Toasty here,

Well I know it has been so long since I last updated and I know that isn't right, I am truly sorry for that. I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint. See I've had so much on lately and I just don't feel as if my writing is good enough anymore, yet I've told myself I will just get on with it and try and get it right. I'm so sorry if this disappoints. So, I am sorry, huge wait and tiny chapter but I am getting back on track now!

Disclaimer: I don't own CSI New York; this is not an intended copyright infringement.

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The lazy sun hung high in the sky, the day was only at noon and yet inside the dark club, it could have been midnight and you'd never had known the difference. Strobe lights illuminated the ceiling and sent patterns twirling and twisting in every direction, coloured spot lights picked out the female dancers amongst the heavy crowd which had gathered around the body.

One thing cops and CSIs hate more then anything is a crowd around, wanting to know everything about it, to satisfy their strange need for information. Curiosity has a funny way of killing things, not just cats either.

A man in his 20s was splayed across the dance floor, his blood sat in thick pools and his eyes stared up at the bright lights. He was dressed as a robot, a cardboard box wrapped in kitchen foil with some milk bottle caps for buttons. No one had seen him enter and no one had seen him there till one girl tripped up his bleeding body.

Don sighed as he walked towards the crime scene, Mac and Stella were busy trying to get all the people to back off and give witness statements, a task far easier said then done and it didn't even sound easy. Jess was currently speaking to the club manager, trying to get hold of some security footage, which left him to take photos and analyze- it wasn't even his job, that was a CSI's, but cuts meant staff shortage and that meant everyone pitching in, even if technically it was not in the job description.

The man had a slash running across his neck and had slits across both his wrists which were identical in size and depth. The uncanny relation to the early murder of their alien, however this time the murderer hadn't bothered with being subtle. Last time, there wasn't a tiny piece of evidence to link anyone to the case, whoever it had been had been careful to the T. This time it was messy, perhaps rushed.

Leaning down to photograph the man's neck, Don saw a piece of paper sticking out his jacket's pocket. Taking the photo of his neck, Don photographed the paper and then removed the camera from around his neck. Setting it aside, Don carefully removed the paper from his pocket and unfolded it, making sure any fingerprints would not be lost even if he was wearing gloves- no one wants to risk losing evidence on a stopped case. It unfolded to be a small note which read:

Dearest New York crime lab,

You are yet to know who I am; I find it rather amusing actually. The grand Mac Taylor can't figure out a simple little murder, which now of course has ended up in the death of three. The poor man at his fancy dress party, he did make me laugh. Squirmed like a girl when he died. The poor young woman, now she I did not want to kill, however needs are met and she simply had to go. I made it quick for her though, I didn't want her to suffer. This man, now he was fun. You may call me sick and twisted, but seeing the pleas form from his lips made me laugh as I cut through his wrists. Cause of death is pretty simple; I didn't want to strain Dr. Hammerback. How are you all? I am curious to see what has become of your darling star crossed lovers. I simply adore a good tragedy and there is nothing better then a Romeo and Juliet imagine what the Montagues and Capulets would have done to the couple if they'd been alive when they had found out? Surely with all the Capulet men, Romeo would have been assassinated; Juliet would have been shamed utterly from her family and disgraced her father, meaning sure death. I've always been a bit of a spoiler person, I always want to know what happens next in the Drama, I wonder what shall happen in this one? Good luck to you all.

Hope you guess my name but what's puzzling you, is the nature of my game.

Sincerely,

The Dress master

Don held the note carefully and read it over again. No matter how much he stared at it, the words did not change and instead glared back at him. How did all these crooks know of him and Jess? It hardly seemed fair, of all people who knew why was it always the people you fought to put away for the rest of their lives?

"Mac," Don shouted as he stood up and walked off to find his supervisor, this was yet again a serious matter. It had turned from two mysteriously connected homicides to now being a serial killer who was free in New York.

"Don? What is wrong?" Mac asked his clearly distressed friend, looking over to where the body still laid, the blood slowly beginning to dry. The crowd had just about decided to clear away and begin to be filed in for statements; they all had to go downtown which had at least cleared some space in the dark filled night club.

"Read this," Was the only reply as Don thrust the note into Mac's hand before walking away to find his partner.

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"Don?" Jess stood above a CCTV system as the tape was playing, she paused it as she turned to him, gesturing to the cassette when she spoke again.

"How on earth does a body appear out of the middle of nowhere with no trap doors or mysterious illusions? He most certainly did not walk into the club, at least not dressed like that. No one drops the body as you can see, yet the jumble of people makes it virtually impossible to get a glimpse of the floor. I can't even see when it got there!" Jess tugged her hair in frustration and turned back to the screen. Don walked up to her and placed his arms gently around her waist.

"If that was enough, whoever murdered him killed our other dress up vic and what is even worse is he knows about us and seems to be threatening to publicly announce it. Life seems to have it for us Jessie," Don murmured into her hair and she turned in shock to face him.

"Again? Someone knows again? Oh Christ Don, how do you know this?" Jess asked frantically as she pulled away from him, searching his eyes for any hint he wasn't speaking the truth. There wasn't a single tinge of a sign he was lying.

"A letter in the vic's pocket, Mac's got hold of it at the moment," Don answered truthfully, sensing the distress building in his partner he gently hugged her to his chest.

"It's gonna be ok baby," He reassured her gently, though he was entirely sure if it was for her benefit or his.

"I need to see that letter," Jess stated quietly, only to receive a nod from Don.

"I know."

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"This weekend right?" Lucian asked in a delicate tone, glad Cliff could not see his smirk.

"S-sure, this weekend, I'll get all the family around; it will be like a big party affair" Cliff answered shakily down the phone, staring helplessly at the family calendar that hung on the wall. In his mind, Jess had moved out with Lindsay, she couldn't hear this conversation and know how her father betrayed her, little did he know, she already knew.

"Thank you for all you have done Cliff," Lucian replied before simply hanging up. All Cliff could do was sit in the nearest chair, place his head in his hands and try not to cry. He was certainly not a tearful man, but at that moment, the famous words 'what have I done' rang around his head.

The world was tipping this way and that, since Jess had moved out, life was far more hectic. She was the one who kept the boys under control, her and Lindsay, now both his 'daughters' were gone. Hell, they shouldn't come back, not with what he'd done. He'd thought it was the right thing, now he saw all he'd done is sell his daughter to a bastard and what was worse? He was too much of a coward to do anything about it. Too much of a damn coward, he truly hated himself for it. The only term he could apply to himself, was lower then mud.

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"Jess?" Jess was standing by her car, shift was over and they were no closer to finding out anything about the mysterious killer or the case itself. Cause of death was still unknown and the case was becoming more frustrating by the minute. Jess turned to see him right before her, kneeling on one knee.

"Don? What are you doing?" A secret thought flew through her mind but she quickly stamped on it, it was too early right? Plus all the things with Lucian… surely he was tying up his shoe lace?

"Jess… life's too short… I can't bare the thought of you being with Lucian, I love you more then… life itself to be honest. I need to be with you forever, to keep my heart beating and my soul alive; please will you do me the honour… of marrying me?" The world stopped around her, all seemed deadly silent.

"Don I can't."

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GAHHH CLIFFE! So so sorry :)