Disclaimer: We don't own CSI:NY, if we did 5x25 wouldn't have happened. It did, however, so we are playing with the cards we have been dealt.

Thanks to Rebeck for the review. Sorry we can't reply in person. Thanks also to Ballettmaus for her assistance.

Chapter 28 - Victory

Day: 52 - a month after the events at the UN

Opening Scene: Crime lab

Time of Day: Morning

Month: Mid October

Forthcoming Events: Halloween

The balmy September weather had stretched into October, throwing the last rays of the summer sun across the city. A little more than a month had passed since the UN siege: Stella and Mac had eventually conceded to doctors' orders and taken a few days off, and now they and Danny were fully fit and working again; Flack had spent nearly two weeks in the hospital but was now discharged and recuperating. After the traumatic events of the previous months, it felt at last as if everything was returning to normal.

As they walked into the lab together, Stella was aware of Mac's hand on her back, an almost unconscious touch from him, but one she was happy to have become used to in the last few weeks. She smiled to herself, and turned to meet his gaze, her eyes bright. Since she had been released from hospital, Mac and she had spent more time together than they had in a long time; their relationship progressing naturally with each day. The short, but still welcome absence they had allowed themselves from work, with a little encouragement from Hawkes, had simply involved time together. That time that had been filled with pleasure, spending it as they had done in talking, sharing domestic duties and enjoying being in the company of each other. Their work relationship had continued much the same as it always had, but with a few more shared glances and smiles, and touches such as they were experiencing now. With no one else in sight, Stella tilted her head and gave Mac a soft kiss before they parted at the door to his office, letting her hand linger in his for a moment.

A smile touched his mouth as he squeezed her fingers. "If we've time later, how about coffee?"

"Sounds good to me," she said, her gaze warm, welcoming the offer and looking forward to it already, as was he. "And don't forget dinner this evening."

"Of course not," he said. "You'd never forgive me if I did."

"I wouldn't let you forget," she said, eyeing him keenly, a grin flirting on her lips.

With a last look, their hands parted and they walked their separate ways, their minds still with each other.

As he ambled along the sidewalk, Flack saw Natalia emerge from the building. She paused for a moment to breathe in the slight breeze that greeted her, for which he was grateful; he wasn't sure if he would have been able to catch her if she had moved off straight away. Although well on the way to recovery, his movements were not as fast as he would like.

"What? No bike?" he called stepping up behind her, her surprise obvious as she turned to face him.

"Annual service. I should be able to pick it up tomorrow," she replied, while turning her head to check the street for an empty cab. "I've been working late nights and can't face the walk so I figured I'd treat myself to a cab ride, that way I might actually get to email my parents and let them know I'm still alive, eat a proper meal and get some sleep."

He shook his head a little and grinned at her as he slid his right hand under his jacket supporting his side. "So you're going home to spend the evening emailing your parents?"

"That's part of the plan," she answered stepping towards the kerb and raising her arm to flag a passing cab, which sailed past.

Flack reached up and drew her arm down. "I think I could make you a better offer."

She drew her eyes from the traffic and turned her head. He saw a strange look flash across her face, a mixture of surprise and confusion, or at least that's what he thought it was. Their faces were merely inches apart as she responded. "Really?"

"Yeah... you and me someplace quiet. You in?" He fixed her with a gaze and noted that fleeting expression cross her face again.

"Maybe... What do you have in mind?" Something was having an effect he realised as she stepped back and focused on the traffic again. He wasn't going to make this easy for her, he wasn't making it easy on himself either and the last place he wanted to hold a conversation was the middle of the street. He pressed his hand further into his burning side; he needed to sit down soon, but not before he achieved what he set out to do.

While her attention was distracted, he leaned forward, his mouth close to her ear "Would you like to find out?"

Without even blinking she answered. "I guess that all depends."

"On?"

"You, most of our previous meetings have been rather disastrous." She turned to look at him again. Damn her if she didn't have that cool exterior back in place, making him the one uncomfortable once again. There was no malice in her voice, but he couldn't argue with the truth of her words. He rubbed his hand over his face; this encounter wasn't exactly working out how he envisaged, she was an enigma - just as he was figuring her out, things changed again.

