A/N: I'm BAAAAAAAACK! With more Don/Savannah goodness! But this time I'm throwing all sorts of problems at them that I didn't include in OTM because I thought it would be too soon for that. Be prepared for the ride everyone. For those who don't know who Savannah is and why she's in a relationship with Flack should read my fic 'On the Mend.'

Characters: Det. Don Flack Jr/OC – Savannah 'Anna' Patia Cormier, Danny/Lindsay, Mac Taylor, and other members of CSI NY.

Set: Mostly AU after season 6. Set 3 months after 'On the Mend'

Rating: M

Warnings: Mentions of nakedness.

Disclaimer: I do not in any way own CSI NY or affiliates. I'm using the characters to no profit. I do not own the song or song lyrics at the beginning of each chapter that inspire me. But I wish that there were a few clones of Don Flack…mmmm….Oh, but I do own Savannah Cormier.

Finding Our Way – Chapter 1 – Calm Before the Storm

Slide over here let your hands feel the way
There's no better method to communicate
So girl stop your talking
Words just get in the way
I'll be your man

James Blunt – I'll be your man

Feet pounded on the sidewalk. One man following another with the backdrop of sirens. Shouts, calls, indignant, panicked.

"Hey! Watch it!"

"Move lady!"

"Russell Lisc, stop, NYPD!"

A young man looked back briefly, panting harshly as he saw a pair of determined blue eyes closing in on him. He turned front and narrowly missed tripping over a crate – jumping over it at the last second. He turned down another side street, hearing the strong stride of the detective behind him. Lisc yelped as a car came out of nowhere, unable to slow down and smacking into the hood. He groaned as the detective ran into him, shoving him harder against the metal.

"Russell Lisc, you are under arrest for the robbery of the mayor's office," Detective Don Flack announced, controlling his laboured breathing as he slapped the cuffs on Lisc. "Although I'm tempted to add pissing a detective off onto the charges."

Lisc just sighed, banging his head on the hood.

Danny's head poked out of the driver side window, a grin on his face. "My timing? Cleaner than the ball drop on New Years Eve Flack. Have fun running?"

"Shut it, I'm already in a bad mood."

"Should I start calling you Usain Bolt?" Danny continued to tease as Flack bundled their suspect into the car.

"Funny Messer, you should quit being a CSI and go into stand up comedy," retorted the taller detective.

"Only if you go with me."

"Man, this is bogus," Lisc grumbled from the back seat.

"I will add the charge of annoying a detective if you keep going. It will be so much easier for you if you just admit to it and maybe the mayor won't find a way to bury you," Flack replied warningly. "I got pulled out of a murder investigation for this."

"Whatever man...you should take a chill pill bro."

Flack huffed while Danny just smirked. "You're just pissed that you and Savannah can't go out tonight because Captain called ya back in. Cool it a little," he mentioned to his friend.

"If we can get him to admit it, I can still salvage some of the evening even if we can't make our usual plan."

Danny looked into the rear-view mirror and felt a pang of sympathy for Don. By the stubborn pouty look on their suspect's face, he had a feeling that just wasn't going to happen. He only hoped that Flack wouldn't blow his top too much.

Trudging wearily up the short steps to Savannah's apartment building, Flack checked his watch. 8.49pm. Shit. If he hadn't been called to stay back later than his shift he and Savannah would probably be finishing dinner and watching the Rangers game right about now. When he had called her, as per usual, she had been understanding. It was him that wished he could have gone 'to hell with it' and spent some time with his girlfriend. Fishing the key she gave him out of his pocket, he unlocked the door and announced himself.

He heard her reply from down the hallway.

"In here!"

Dropping his jacket and other essential belongings on the table, Don wandered down the hallway, seeing light shining from the bathroom doorway. He peeked in and smiled at the sight.

Savannah had obviously decided to have a little 'me' time in light of their non-date.

She was in the bath, the scent of peach and rose perfuming the air from the bubbles that covered her modesty. Her curly hair was pinned up and she was reading a book and sipping on a beer. He noticed that there was a full, unopened bottle on the ledge. He grabbed the shower stool and sat as she turned to him and smiled. "You look comfortable," he murmured, reaching out and stroking a finger over her cheek.

"Long day. When I heard we weren't going out, I thought it'd be a good time for a bubble bath," Savannah replied, leaning into the tender touch. "Want to join me?"

Don's eyes flicked over her bubble covered body as she sat up straighter, a long smooth leg poking out of the water. "You're trusting it not to get sexual?"

"I think we are capable of some self control," she snickered. "Besides, we're both tired. I think we can manage to have a simple bath together without getting frisky."

Flack shrugged and pulled off his shirt and dropped it to the ground. "Fine, but let me remind you whose idea it was if we end up being kinky in the bathtub."

"Fine by me sugar. I'm happy enjoying the view, " the brunette purred, tilting her head to the side as Don stripped off his wife-beater, jeans, and boxers. "Can I just say I like this recent look when you go into work. No ties, a bit more relaxed. Suits you more."

"I can't wear those formal suits anymore. Not only were they expensive to replace, but the whole tie thing was your fault."

Savannah shrugged. "I thought it would be a nice surprise for you to come home to find me covered and bound in your ties. Not my fault you can't help but think of it each time you put one on."

