A/N: Well, I'm back at it! Checked my bank account, and nope, I still don't own cs: or anything related. So, here is the date.

Flack was finally ready to go home at 6, and swung by the lab. Stepping out of the elevator, he ran into Hawkes, dressed very nicely and holding a bouquet of stargazer lilies.

"Hey, Hawkes, who's the lucky lady?" he asked.

"Someone you know very well." Came the mysterious reply as the doctor pushed the button for the lobby. Flack stood there, racking his brain trying to figure out who was Hawkes' date.

"Hey, Don!" Stella's voice broke trough his thoughts.

"Hi, Stell. Do you know who Hawkes has a date with? I know it isn't Lindsay, and I don't think it's you, so that leaves Jess, and…." Flack trailed off as he made the connection. Stella raised an eyebrow at the flurry of emotions on Don Flack's face.

"Flack, don't do anything rash. It's just dinner." She said, trying to placate the homicide detective. Flack pulled out his cell phone and pressed the speed dial.

"Pronto."

"K, are you going on a date with Hawkes?"

"Donnie, I left Salerno to get away from that attitude."

"Karina, it's Hawkes! I work with him."

"Donald, mi non dica come vivere la via mia." She snapped, and hung up the phone. Flack stared at his cell for a moment. Stella laughed and took it from him, closing it.

"Face it Don, your dear little cousin is growing up." She said, handing him the phone again. She headed down the hall and saw Mac watching the exchange, his face clouded.

"Who knew Flack would take offence to Karina dating?" she said.

"That's why you and Lindsay took your little excursion today?" Mac asked. Stella nodded.

"Hawkes won't know what hit him. Let's just hope it's not Flack's fist."

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At 7, Karina answered the door to Flack's apartment to a well dressed Hawkes. His eyes widened for a moment when he saw her dress.

"You look splendido." He said, and Karina smiled warmly.

"Parlate italiano?"

"Soltano un poco." He replied, offering he the flowers.

"Then I will have to teach you some more. After all, Italian is the real language of love." She replied, winking at him. The doctor's brain shorted as he watched her sashay into the kitchen for a vase.

"Do you like Thai?" he called, still standing in the hallway.

"Si. E il mia favorita." She replied, returning with her purse. Hawkes led her out the door and they got in a cab, pulling away just as Flack arrived home. He hurried up to his apartment and found the lilies in a vase next to a note.

Left already. Got my cell. We'll talk in the morning. K

Flack sighed and grabbed a beer from the fridge. He wasn't even sure why he was panicking about Karina going out with Hawkes. He liked the doc, but he knew he wouldn't hesitate in beating the CSI to a bloody pulp if Karina got hurt. Hell, if he was honest with himself, he was dealing with the same issues from high school when one of his buddies hit on his sister. He didn't want to be torn between a friend and a family member.

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Karina was laughing as she and Hawkes walked along the well-lit path in Central Park. Dinner had been wonderful. Sheldon had told her some of the funnier stories about his work, and Karina had taught him a few phrases in Italian. He had impressed her with a few romantic lines he had learned himself.

"Alright, who taught you all that? I know it wasn't Donnie. He was not happy when he called me about our date." Her smile faltered a bit as she mentioned her cousin.

"I'm sure he's just doing the normal 'hurt her I hurt you' deal he does with his sister." Sheldon replied, slipping an arm around her waist.

"You're right. It's just, Papa would get very upset when I would go out on a date that he had not arranged for me. He would get so angry, sometimes he would try to scare them away. He treated me like an idiot, like I couldn't choose a good man." Her voice had turned bitter, angry. Sheldon stopped and pulled her into his arms. Karina leaned against him and felt his lips press against her neck. She sighed as he moved along her neck, and gasped when he hit the sensitive spot below her ear.

"Il punto dolce." He whispered, moving to the other side, and receiving another gasp of pleasure from Karina. He brought his lips up to hers hungrily. She pressed into his body, her arms snaking around to his neck. They broke apart at the sound of a few passersby whooping and applauding. Karina laughed and pressed her face into Hawkes' shoulder, feeling her cheeks burn in embarrassment. She felt his laughter through his chest.

"How about I take you home?" he asked, placing a chaste kiss to her lips. She nodded and they hailed a cab. They rode quietly through the busy streets and arrived all too soon at Flack's apartment building. Karina turned and pressed a searing kiss to Sheldon's lips.

"Sogni piu dolci il mia caro." She whispered, before heading up to the apartment, a warm smile on her face. When she opened the door to the apartment, she came face to face with her cousin. Flack was sitting on a stool before the door, a half empty beer in his hand.

"How was your date?" he asked, grinning cheekily.

"Bello. Perche?" she replied, her brows knitting in mild confusion.

"I thought about it, and I realized that Uncle Paulo will be furious when he hears you snagged a winner, so more power to ya." He said, toasting her with his beer. Karina smiled at her cousin and shook her head.

"Good night, Donnie." She said, heading for the guest room, a smile on her face.

A/N: You didn't think Flack would hurt Sheldon would you? So, reviews are better than gold, so hit the new pretty green button, please!