Disclaimer: I don't own CSI:NY.
Series: None.
Spoilers: Necrophilia Americano; mentions of Pay Up.
Chapter Twenty – Necrophilia Americano
The movement wasn't quite out of Jess's line of sight and she left the rather gory sight of Ceci Astor's dead body to search for the source.
It wasn't long before she found a young boy huddled beneath a display case.
"Hi there." She greeted softly. "This is a good place to hide; you playing hide and seek?"
The child didn't respond, but shrank back.
"It's okay, honey." Jess held up her badge. "I'm with NYPD. My name's Jess." She slid her badge across the floor to him and he examined it closely. "Do you wanna come out?"
The little boy shook his head.
"Well, can I come in?" Jess asked.
He considered this for a second, then nodded.
Jess crawled under the desks and sat beside him, crossing her legs. "What's your name?"
He didn't answer but held up a comic book, bearing black-and-white pictures, but no words. At the top, in small letters was the word 'Sam'.
"Sam?" Jess looked at him. "Is that your name?"
He nodded, and she noticed a suspicious looking stain on his shirt.
"Sam, did you see what happened to Miss Astor?" Jess asked gently.
In response, Sam pushed the comic book into her hands and pointed to empty candy bar wrappers on the floor.
"Jess?" Mac's voice called.
Sam started and moulded himself against Jess's side, shaking.
"It's okay, sweetheart." Jess cooed, wrapping an arm around him. "That's Detective Taylor; he works for the police too." She raised her voice slightly. "I'm under here, Mac."
Something about the situation was familiar, and she was sure that she'd been told about it. This time, it was Stella's voice that floated into her head.
"He was so good with him, Jess; wouldn't let him get candy until he ate proper food. Ironic, really."
Jess frowned lightly. "Sam, where did you get those candy bars from? Could you show me?"
Sam nodded and she crawled out from under the display, ending up at Mac's feet. "Morning, Detective Taylor."
"Is there any reason why you're crawling on the floor, Detective Angell?" Mac asked.
"As a matter of fact," Jess stood up and took Sam's hand as he emerged as well, still clutching his comic book, "there is. Come on."
Sam tugged on her hand and led her to a vending machine.
"Mac, we need to get this opened up." Jess told him. "There's evidence in there."
"I solved the mystery." Don announced, kissing the side of her head.
Jess didn't turn, concentrating on the pan on top of the stove. "What mystery?"
"The mystery of what happened to your car." Don elaborated.
Jess turned the heat down so she could give him her full attention. He wasn't exaggerating; it had been a mystery – one morning, she'd found a dent in the passenger door of her car, with no other damage and no sign of what had caused it.
"Golf." He told her.
"Golf?" Jess repeated. "In the middle of Manhattan?"
"Urban golf." Don nodded. "Tee off from all over the city and follow the ball."
"Only in Manhattan." Jess muttered. She stirred the contents of the pan once and held the spoon up.
"You know me too well." Don grinned.
"Careful; it's hot." Jess warned.
"Yes, mom." Don teased, tasting the sauce she was offering. "Very nice."
"Good, because that's all we've got for dinner." Jess told him, going back to her cooking. "And don't think I won't get you back for that 'mom' comment."
"Speaking of parents, I hear you baby-sat today." Don said.
"Wasn't really baby-sitting." Jess disagreed. "The kid was seven and a witness in a murder. There was no time to get CPS involved. Where'd you hear that?"
"I didn't." Don admitted sheepishly. "I saw you in the break room when I stopped by the lab. Have you …?" He trailed off.
"Have I what?" Jess asked curiously.
"Have you ever thought about having children?" Don finished quietly.
Jess turned the heat off completely and retrieved two plates from the cupboard. "You know, the last time I had this conversation, we were about 2000 miles apart. And it was easier." She didn't give him time to respond, but refused to look at him while she spoke. "I'd love children one day. But I was shot three times in the stomach, which makes that highly unlikely."
Don slipped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. "What did you say the first time?"
Jess frowned thoughtfully. "I think I said something along the lines of maybe someday at the right time with the right guy. It was a couple of years ago; I don't remember my exact words."
Don kissed her neck lightly. "You think you might've found the right guy?"
"I think so." Jess admitted in a whisper. "Did you want children one day?"
"Not until I met you." Don murmured into her hair. "There's a lot of things I didn't think I wanted until I met you."
"Like?" Jess prompted.
"Forever." Don answered quietly. "I know it's only been a month, but … I can't imagine my life without you."
Jess couldn't help smiling at the tentative shyness in his voice and turned to face him, resting her head against his chest. "Hun, I was like that after a week."
Don kissed her forehead. "Let's just take it slow for now, huh?"
"Probably a good idea." Jess agreed. "Although we should move a bit quicker to get dinner on the table or it'll get cold."
Don chuckled, releasing her. "Fair enough. What do you want to drink?"
"I'm on call tonight." Jess mused. "I'll just have some orange juice, thanks."
Don poured two glasses and grabbed some cutlery out of the drawer, while she set the plates on the table. Even after the short time they'd been together, their movements were fluid and well-practiced, as though they'd been eating together all their lives.
