Disclaimer: I don't own CSI: NY, but I do own Jamie, Elle, Jason, Liam, Amelia and Elizabeth Angell.
Series: 'Kindred Spirits' – there's a full list on my profile.
Spoilers: Past Imperfect.

What Goes Around …

"Aunt Jess! Aunt Jess! Aunt Jess!"

Jess set her suitcase on the floor and opened her arms, letting her two nephews fly into them, almost knocking her over.

"Wow, have you two grown since Christmas?"

"Uh huh!" Liam grinned. "I've growed that much!" He showed her.

"Grown, Liam, not growed." Jason rolled his eyes, a mannerism he'd picked up from his mother.

Jess retrieved her suitcase from the ground and ran an eye over the two boys, one eleven, one five, both dark-haired with almost identical cheeky smiles. Looking over their heads, she found their father, her oldest brother, leaning against the wall outside the chaos of the crowd, holding their two-year-old sister, and waved to him. "So you two know why I'm here, right?"

"Yep. Mommy's having a baby." Liam answered, quivering with excitement. "We're getting another sister."

Jason pulled a face. "I wanted a brother."

Jess laughed. "Don't worry, Jason; I'm sure with you two around, she won't be too girly."

"Speaking from experience?" James Angell asked as they reached him.

"You know I am." Jess gave him a hug. "How is she?"

"Water broke this morning, so we took her to the hospital and came straight here." Jamie answered. "Doctors say it should be this afternoon. How long are you here for?"

"I got two weeks off." Jess grinned. "Which is impressive, considering the short notice I gave them."

The California sun hit them as soon as they left the terminal and Jess slid a pair of sunglasses on. "God, I wish we had weather like this in Manhattan."

"In the middle of the city?" Jamie asked, handing Amelia over as she began reaching for her aunt. "You'd never get any work done."

"True." Jess adjusted Mya in her arms, permitting the toddler to plant a rather wet kiss on her cheek. "Are you excited about your new sister, Mya?"

"Baby!" Mya squealed.

"I'll take that as a yes." Jess smiled.

"How's your sister-in-law doing?" Don asked.

Jess checked her watch. "Seven hours and counting. Doctors say it shouldn't be more than a few more hours and Mom and Dad are on their way, so it'd be nice if she held on for them." She heard him chuckle on the other end of the phone. "What's funny?"

"You." Don answered fondly. "I can almost hear you bouncing off the walls. Shouldn't you be used to this by now, Aunt Jess?"

Jess pulled a face, despite knowing he couldn't see her. "No, because Jason was late and Liam and Mya were early, so I missed them. And don't change the subject. You didn't just call me to find out how Elle is."

Don sighed heavily. "Clay Dobson."

Jess frowned, her mind immediately starting to work, running through everyone she'd ever come into contact with, officers, detectives, suspects, witnesses, criminals … "Who?"

"He was a serial killer." Don whispered, every word audible despite the long distance. "Killed five women, sliced their eyelids off."

Jess shuddered, moving away from the entrance of the hospital. "Ante-mortem?"

"Yeah. We never found out why; figured he just liked making sure they could see what he was doing to them. He's been released."

"Released?" Jess repeated. Seeing a few passers-by looking over curiously, she lowered her voice. "Why?"

"Because he confessed to Truby." Don answered darkly. "And apparently, that was enough for the judge to overthrow his conviction."

Jess cursed. "You're kidding?"

"I wish." Don groaned. "And we just found another woman."

"Let me guess, eyelids cut off?" Jess said grimly.

"Good guess." Don sighed.

Jess glanced up to see her brother waving at her. "I think it's time. Listen, I've got my laptop with me; we'll talk later?"

"Yeah, you bet. Tell them congratulations."

That evening, back at her brother's house, Jess had put Mya and Liam to bed and had left Jason reading a book in his room.

Jamie had stayed at the hospital with Elle and the four-hour-old Elizabeth Caroline Angell, who had already stolen her father, mother and aunt's hearts and … well, her siblings had reacted in the way children do: Jason had smiled, Liam had asked if Mya had been that loud when she was born and Mya had simply poked her with wide-eyed wonder.

The door to the spare room was open a crack so she could hear the children and they could get in if they needed to, and she was sitting at the desk in the corner of the room, her laptop in front of her.

Her webcam was perched on the top, but the screen was currently blank and she was flipping through her paperwork, keeping one eye on the monitor.

After a few minutes, the screen flickered and Don's face appeared. "I missed that."