Flack heaved a sigh. "Yeah, about that ... I'm sorry, you deserve an explanation and if you let me take you to dinner I'll try and explain."

"Sure you're up to it tonight? You seem like you're still in pain." She gestured to his hand still resting on his side.

"I'm fine..."

She lowered her eyebrows. "You're far from fine, Detective, you're in pain, probably been on your feet too long, that or too much physical therapy." She eyed him critically. "... If you don't think it too presumptuous of me, why don't we get some food and take it back to my place. You can sit and relax, maybe get something for the pain."

Food sounded good, her place sounded just as good, at least there they wouldn't be interrupted by waitresses or well meaning friends and he would have the chance to apologise for his behaviour when they first met.

Despite the seeming tranquillity of the weather, crime had not stopped and this was about to be proved when Adam entered Stella's office late in the afternoon carrying a computer tablet.

"Um, Stella, you got a minute?" he asked hesitantly, still feeling nervous around the senior CSI despite, or perhaps because of, the night they had spent together at the start of the summer.

She looked up from her files, a slight frown on her face which smoothed as she saw him. "Yeah, I'm waiting for Scagnetti to get back to me with an ID on my John Doe from the docks, what do you need?"

Adam rubbed his hand nervously over the back of his head. "Well, you know I've been trying to track who could have planted the bomb at the UN, and, well I think I got something, I've finally scanned every piece of footage from before and after the siege, I found this couple," he said, handing over the tablet. Stella scrutinised it as the short video played on a loop. "They left when the main building was evacuated, but you'll see that they never looked around as they left... it's kind of unusual, everyone wants to know what's going on..." He pointed at the screen. "But these two-"

"- didn't need to look, because they knew what was happening. Were they UN employees?" Adam didn't get to complete his sentence as Stella jumped in, her eyes gleaming with the promise of a case breakthrough, and did it for him. He felt himself blush a little but focused on answering her question.

"Nah, I ran facial recognition on the UN security database and got nothing but there's a lot of street cameras around there... they got in a cab over on third."

Stella nodded and looked impressed, which increased his blush. "Good work; do we know what happened then?"

"No, but take a look at the bag the guy's carrying, it's big enough and seems to contain something rather heavy." He waited, watching while Stella inspected the film footage on the tablet again and he felt his heart race when a smile lit up her face as she reached the same conclusion he had.

"Like the statue stolen from the Feyordin delegation?"

It had been a few days after the siege when the news came through about the theft. A national treasure from the small African state, the statue was due to go on display during the General Debate and was to have been presented to the UN Secretary General during a lavish banquet with the Heads of State that weekend.

A knock on the door frame drew their attention and Lindsay entered. "Are you ready for this? I just got a call from Scagnetti; one of his contacts has got wind of something big moving underground in the antiques world. Apparently it's causing quite a stir, now what do we know that could cause that big an impact?"

"Could be a lot of things," Adam answered warily, looking between the two women while his mind ticked through the possibilities; it was times like this when he wished he knew more about history and its artefacts. He did pretty good with Greek and Egyptian, he could even muster information on Roman and Aztec, but the other ancient antiquities were a mystery to him.

"What has Scagnetti found out?" Stella asked, seizing on the information.

"He's going to meet his informant and get more details, he'll call me after. Looks like there could be a sale going down anytime," Lindsay said, looking pleased with herself.

Stella looked thoughtful and placed the tablet down slowly. "So we have a possible sale going down, we also have a missing statue... anyone else thinking what I'm thinking?" It was her turn to look between the two of them.

Lindsay's eyebrows rose. "That there's a connection?"

"Exactly." A smile crossed Stella's face, a smile that showed her instincts were alerted. "See what else you can find out, I have a feeling this is all connected with what went down at the UN. Let me know what Scagnetti comes up with; Adam, stay on this," she instructed as she picked up the tablet again and waved it in front of him. "See if we can trace the cab company and find out where these two got dropped off, I'll go tell Mac we may have some new leads on the UN case."

