CSI:NY The Saints Aren't Coming

The Stars Remind Me of You

Chapter 71: Stars Remind Me of You

Gus was more than ready to return to work, ashamed of having let Elger's get at her, but also knowing it was related to her talk with Angell, which was probably part of the reason she had kissed Jimmy Doyle. She wanted to get Flack out of her heart or at least her head for a minute.

Which was impossible considering they were working together for a week longer, not to mention that moment they had clearly shared in the hospital. At least she was able to leave with Sheldon so Flack couldn't approach her about it, knowing him he would want to clear the air.

She returned, took her deserved ass chewing from Daddino and tried not to feel a pit in her stomach at the mark on her record. It didn't help that someone had also placed a miniature baseball bat on her desk, looks like the nickname Slugger was going to stick. Gus wasn't sure if it was better or worse than Princess.

"Hey Slugger, welcome back," Flack said by way of greeting as she was attempting to shove the bat in her desk drawer.

"I hope you didn't do this!" she exclaimed, slamming the drawer shut.

"Nope, not since Danny and Lindsay had a girl..." he trailed off looking at her again, not quite as intently as he had in the hospital, but not the light look of a cordial professional relationship either.

Gus cleared her throat nervously, "yeah, well, wonder how many diapers Danny has changed by now?"

"Not as many as Lindsay, I can guarantee that," Flack replied, raising his eyebrows.

"Men," Gus muttered. "So what did I miss?"

"Not much, actually, been quiet."

Gus groaned, dropping her head lightly to her desk. "What?"

"You know you have just jinxed things, right, Flack?"

Flack shook his head, "it'll be fine. Besides, after your nice little vacation, thought you might be looking forward to working."

"I seem to have missed my fruity beverages and suntan. It was a suspension, not a vacation."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." He gave her another grin and headed back to his desk.

Gus spent sometime going through voice mails and emails, some of them on leads she had been trying to track down on cold cases. She made some notes, returned a few calls and was beginning think that Flack hadn't jinxed them.

She stifled a yawn, laughing a minute later when Flack appeared at her desk with a coffee.

"Seeing as you didn't come in with one, thought you could use this before you swallow your face."

"Thanks," she replied sincerely.

Overall, suspension and hospital tensions not withstanding, her rotation with Flack had gone better than she ever would have hoped. That didn't mean they weren't still doing an odd dance with each other. But like all good things, her lucky steak had to come to an end.

One evening, right before Daddino left for the day, he came out of his office wielding his stapler. Gus realized that thanks to her suspension, it was already time for the next partner rotation to come out. She was caught between relief and sadness until she wandered over to look at the list. Her reaction was far from pleased or lady like.

"God dammit Daddino, a month with her, are you frigginging kidding me?" Gus said, storming back from the board and kicking her desk and knocking over her trash and recycling bin.

Parker leaned back with a bemused look on his face. "I take it you seen the next rotation posting?"

Gus growled while picking up crumpled papers now wet with the remnants from coffee cups and coke cans. "Yes, Parker, I did, and thank you so much for the heads up." Her tone dripped with sarcasm but Parker just chuckled. "I am glad you are finding this so freaking funny, Parker. I hope your boot accidentally shoots you in the groin."