The lab was full to capacity, and it felt like everyone was at work all the time. Evidence piled up but didn't seem to connect, crime scene photos littered every available surface and so much coffee had been consumed in the last week it was almost as if the New York crime lab was single handedly keeping Folgers in business. The machines were working non-stop to the point where several of them had overheated and replacements had to be brought in. Everyone seemed to have at least one manila folder cut somewhere on their person, due to the speed at which they were handing off files. Mac hadn't left in three days, Jo in two, and no one had slept more than four hours at a time.

Lindsay was supposed to still be part time but she had put in over sixty hours this week and Adam was close to seventy. Faye had taken the boys for a whole day twice and Lindsay missed them terribly. It seemed that the only time she actually was home was when they had gone to sleep. She missed Adam too, despite working beside him most of the time. They tried to take fast lunch breaks together, but it didn't always work out that way. In the end, no matter how much evidence they processed together they still felt far apart.

But that is what happened when a serial killer decided to make his or her debut in the city that never sleeps. And this killer seemed insatiable to say the least. They had been averaging one body every other day, people of different ages, races, sexes, lifestyles, all killed in the exact same way. A single bullet, fired through the top of the head, most likely right where they were left. The most recent body had been this morning, left in a playground. The head was facing north, the feet south, arms pointing east and west. They weren't sure if this was something religious, depicting a crucifixion, or if it was something more astrological, dealing with the alignments of the stars and the poles. Or maybe it wasn't either one of those, maybe it was a killer with OCD who couldn't leave his victims slumped somewhere without purpose.

Either way, it was disturbing and without any way to say who would be next, everyone was on edge. If they could just find one pattern, one link between victims, they could blow this case wide open. So far Sid had concluded that all the fatal shots had entered the victims at nearly the same spot, give or take a few centimeters. They were most likely shot while they were kneeling or standing, with the killer above them. It was as if everything had to line up. A straight shot from the gun through the top of the head. The most likely path of travel entrance to exit. The bodies arranged exactly as they had been. It made little sense, but it had an air of organization to it.

"Briefing in the conference room in two minutes," Jo said as she passed by. "Someone smuggled in donuts."

"Bless you," Lindsay replied, securing the victim's purse she had been going through and heading over to the conference room. Mostly everyone was there already, Mac with his sleeves rolled up and his tie missing, a sure sign that he was reaching the end of this tether. She took a seat next to Adam, smiling when his hand found hers under the table. She smiled and squeezed back, wishing for just ten minutes to melt into his arms.

Coffee and donuts were passed around, but everyone just picked at them, hands almost jittery with the need to get back to work. But Mac knew them well, knew they needed time to get everything out on the table and really communicate the evidence, because maybe just maybe there was something to be found there.

Everyone had been assigned to a victim and they spent the next half hour exchanging information and getting everyone up to speed on what was going on with the case. But no matter how much they talked, no matter what was shared, at the end, they all walked out of the room quite possibly more frustrated then they had been upon entering. There just seemed to be no where to go, nothing to say. They didn't want another victim, but they needed to get more evidence somehow. Mac told them that group of FBI profilers were ready to offer their help, but he was obviously not very thrilled at the prospect of someone else on their turf.

"You alright, sweetie?" Adam asked, pulling her aside as everyone went their separate ways. She nodded.

"I'm just tired."

"C'mere."

He grabbed her hand and pulled her down into that deserted hallway, the one he had taken her to so many years ago. She smiled and looked around for lurking eyes before wrapping her arms around his neck and letting him kiss her more deeply than he ever had in semi-public before. She whimpered against him as her back pressed against the wall and his fingers went through her hair. She tilted just a little to the side while his hands went down and met her hips, squeezing them roughly as he moved almost impossibly closer. She didn't want to, but after a moment she broke the kiss, panting to get her breath back, and giving him a devilish smile.

"I miss you too," she whispered, reaching up to wipe the little smudge of her lipstick off of his lips. He smiled and kissed her thumb, dropping his forehead to hers.

"When this is all over, what are your thoughts on playing hooky one day?"

"I have really positive thoughts about that. Long as you're gonna be there," she said, drawing her finger up his chest, tracing over his clavicle and tugging on the collar of his shirt.