"Sure. It's about time, I'll be glad when we can finally wrap this one up," Lindsay said as she made her exit.

Taking the tablet, Adam nodded in agreement, he had been thinking the same thing, but Lindsay had voiced it first. "I'll get right onto it, Stella."

"Thanks," she gave him another quick smile before returning her attention to the files. He started to leave, but paused at the door, turning back as he considered what was on his mind, gazing at Stella's bent head. It took only a second to make the decision to speak. "Uh, Stella?" he asked, running his free hand through his hair.

She looked up, a little startled. "Everything okay? Was there something else you wanted?"

A moment of wry thought slipped past his mind, along with memories of other times. "I just, uh, just wanted to say I'm glad you're okay... And that you and Mac are okay, you know, both of you." He hoped she knew what he meant, what he was trying to convey to her.

Fleeting emotions passed across her face as she nodded. "Thanks, Adam, I appreciate it." There was a pause; he lowered his eyes to his shoes for a moment, and then raised them with a new confidence as Stella continued a little hesitantly, "And you're okay?"

"Me?" he grinned, and his answer was truthful. "Yeah, I'm good, very good..." He took a breath, and then decided, even as he felt a faint heat in his cheeks, to disclose further information to Stella, realising that this was the right moment to do so. "I, uh, I've got a date tonight in fact." The evening he and Hawkes had gone for a drink and met with Sid and his wife had turned into a longer night than either of them had planned, they had remained in the bar, and he had found himself chatting to a girl, and exchanging numbers. This evening would be their second date, and he was looking forward to it.

There was genuine happiness in Stella's face. "That's great, Adam!"

"Thanks, yeah, I'm happy," he nodded before shuffling his feet and jerking his thumb back towards the AV room. "Well, I guess I better get back to, you know, all this stuff." Raising the tablet, he took a step backwards, patting the door frame as he went. With a smile at the corners of her mouth, Stella watched him.

"Good. Let me know when you find anything else."

"You'll be the first to know," he said and with a final glance at her, he turned his eyes forward and walked away, aware that a long overdue resolution had been reached for him over the matter of Stella and himself. A feeling of relief and satisfaction settled over him and moved his feet into a quick twisting dance step as a grin broke over his face.

It hadn't taken long for Flack and Natalia to agree on her local take out place and several hours later they were sitting in her apartment surrounded by empty take out boxes; he was slouched across her couch while she curled up in the chair. Her business suit had been discarded for a pair of track pants and a baggy t-shirt and her hair was pulled back from her face by a hair band, making her look younger.

He had spent the evening quizzing her about her travels and work and a relatively comfortable silence had fallen between them, but he knew it was time to say something, he just wished he knew how to put the words together without ending up with her pitying him or worse, seeing the tears, which he still felt when he thought about Jess. She must have picked up his unease as she spoke next, her voice calm and quiet.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

He started, a spike of nerves pushing through him at her intuition. "Tell you what?"

"About Jess."

"How do you know her name?"

Her gaze was gentle with sympathy. "After you got shot... it was about the only coherent thing you said." Flack barely remembered anything about the actual shooting; he certainly didn't remember saying her name. He looked up at Natalia, who looked back at him. "If you want to tell me sometime that's fine, losing someone you care about isn't easy, I'm not going to tell you I know how you feel, because I probably don't, but - and I may be a little presumptuous here again - if you would like to talk I'll listen."

Don looked around, and didn't speak for several minutes, his mind in the recent past. "She was a cop ... we were partners, dating as well. ... She was - she was shot." It was almost the first time he had said it out loud. The shrink didn't count and the CSIs already knew what had happened. There was silence as Natalia held his gaze. He felt like he needed to say something, for the first time he was feeling the need to talk about her to tell someone else who never knew her what a wonderful person she was, the trouble was he didn't really know where to start. To hide his uncertainty, he coughed a little realising she must have noticed the flash of pain on his face and his hand holding his side.

