Disclaimer: Don't own 'em…which is good because if I did every now and then it would be Harlequin Romance : NY … or should that be CSI : Harlequin?

She couldn't take it any more and had to escape. The blood would still be there in the morning…even if she spent all evening trying to bleach it out. What was it Lady Macbeth said? Ah yes, "Out, out damn spot" or something to that effect.

Even with the blood no longer on her hands, Stella could still see it. The department shrink would have something profound to say about that no doubt.

But until the time came for that particular meeting, she had to escape.

Mac had promised her a room with a park view…anything she wanted. Mac.

Her first instinct was to flee to him. But she couldn't. She couldn't look at him and see the disappointment in his face. He had been disappointed by almost everyone on the team. Only Flack and Hawke had yet to screw up in a major way. Lindsey was new…give her time.

Aiden…Danny…now her. She probably disappointed him the most, because he least expected her to do just that. Her poor taste in men. How she handled the whole situation.

She couldn't go to Mac.

She grabbed her bag and made for her door.

Ripping it open, she found Flack there, hand in mid-air about to knock.

"Hey." He said.

"Hey." She replied.

"Thought you might want some company or some help." He shrugged.

Stella's mouth twitched.

"That's lame, Don, even from you."

"Yeah, well, it's not like I'm experienced in offering my services for house cleaning." His blue eyes showed his concern despite the attempt at a humourous statement.

"I think I'll just hire someone to clean up or I'll…I'll…" The hiccups started as she tried to control the tears.

"Hey, let's just get out of here and we'll worry about the clean-up tomorrow." The tall detective wrapped an arm around Stella and took her small overnight back from her.

As they made their way towards the doors of her building, the two figures of Lindsey and Danny could be seen approaching.

"Hey, thought we'd help clean up." Lindsey said, her brown eyes open doors to her concern.

"She wouldn't stop bugging me about." Danny mockingly moaned. "Oh, Danny, we have to help clean up. Oh, Danny, we have to do something. Oh, Danny."

Lindsey punched the Staten Island native in the arm.

"I did not say that!" She protested angrily.

"Okay, okay!" Danny held up his hands in defeat. "You're right…I couldn't hear much after the 'Oh, Danny! Oh, Danny!' part."

Lindsey threateningly made a fist and was about to punch her tormentor again when the group heard a choking sound.

Turning their heads, Stella was laughing…but trying not to.

"Oh, th…thanks, you two." She gasped. "Thanks for reminding that life continues."

"We aim to please." Danny bowed.

Lindsey looked confused for a moment and then realized that she had just been had. She glared at Danny who pointed at Stella and shook his head.

For all her worrying, they had managed to make the woman laugh and it helped that she that was seemingly in one piece…physically. Lindsey smiled at Danny and then noticed the bag that Flack carried.

"I…uh…I decided I didn't want to stay in my apartment." Stella offered quietly. "So, your cleaning services won't be required."

"For now." Danny said. "Where to?"

Stella shrugged.

"Hey!" A voice called out. The group turned to see Hawke approaching.

"I thought I'd help clean up." He said, holding up a bucket filled with disinfectant, sponges, gloves…

"Didja swipe those gloves from the lab?" Danny asked.

"I plead the fifth, my man." Hawke proclaimed.

"Doesn't matter…lab personnel using it to help other lab personnel." Lindsey shrugged. "Sounds legit to me."

"Ah, I knew I loved ya for a reason." Danny proclaimed, draping an arm over the petite brunette's shoulders.

She eyed him warily.

Hawke spotted the overnight bag.

"No cleaning up tonight, I take it?" He asked.

"Nope." Flack responded. "We need a place to go. Who's closest?"

"I got an idea." Danny said. "Let's grab a hotel room."

"Danny!" Lindsey shoved his arm off of her in disgust.

"You didn't lemme finish, Montana." Danny sniffed. "I say we stay up all night watching movies. Microwave us some popcorn. Buy us some cokes or sometin'. Stay up and watch the sunrise. And then grab some bagels at some little corner shop."

"You guys have to work tomorrow." Stella protested.

Flack coughed gently into his hand.

"You know…" coughchough "I don't feel too well. I think I'll call in sick tomorrow."

Hawke nodded and placed a hand to his forehead.

"I think I have a fever." The part-time medical examiner proclaimed.

Lindsey looked at Danny.

"We could say we fell into bed together in a drunken stupor." He suggested, waggling his eyebrows.

Her eyes narrowed.

"Okay…I fell into bed by myself in a drunken stupor." He amended and started to wail, "Oh, the hangover!"

"I've got laundry to do." Lindsey said. The group turned to look at her. "What? I do! And it's not like I have an active case. I'm on call. If something comes up, Mac can reach me. I'll just say I'm at home doing laundry."