"Hey babe, don't address the package if you can't deliver."

She grinned and removed his hands from her hips, sliding her fingers through his in exchange.

"Next day off I'm all yours."

"Aren't you all mine anyway?"

"Well yes."

"And don't I still gotta share you with the boys?"

"True. But there is a blessed thing called nap time."

"Perfect. It's a date."

"I'd better get back to work."

"Me too. You'll come find me before you leave?"

"Yes."

"My favorite word. You'd better get outta here before I need a cold shower."

"I love you too."

"What time is it?" Danny asked, shaking his head to try and stay awake.

"I would tell you if I had the motivation to find out. I don't even know what day it is."

"Tuesday?"

"I said I don't know."

"Maybe it's Wednesday."

"It's probably Monday."

"You're just sayin' that so you can disagree with me."

"I gotta stay awake somehow," she said, leaning down to look into the microscope. The image swam before her eyes and she stepped back and blinked a few times before trying again.

"Danny?"

"Linds?"

"Why am I looking at starch?"

"I don't know. Why are you looking at starch?"

"Is that what this is?"

"I don't know."

"Can you come look?"

"Didn't you learn what starch looked like in the seventh grade?"

"Did you dye it purple too?"

"I think we dyed it blue actually," he said, rolling his chair over to her side of the table. "Looks starch-ish to me. Where'd you find it?"

"Cuff of the jeans of the last vic. I'm running the rest through the… um… that."

He raised both eyebrows at her as she gestured at the machine.

"If you can't remember the name of the GCMS, it might be time for you to go home."

"You said you didn't know what time it was."

"You don't need a clock to know which way the wind blows."

"What are you trying to say?"

"I don't remember."

"How have we not like, fallen down storm drains by now?"

"We're more careful out on the street."

"Don't say it that way, you sound like a hooker."

"Adam, your wife just called me a hooker," Danny said as Adam passed by the door.

"These are working hours, she's your problem now."

"Have you no sympathy?"

"I know how she gets when she's tired. Give her twenty minutes, she'll start singing TV theme songs."

"She already asked me if we're going to try and take over the world just like we do every night."

"She's reached the point of no return. Did you even eat today babe?"

She sighed and thought for a moment, eventually shaking her head.

"No, I don't think I did."

"She's gonna waste away to nothin'," Danny said, taking his glasses off and rubbing his eyes. "Just a skeleton wearin' plaid."

"A skeleton that could still kick your butt so watch yourself, Messer."

"Shakin' in my Cons."

She rolled her eyes and went back to the trace, upping the magnification so she could try to beat the GCMS to a determination on the exact type of starch this was.

"It's beeping Montana. You lose."

"Shut up," she grimaced, making her way over to the machine.

"Too competitive," Adam chuckled.

"Why's everyone pickin' on me?"

"It's easy," they answered in unison.

"And you guys say me and Austin are bad together."

"You are. You two barely say a word to each other and can have an entire conversation."

"We do our best. Laundry starch."

"What?"

"Laundry- oh never mind Danny, you don't iron clothes."

"Who do you think I am? Iron clothes, you've got to be kidding."

"You look like you're wearing a shar-pei."

Adam chuckled and shook his head.

"Shut up. You're just laughing because she irons your clothes for you."

"I pay her good."

"I don't wanna know."

"Well that's done," she sighed, putting all the evidence into a lock box for safe keeping and gathering up her paperwork. "I'm going to go and file this and get out of here."

"You're ditchin' me?"

"Danny, I'm supposed to be doing less than twenty hours a week right now. I just did sixty-five. I don't even have a parting shot for you."

"First time for everything."

"Yeah, that's what you said when you finally took a shower this morning."

He glared and she smiled, yawning before she left the room.

"You gotta do somethin' about her," Danny said.

"Would if I could."

"I wanna sleep in your bed mama. Please?" Colton begged, hugging her legs and pouting.

"We'll see," she agreed tiredly. "Say goodnight to Faye and go get some jammies."

"Night Faye," he said as the older woman picked him up and snuggled him for a moment.

"Night little boy. Thanks for being so good today."

"You're welcome. Love you."