Her voice was stern. "Detective, this may sound pretty insane, but are you actually taking any pain medication?"

"It's Don, and you're right ... about the meds .... I flushed 'em."

Her eyes narrowed, and he knew that his bluffing bravado had not impressed her. "Why do I get the impression that you're a stubborn bastard?"

"Because I am." A half smile appeared across his face. She smiled back. And it was a smile that made him a little apprehensive at what she might have in mind.

"Well, Don, you're just about to find out how pig-headed I can be... you got anything for the pain?"

Feeling even more obstinate himself, he glared at her. "Told you, I flushed them."

"Okay, well, I've got some codeine, take them and we can continue talking." She rose from her seat and moved past the couch towards the kitchen.

He wasn't sure what made him do it, but he reached out and grabbed her wrist as she passed, wincing in protest at the pain which shot through him as he drew her closer. "Why do I have this feeling you're a pain in the ass?"

She grinned. "Still? Well don't let me stop you from going home if you'd rather wallow in self pity on your own than take some advice from a friend."

"A friend huh?"

Her eyebrows rose. "I think spending a night handcuffed together counts."

He paused for a moment, not quite sure what to make of her then slowly released the grip he still had on her arm. "I'd like to talk, if you're still willing," he said, a gruff tone creeping into his voice.

"I am, but you need to stop playing the martyr and make yourself comfortable. Did you really flush the pills the doctors gave you?"

Slowly he shook his head; it was like she could see right through him. He felt like a kid with his hand caught in the cookie jar. "You're a pain in the ass you know that?" he mumbled.

"So you keep telling me. Where are they?" Her voice was firm; the look she fixed him with made him confess.

"Jacket pocket." He answered quietly, defeated. She had been the only one to have pushed him this far. Hawkes had counselled, Stella had yelled at him, Danny had asked, but shut up when he said he didn't need them. Somehow she was different. She wasn't going to take any of his crap. He watched her move across the room to retrieve his jacket which was over the back of one of her dining chairs. Bringing it back to him he rummaged in the pocket and withdrew the pill bottle. Maybe taking a couple wouldn't hurt; the only problem was that he was likely to end up an emotional wreck if they pursued the discussion which was brewing. But maybe he was willing to give it a try. Something was telling him it was time to talk. He blinked and found her holding a glass of water out to him.

Accepting it silently he returned his gaze to her as she curled herself back into her chair and sipped the glass of red wine he had poured her earlier.

"Okay, you win... this time." He tossed the pills in his palm once and then into his mouth and swallowed them down with the water she had brought him. He had to admit, the pain was still excruciating at times and it didn't help that he now had scar tissue on scar tissue.

"Does that mean there'll be a next time?" she asked, her eyes never leaving him.

"Depends," he shrugged, a grin creeping onto his face.

"On?"

"You, if you'd consider letting me take you to dinner?"

"You have sort of - you bought the food. You don't have to make a habit out of it you know."

"Maybe I want to." He waited for her reaction.

Her eyebrows rose again. "Let me get this straight, the first two weeks you're either yelling at me or ignoring me, I'm kind of surprised you even showed up to see me."

"I guess something about being handcuffed to you for a night upped my tolerance levels." He glanced over to her and grinned. Uncurling herself from the chair, her glass in hand she walked over to him, matching his grin.

"To a new friendship then," she said and held out her glass. "And Jess."

He clinked his glass of water against her wine glass, the light sparkling in his vision for a moment. "A new friendship," he echoed. "And Jess."

That dinner with Stella had become a habit was something Mac was more than happy about. Every week since their abduction, they had shared a meal out; alternating who chose the venue each time. This evening it was his turn and he had taken Stella to a small restaurant in the far corner of Manhattan. Small it might be, but confidently so and the dishes were prepared and served with panache. Being the middle of the week they were one of only a few couples. It suited both of them, as it allowed them the peace to talk and focus on each other's company.