"What made me ask the first time?" Don asked hesitantly. "Strange topic for a phone conversation."
"It wasn't actually on the phone." Jess remembered. "My sister-in-law had just had a baby and I was visiting them in California. You wanted to talk face-to-face, so I set up a webcam. Halfway through the conversation, my eldest nephew came in to say goodnight and ask if I could tuck him in. When I came back, that's when you asked me. What made you ask today?"
"Like I said, I saw you in the break room, reading him a story …" Don trailed off, reddening slightly. "You're good with kids."
Jess smiled, almost sadly, taking his hand across the table. "You heard what I said about children being highly unlikely, right?"
"I did." Don lifted her hand and kissed it. "Anything that happens in the future I want to happen with you, Jess, whether that includes children or not."
Jess's smile brightened at that. "Speaking of children," she said, suddenly realising she'd never asked, "how'd you start at the Y?"
Don gave her a very confused look. "What?"
"Well, that answers my question." Jess commented, chalking another action up to the bomb. "Sorry, I just assumed you were already there."
"Where?" Don asked.
"YMCA." Jess answered. "You dragged me into volunteering there as well, every Saturday."
"Huh." Don commented. "I hate to sound callous, but I've never even considered something like that. Good idea though; you know why I started?"
Jess smirked, "Well, no, Don; that's kinda why I asked."
Don chuckled sheepishly. "Oh yeah. Hadn't thought of that."
"I've got a fairly good idea now though." Jess added.
"How's that?" Don asked, puzzled.
Jess shook her head. "I'll tell you later." She said quietly. I hope.
"Jess, are you planning something?" Don frowned, apparently seeing the conflict in her face.
"No." Jess answered, not entirely truthfully. Her voice shook and she cursed it.
"Jess …" Don stood up and rounded the table, kneeling beside her to take her face in his hands. "Sweetheart, what is it?"
"I can't." Jess whispered. "I wish I could, Don, I swear. If telling you would fix everything, I'd do it in a heartbeat. If I tell you, I risk making things a hundred times worse than they were the first time and I can't risk that."
"But …?" Don prompted.
"They were pretty damn bad the first time." Jess admitted, twisting a napkin in her lap for something to do with her hands. "And there'll come a time when you'll question my actions and my motives, but there's a reason. I swear there's a reason. Just … please don't hate me for it."
"Jess," Don kissed her softly, "I trust your judgement. And I could never hate you."
Jess wasn't entirely certain he'd be singing the same tune from a hospital bed, but she wanted to change the subject quickly, before she gave in and told him about the bomb.
"Does this have anything to do with the first meeting you told me about?" Don asked her suddenly.
Jess hesitated. "Yes." She admitted finally. "But I …"
"You need my reaction to stay the same." Don finished, kissing her again and straightening up. "I get it. I trust you, Jess." He sat back down, took a bite and promptly changed the subject. "I know you told me that I said you made a good corned beef, but this is incredible. Where'd you learn to make this?"
Jess blushed; it had been embarrassing enough explaining it the first time. "Well … you'd had a really bad day. I mean, a really bad day and swore you'd never eat again – not even home-made cookies changed your mind. So I invited you over for dinner – we weren't dating yet – you had a girlfriend – but we still spent a lot of time together. I figured, given the circumstances, a home-cooked meal would be better than take-out and … you'd used my phone by mistake a few days earlier and …" She mumbled the last words inaudibly.
"And what?" Don prompted.
Jess sighed. "I called your mom." She repeated louder. "She told me corned beef was the easiest way to get you over whatever was bothering you and … and gave me the recipe."
"I knew it tasted familiar." Don commented. "You know, this may be the easiest way to convince my parents that you're not crazy."
"Why do they think I'm crazy?" Jess asked, confused.
"They don't." Don assured her. "But … I get the feeling that we'll have to tell them about the whole time-travel thing at some point."
"Why?" Jess asked again.
"Just in case you let something slip." Don shrugged. "You knew them before; you know that sometimes you forget what you've been told this time and what you knew already …"
Jess pulled a face. "Yeah, you've got a point."
Don grinned. "You're cute when you do that."
Raising an eyebrow, Jess smiled at him. "Do what?"
"When you pull a face like that, your nose crinkles." Don told her honestly. "It's cute."
Jess felt her face heat up. "I hadn't noticed."
"Well, you wouldn't, would you?" Don pointed out.
"Oh yeah." Jess chuckled.
"I guess I never told you that the first time round." Don hedged.
Jess shook her head. "No … and I'm fairly sure I'd remember if you had."
"Was there anything you didn't tell me the first time round?" Don asked curiously.
Jess was silent for a moment, considering her answer. There were a few things, but none that would make sense right now. "Well … I never told you how much it hurt seeing you with other women."
"I promise," Don murmured, pressing a kiss to her knuckles, "you won't ever feel that way again."
Jess smiled softly. "I knew that the second you first kissed me."
AN: Next chapters 'Live or Let Die', in which a transplant liver is stolen and DJ Pratt returns. Aside from the obvious, anyone got any ideas? Hope everyone had a happy new year! Review please!