"Suddenly, my hangover has disappeared and I feel this need to find out if Montana here owns a black lace thong." Danny suggested.

"Messer!" She punched him again.

"Hey, that's gonna leave a bruise!" He ducked behind Hawke.

"Besides, it's red." Lindsey stated, dipping her head slightly as if to say 'so there'.

Danny's jaw dropped. Hawke's jaw dropped. Flack's jaw dropped.

Stella started to laugh again.

"Okay, boys…take us ladies to a hotel." Stella held out her two hands. Don and Hawke each took one and started to lead the group down the road.

"Ladies don't own red thongs." Danny muttered.

"Gentlemen don't discuss ladies' lingerie in public." Lindsey shot back.

"Would you two kids cut it out or get your room when we get to a hotel?" Hawke fired back at them.

"Hey, uh, guys…wait a sec." Danny stopped walking. The group turned to look at him. "I feel like we're…ya know…bein' watched."

"It's New York, Danny, there's lots of people watching people. Come on…I want popcorn." Lindsey pushed them down the road.

About 30 minutes later…

"Ya know, I've been in a lot of hotel rooms…" Danny started.

"We know, Danny." Lindsey moaned.

"But that has got to be the strangest look I've ever received during a check in." He continued as if Lindsey hadn't interrupted.

"Betcha the staff is wonderin' what kind of fetish thing we have gonna on here." Flack offered, gently tossing Stella's bag on the table as the group entered the room. Two double beds and a couch. Just enough for them to crash if necessary.

The group eyed each other as if to ask who was sharing with whom…and who went solo.

"Dibs on the couch!" Lindsey shouted, as she sprinted across the room.

"Now, Lindsey, don't be such a child." Danny said, in his best adult tone. "What if Stella wanted the couch?"

"Oh." Lindsey turned her eyes to Stella. "I'm sorry. I didn't think. It's okay, Stella. I don't really want the couch."

"Great! Dibs on the couch!" Danny shouted, sprinting past Lindsey.

"Hey!" Lindsey protested, trying to pull her nemesis from the couch.

"Actually, a bed sounds nice." Stella admitted.

"Well, Flack…looks like it's just you and me." Hawke grinned. He faked a yawn and draped his arm over taller man's shoulders.

Flack's blue eyes widened in horror.

"I'm…I'm….ah….I'm gonna make some popcorn. Where's the stash, Lindsey?" He asked in reference to the snack food and drinks they had picked on their way to the hotel.

"I…oof!...Messer get your knee out of my…."

"That's not my knee, Montana. And you call yourself a CSI?"

"By the door, Flack. Then what the heck is it…oh…."

"If you two don't quiet down, Security it going to come a knockin'." Stella said quietly. Suddenly she wondered if it wouldn't have been better to stay at her apartment.

A knock was heard on the door.

"Too late." Flack said.

"Way to go, Messer." Lindsey glared.

Danny shrugged.

Flack readied his badge, in the hopes to smooth things over with Security.

He opened the door and stared in disbelief.

"Hey." Mac let himself in past a stunned Flack.

Stella looked at Mac and hung her head. It would have been hard enough to handle his disappointment in her on her own, but here…in public? She started to shake.

"I was going to help clean up." Mac started. "But just as I pulled up, I saw all of you outside."

"We're….ah…we're gonna clean up tomorrow." Danny offered.

"Don't you have to be at work tomorrow?" Mac asked.

"I'm not feeling well." Flack started to cough.

"Me neither. Got a fever." Hawke held a hand to his forehead.

"I have laundry." Lindsey offered lamely.

"I'm helping her." Danny grinned.

Stella smiled weakly at her friends.

"Don't be upset with them, Mac, please." She said softly.

"How can I be? If anything, I'm upset with…." Mac paused. Stella braced herself. "I'm upset with me, Stella."

She looked at him, stunned.

"They beat me to you. I was there when you left the hospital. I should have taken you home."

"I said I was a big girl."

"You say a lot of things." Mac jammed his hands into his pockets. "But in situations like this, I should know better than to listen to you. Usually, you're my voice of reason…tonight was my chance to be yours…and this group of….."

Mac was a loss for words.

"Toys from Reject Island?" Danny offered. Lindsey elbowed him.

"This group of friends were there for you before me." Mac hung his head.

"But you're here now." Stella said simply.

"Yeah, I am…if you don't mind."

"Now, how could I mind?" Stella smiled. "I've got my friends here. Popcorn. Drinks. And movies are about to start. But don't you have work tomorrow?"

"I think I'll be visiting Danny in the hospital once he attempts to help Lindsey with her laundry."

The room next door almost called Security at the laughing coming from the other side of the wall, but decided against it as it quickly subsided and the night became peaceful once more.