"Oh yes it is. Completely your fault. It was your master plan. You just wanted it to be easier to undress me at the end of the day," he bantered back. Don just rolled his eyes when Savannah tried to look innocent and slipped in behind her, sighing as the warm water hit his exhausted body. He wrapped an arm around Savannah and pulled her back to him so they were resting chest to back, Savannah's cheek next to his. He laid a few chaste kisses along her shoulder and felt the days stresses melt away. "You smell good."

"It's the bath oil. The other beer is for you," Savannah said softly, enjoying the contact but fixated on her book again.

"You planned this," Flack deduced shrewdly.

"I hoped you would be here before I decided to slip into my jammies. I thought it would be nice," Savannah justified with a mysterious smile. She turned the page. "On the phone you sounded like you needed a little pampering or something like this."

"Mmmm."

"Oh, by the way, I'm taping the Rangers game if you want to watch it."

Don paused incredulously before chuckling and resting his forehead on her shoulder blade. "That right there is one of the biggest reasons why you're my girlfriend," he murmured.

"It couldn't be because you love me, huh?"

"Might be because of that," Don countered softly, grabbing the washcloth from the ledge, dipping it into the water and scrubbing it slowly over her back, paying special attention to the scarred tissue from her past abuse. He pressed a kiss to it, asking, "How are you feeling about the Wallace sentencing?"

Jake Wallace had been a past boyfriend of Savannah's when she was in her mid-20's. He ended up abusing her – which she escaped from with a few scars – and later killing her best friends, prompting her to move to New York. He then found her and kidnapped her five months ago in the beginning of October, prompting Flack and the CSI's to come to her rescue. Due to Savannah's high esteem in the community and especially in the eyes of the Crime Lab and the NYPD, the trial process had been sped up – instead of taking a year or so, the whole process had been over in a matter of months – and the final sentencing had been given four days ago. Don made sure to check on his partners feelings on the matter. She had been so strong during every day in court, being called up as a witness and facing Wallace all over again, that he felt the need to make sure she was okay.

"I think 9 years for kidnapping in New York and 50 years for the murders of Amanda and James in Virginia is more than fair," Savannah replied calmly. "I've come to terms with it. Don't worry about me Don."

"Can't help it," he said.

Savannah leaned back and turned her head to lay a kiss on his neck. "I know." She then placed her book on the bath ledge and turned around in the water so that their fronts were pressed into each other. The water and bubbles made her movements seem serpentine. Leaning her chin on his chest, Savannah questioned, "What about you? How are you feeling? Just in general."

"Tired," said Don, threading a hand through her hair.

"In a way, it was kind of a good thing we didn't go out then," Savannah observed.

Don disagreed and his face showed it. "We haven't been out on a proper date for a few weeks," he reminded.

"I realise that, but honestly? I'm just glad you came here so we can have some down time," she replied, leaning up to kiss him. He closed his eyes, enjoying the sensations that never failed to trip down his spine when their lips touched. He pulled back and mumbled, "You know, I would love to have a go at it, but I don't think I could perform adequately enough."

"Then let's put some lead in your pencil. Hungry?" Savannah said, a knowing gleam in her green-grey eyes.

"For more than food."

"The 'more than' can come later. First, we'll warm up that spaghetti bolognaise and watch the game, and then we'll see how frisky you are after that Don," she hummed, sliding off him and getting out, grabbing a towel. Don just watched her like she had watched him stripping earlier – admiring her curves. He wished he was the towel being wrapped around that shapely frame and smirked amusedly. Savannah noticed this and winked at him. "Later," she reminded.

"Yeah yeah. At least I have the Rangers to sustain me," Don quipped and followed her actions, towelling off.

Later, they were on Savannah's couch curled up together watching the recorded game. Don was in fresh clothes – they had learned to keep a few spare sets of clothes at each other's places just in case – and was making Savannah giggle every now and then with his enthusiastic responses to the game. He was happy because his favourite team was winning.

"I still don't understand it when you call the moves some weird names, but go Rangers!" Savannah cheered along with him.

"I will make a hockey lover out of you yet," promised Don.

"It's been over 9 months. I think you're fighting a losing battle," she joked.

"Doesn't mean I'm not going to try."

"Speaking of trying…Stella and her move to New Orleans…she's not budging, is she?" asked Savannah.

Flack shook his head. "Nope. No matter what any of us are saying or doing, she really wants to move. Has she talked about it with you at all?"

"Just that she thinks it's time for a change and that she'll finally get the opportunity to be the 'big boss.' I can understand that. But my hometown feels so far from here. And I don't think that it's the whole reason why she's moving," she explained. When Don raised a brow in question, she continued, "It's like she's really tired. In her spirit. Like New York has just exhausted her and she can't take it anymore."

Don seemed to consider this. He murmured, "You really think that?"

Savannah looked up at him, a slight frown marking her brow. "Yeah…yeah I do. And although it will suck if she moves away and we'll all lose her company, I think that Stella has to do what's best for her. And if moving away does that, then good for her," she said.

"Yeah, but…" Don trailed off, troubled.

"I know. You guys have all worked together for so long it'll be like losing a body part," the brunette reasoned.

"It's going to be so weird to be in a New York without Stella," he stated blandly, clearly not assured by this. Savannah just gave him a knowing look and hugged him, murmuring, "We'll get through it. We always do. We'll weather those storms if we have each other."

Little did she know just how vital those words would become.

A/N: Haha, hope you found the opening chapter cute. So it's established. Wallace in jail, Anna and Don are fairly happy with each other and have been going out officially for 9 months. However, life isn't perfect. These two are going to go through more so be prepared for anything.

Reviews are always welcome and are always awesome.