Jess grinned. "Hey. Missed what?"

"Seeing your beautiful face every time I looked up." Don answered smoothly.

Jess laughed. "Are you flirting with me, Detective Flack?"

"Are you Aunt Jess yet?" Don asked, avoiding the question.

Jess let him change the subject. "Yes, and she is adorable."

"What's her name and how are they?" Don prompted.

"Elizabeth Caroline, 8lb 5oz, 19''." Jess smiled. "And they're both fine. But that's not why you needed to talk."

Don sighed. "It got worse."

Jess groaned. "How can it get any worse than what you told me earlier?"

"Sod's Law, Jessie." Don shrugged. "It can always get worse."

"Okay, I get that you're having a bad day." Jess raised an eyebrow. "But you call me Jessie one more time and I'll have to hurt you."

Don gave her a weak smile. "Noted. Stella found out that there was another girl missing and we found her; she said that Clay was coming back …"

"Great." Jess interrupted. "So you got him."

Don shook his head with another sigh. "Mac went after him. By the time we caught up, Dobson took a dive off the roof, handcuffed."

"Oh God …" Jess whispered. "Mac wouldn't …"

"I know." Don rubbed a hand over his face. "But the …" He was interrupted by a door being pushed open her end.

"Hang on." Jess swivelled round to see Jason standing in the doorway, looking tired. "Sorry, Jase; I'm not keeping you awake, am I?"

"No, Aunt Jess." Jason grinned. "I just wanted to say goodnight before I went to bed."

Jess smiled fondly and beckoned him over. "Jason, this is Detective Flack, my partner. Flack, this is my eldest nephew, Jason."

"Hey kid."

"Hi." Jason gave his aunt a hug. "How long are you staying again?"

"Two weeks." Jess reminded him.

"Can we go to the park tomorrow?" Jason asked, his eyes lighting up. "There's this cool trick I wanna show you."

Jess chuckled. "Well, your parents will be back in the morning, but I'm sure I could take you three to the park in the afternoon."

"Thanks. Night, Aunt Jess." Jason stopped in the doorway. "Can you come and tuck me in?"

Jess nodded. "Sure." She glanced back at the screen. "Scuse me."

Don grinned at her. "Go ahead."

Jess followed Jason to his room, which was unnaturally clean for an eleven-year-old. Her trained eyes picked up the signs though – closet door ajar as though it wouldn't close, a few boxes spilling out from underneath his bed – and guessed that one or both of his parents had stuck their head round the door and said something like, "We have visitors coming; clean this mess up!"

So he had, in the quickest way possible.

Jason followed her gaze and grinned guiltily. Jess winked at him. "I used to do the same thing."

As he settled down under the covers, Jess straightened them, smoothing his hair down. "Have you brushed your teeth?"

Jason nodded, opening his mouth to prove it.

"Good boy." Jess kissed his forehead. "Goodnight, sweetheart."

"Night, Aunt Jess." Jason murmured again. "I love you."

"I love you too." Jess dimmed the lights and pulled the door closed. She headed back to her room, popping her head into Liam and Mya's rooms on the way to check on them.

Both were sleeping and, this time, she pulled the door closed fully, knowing she'd still be able to hear them. "Sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it." Don told her. "Have you ever thought about having kids?"

The question threw her off guard and she froze for a second. "No … Not really … I mean … seems kinda silly to think about when I'm not seeing anyone. Otherwise I'd end up turning into one of those women who lives and breathes babies and seems constantly aware of her biological clock." She shuddered. "No thanks. Maybe one day … with the right guy … at the right time. Why do you ask?"

Don smiled at her. "Because you'd make a fantastic mother."

"Thank you." Jess responded hesitantly, before changing the subject quickly. "So what were you gonna say?"

"Right. The Brass is up in arms over it. Not to mention the press." Don leaned back, looking exhausted. "And, of course, the media's having a field day."

"Of course." Jess muttered. "Convicted killer is released because he confessed to a dirty cop and then he dies in mysterious circumstances, and the only witness is another cop." She shook her head. "How's Mac gonna get outta this one?"

"I don't know." Don admitted. "Hopefully, Sinclair's got his back."

"And even if he doesn't, Stella has." Jess added. "I just hope that'll be enough."

Don looked thoughtful. "Well … if the roles had switched … if it'd been me on that roof … would you have my back?"

"Yeah, of course." Jess frowned, slightly hurt that he'd even need to ask that.

"Then it'll be enough." Don stated simply.

Anyway, that's my daily rant out the way; review please!