"Love you too."

She set him down and he gave her a smile and a wave before taking off into his room.

"Lindsay, please tell me you're not going back to work in the morning."

"I'm sorry, I know it's been a long week and I really appreciate-"

"Oh honey, I'm not talking about that. I love being with the boys. I just mean that you need some rest. And they've been missing you."

"I know. It's just hard to slow down sometimes. When everyone needs you."

"Sweetheart, your first job is being their mom. And you're going to need some sleep if you're going to keep doing a good job at that."

"You're right."

"Besides, you've done your time this week. I think the world of crime solving can go a day without you."

"I'm sorry we've needed you so much this week."

"Oh hush, you know I would watch the boys every day if you let me."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Go get some sleep, alright?"

"I will. Goodnight. Be safe walking down the hall."

Faye chuckled and slipped out the door. Lindsay looked at the couch and wanted so badly to crawl onto it and fall asleep but she could hear Colton calling for her in the other room.

"I'm coming sweetie. Did you get jammies on?"

He was sitting in his bed, his sock monkey tucked safely into his arms as he looked at her and nodded.

"Did you 'acide mama? I can sleep in the big bed?"

"No, but I'll sleep with you in here for a little while."

"Okay."

"What did you do today?"

"I played cars, I colored, I watch movies, I make cookies, I hold Ben," he listed off while she yawned. His voice became softer and softer as she closed her eyes and fell asleep. He looked down at her and grinned, reaching over to grab his quilt off the bottom of the bed. He settled it around her shoulders and kissed her cheek.

"Night-night precious mama," he whispered, snuggling down next to her. "I love you."

That's how Adam found them a few hours later when he finally made it home. He considered leaving them like that, but Lindsay was half falling off the small bed and was still in her work clothes too. He stooped down and tucked her hair behind her ear and kissed her cheek.

"Linds?"

"Mmm?"

"You gonna stay here all night?"

"Can't move."

"Want me to move you?"

"Don't care."

"You're bein' difficult."

She smiled and opened her eyes, reaching up to cup his face in her hand.

"I know."

"C'mon, let's go to bed."

He helped her up and let her make sure the boys were tucked in before leading her into the bedroom. She yawned and sat down, kicking her shoes off while to tossed her some sweats and a t-shirt. They changed clothes quietly, Lindsay giggling and jumping into bed first, stealing his pillow. He groaned and stole the blankets, causing her to yelp from the cold and crawl closer to him.

"You going in tomorrow?"

"No."

"Good."

He kissed her forehead and rubbed her back while she sighed and nuzzled into his chest. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," he answered, twirling a strand of her hair around his finger.

"How come it took you so long to propose to me."

"What?" he chuckled. "Where did that come from?"

"Lots of time to think when processing trace."

"I see."

"So how come it took you so long?"

"Babe, if I would have asked you when I first wanted to, I would have scared you to death."

"When?"

"Our second date."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"But… why'd you wait so long after that?"

"Honey, I wanted to ask you every time I was with you. But it had to be the right time. I wanted to ask you as soon as you got back from Montana, but I knew you needed some time to get your feet back on the ground. And then all that other stuff happened and I just wanted to wait until life calmed down. I didn't want anything else to be hanging off of it, you know?"

"Yeah."

"When would you have said yes?"

She smiled and looked away from him, blinking a few times in near embarrassment.

"What? When Linds?"

"Really early on. Probably even before it was a good idea."

"There was a time when it was a bad idea?"

"Well, no. I just mean that, before we really even know each other that well it might not have worked if we had gone all in."

"Maybe not."

"I was wondering for a long time when you were gonna ask me though."

"Were ya wanting to pull a Monica and propose to me?"

"No. But your time was running out buddy."

"Oh really? You were gonna give me an ultimatum?"

"I was gonna nudge you in the right direction."

"With a boot to my nether regions?"

"Not that bad, but you would have known how I felt."

"I had the ring for six months before I asked you."

"You did?"

"Mmm-hmm."

She smiled and shook her head.

"I love you."

"I love you too, darling."

"Goodnight."

He kissed her softly and she settled into his arms, slowing down enough to see that this is right where she had always belonged.