

'Dr. Hawkes is an honest man, a great addition to the team. I'm glad he's one of our investigators,' said Mac.

Then I proceeded to look at the evidence which, according to the prosecutor, beyond reasonable doubt suggests Dr. Hawkes tampered with evidence and stole supplies from the lab. I discussed my doubts, questions and concerns with Detective Mac Taylor since I don't know much about forensics and we reached a conclusion: the evidence was circumstantial. Nothing really pointed to Dr. Hawkes. Nothing really pointed to tampered evidence. So a question arose; why the eagerness to condemn Dr. Hawkes? Why was there such a rush to imprison him?' she paused and draw breath, her shoes still clicking against the marble floor.

'When I was at college I was taught that investigation's the lawyer's best weapon. Investigation can make or break a case. So that's what I did: I investigated. I found I was asking the wrong questions. The right question wasn't why Dr. Hawkes but why a member of one of the best Crime Labs in the country? New York's Crime Lab is respected for its integrity and has a reputation that precedes it. The Department wouldn't look good with an accusation like this. As I said before, I researched. I'd love to share my discoveries with you,' she stopped to give a dramatic effect. 'During my talk with Detective Taylor he told me a crucial piece of information. Neither of us realized it at the moment but later, going over it in my head I found I had the missing piece of the puzzle. The accusations against Dr. Hawkes were means of revenge. Taking revenge on Detective Taylor. The prosecutor has a vendetta against him.'

The people in the room gasped and the prosecutor remained silent.

'Mr. Atkin had a fight with Detective Taylor some years ago over a case and has never really gotten over it. Now it was his turn to take revenge. So he seized the opportunity and pressed charges against Dr. Hawkes who is, I'm afraid, as guilty as I am. He's a scapegoat. The tape which sealed the envelope containing the evidence was faulty and the chemicals were used but the technicians didn't registered the depletion. It was all a giant confusion. That's why I state, your honor, that there's not evidence against Dr. Hawkes and no criminal trial should be proceeded.'

Hawkes and Lily were getting out of court.

'Thank you,' he said softly.

'That's what I do for fun, you know? Get justice for innocent people,' she smiled.

'Thanks. For everything.'

'Stop it already! If you have to thank someone thank your boss. Detective Taylor gave me the clue,' she said honestly.

'Can I buy you dinner or something?' he asked.

'There's no need.'

'As a payment of sorts.'

She smiled. 'It's payment enough if you keep catching murderers.'

He nodded in understanding.

'Besides, I'm always glad to help a member of the force. Haven't really gotten over my days as a legal aid for the NYPD.'

'I'll keep that in mind.'

They were outside the building and each was going different ways. He hugged her briefly. She was stiff at first but then relaxed and returned the hug.

'I heard about your performance today,' said Flack, 'thanks.'

'As I told Sheldon, helping people is a hobby of mine,' she shrugged and smiled.

'I've got a present for you,' she raised her eyebrows. 'You were great, a good friend and I think you deserve it,' he explained.

Flack took a box out of his pocket and handed it to her.

'You shouldn't have. I did it for you and Sheldon without expecting anything in return,' Lily told him in her no-nonsense tone.

'Least you could do is open it …'

She did as she was told and grinned when she saw what it was. 'Six Flack coupons?' she asked amused.

'Yeah, well …' a faint blush spread through his cheeks.

'Can I use them for anything I want?' she asked playfully.

Flack was a bit taken aback by the implications but realized she wasn't talking about that. As if she would want to do that with me! And he nodded, beating himself up for having that thought.

'So, you'll help me move?' she asked.

'Yes. But on the weekend, alright?'

'Fair enough. You'll need your rest to carry all the boxes,' she winked.

Thanks to those who have been reading! Please, do leave a review. I want to know who you are and what you think of this fic. If you have suggestions, comments, ideas, anything you want to say.

LaUrIsHa-just me