During the first course, they had discussed work and their current cases, and the frustration caused by the blanks drawn on the inquiries to track down their two missing suspects; the two they believed to be behind the siege and heist pulled at the UN, the sabotage of Danny's car and their kidnapping. About the theft of the statue, officials were remaining tight-lipped, and Mac had found himself increasingly infuriated by their attitude. At the moment, things were at a standstill. It had taken much counsel from Stella to ease some of that frustration, for which he was grateful.

As their plates from the first course were removed, their communication turned to other matters. In the pause of conversation, their hands met across the table; his palm facing upwards, hers settling across it, her fingers caressing his wrist. The muted ambience made her smile radiant and it illuminated his emotions. For the first time in longer than he cared to remember, he felt content.

Stella regarded him intently, her eyes glowing as light from the candles on their table glistened in the green depths. "You're happy," she stated in a quiet voice. "That's good to see."

"It's good to feel that way," he replied simply, placing his other hand over hers.

Her smile beamed at him. "I agree."

There was only each other, their linked hands, their gazes holding as they shared their thoughts silently. He was at peace, but even with Stella safe and well with him, Mac still experienced moments of recall; of the time in the warehouse, their narrow escape and her injury and its consequences. Recollection of that still possessed the power to bring a shadow into his mind.

"It's going to take a while," Stella said gently, seeing into him. "For both of us, and for everyone. It takes time, you know that."

Mac nodded; he was not the only one who had experienced nightmares after what they had been through. Some nights had been spent just holding each other, taking much-needed comfort and reassurance in their closeness and presence. Time would heal though, and would, he knew, bring them even closer. They had talked, and would talk more, about what had happened. After some hesitation and deliberation, he had also shared with Stella what she had revealed when in a near-delirious state on their way to the UN in the broken-into car; how she had been a little more open than she might have been if she had not been concussed about her feelings on recent events - their unexpected visit to Greece and all that had befallen them since. It had led to both of them opening their hearts to each other more than they had ever done before.

And here they were now. Finding that their hearts fitted together as they had always known they would. What dreams, or shadows, may come their way in the future, they knew they would not face them alone.

Deena glanced up and down the beach, it wasn't as crowded as it had been recently, but there were still a fair number of the beautiful people out enjoying the weather. She revelled in being one of them as she slipped off the chiffon wrap she was wearing to reveal a baby blue coloured bikini which she knew looked stunning against her tanned skin. With another glance around her she sat on the beach lounger and swung her feet up before lying back and enjoying the sun's rays.

A rustling at her side a few minutes later followed by a shadow falling across her caused her to lean up on her elbows and raise her sunglasses to look at the offender. She squinted up at Carson as he held out an exotic drink that was streaked with pink and orange liquid. Sitting up, she reached for the glass he was holding.

"Just what I need, now get out of the way, you're blocking my sun," she quipped her voice conveying a more friendly tone than the words themselves.

Carson merely nodded and seated himself on the lounger next to her, which was half hidden by a large parasol. As he removed his shirt it was obvious from his lobster colouring that the sun didn't agree with him and he began liberally plastering his skin with high factor sun block, wincing as he rubbed it in. It won no sympathy from her; if he chose to fry himself in the heat, he had to suffer the consequences.

"Have you heard from our friend?" he asked eventually as he cleaned his fingers on a corner of his towel before taking a swig of the beer he had brought for himself.

She sipped at her drink, savouring the fruit taste laced with alcohol. "Everything went perfectly; the item in question was traded in the underground markets back in New York, right under everyone's noses. No-one knows where it came from or where it went; as far as the cops and everyone else knows it just disappeared. The money will be banked later today, which means we have the funding to plan the main event, and according to my sources the perfect timing will be around Spring -that should give enough time for the dust to settle and those meddling cops to forget all about us," she informed him, before taking another long sip of and putting the glass down. After one final glance up and down the beach she reclined herself again, a self satisfied smirk fixed to her lips. Their victory had only just begun.

AN: So that's it folks ....The End ... Please review and give us your final thoughts, but don't go away we will be back with a sequel, we're delighted you came along for the ride.