Title: Loving A Person
Summary: Let's find out the beauty of seeing things through. FlackAiden.
Disclaimer: The names of all characters contained herein are the property of Anthony Zuiker, Jerry Bruckheimer Television, CBS and Alliance Atlantis. No infringements of these copyrights are intended, and are used here without permission.
A/N: Written on request for yummycherries on LJ. Lyrics from the song "Loving A Person" by Sara Groves.
Rating: T

Loving A Person

Loving a person just the way they are, it's no small thing
It takes some time to see things through
Sometimes things change, sometimes we're waiting
We need grace either way

Aiden has never been a patient person. It's not a casually cruel observation in the way of watching her with men. It's a fact in Aiden's way of life. It's the reason she works late into the night at the lab and the reason she orders books months before they come out on It's the reason why she always breaks up with her boyfriends after a few months; she isn't patient enough to wait for them to realize she's the one for them.

And that's why it comes as a surprise when Don ends their relationship because he says he can't keep waiting for Aiden. For all her looking to the future and all her loving, he says, Aiden can't seem to realize that he loves her so goddamn much. Aiden takes a week off of work and stays with her Nonna. All she has to say is "You'll never know love unless you surrender to it, child" and "It's not your way, Aiden, to give freely. But that's the way of love."

So Aiden has a 'way' now?

Hold on to me
I'll hold on to you
Let's find out the beauty of seeing things through

Don keeps telling himself he's not the desperate type. He's usually not, at least not when it comes to women. He was raised to never chase women or to disrespect them, and he holds to those values. But there's something about Aiden Burn that makes him want to chase. It doesn't help that she can't (won't) realize that he loves her more than life itself. And it hurt too much to simply wait – to wait for Aiden to notice how much he cared – so he told her and then he left.

Now he's absolutely miserable these days and everyone, even Mac, is walking on eggshells with him. They think Don might snap at any moment and to be honest he doesn't know if he will or not. Without Aiden his life has been all wrong, like nothing makes sense without her in it.

He needs her back.

There's a lot of pain in reaching out and trying
It's a vulnerable place to be
Love and pride can't occupy the same spaces baby
Only one makes you free

She peers into the microscope and when he enters the lab (she knows it's him, she's trained her ears to his footfalls) Aiden tries to calm her heart. Something about Don these days, even after he left her, makes her breath come uneasy and her stomach turn to knots. If Aiden were more patient she would take the time to analyze her feelings the way she's analyzing the fibre but she doesn't have that much time. She'll just leave it at the fact that she's in love with Don. That has to be it.

Don stands beside her and asks about the results and when she tells him they're not ready yet – is she even still talking about the results? – she starts to cry. Aiden Burn never cries. This isn't happening but then Don pulls her close (running his fingers through her hair the way he knows she likes it) amd whispers it'll be okay, Aid, I promise.

As her tears dry against the fabric of his shirt, Aiden knows it'll be okay now, if only because Don promised her it will be.

Hold on to me
I'll hold on to you
Let's find out the beauty of seeing things through

Two weeks later Don shoots a man. Despite the best efforts of the EMTs the man dies and Don has to go to the NYPD psychiatrist and there's an investigation by the IAB. Don hates both outcomes but it's what has to be done. He goes home to Aiden and he doesn't have to tell her what happened because she was there. He shot the perp because he was gonna kill Aiden and Don wouldn't let that happen. IAB is going to bring that up – Detective Flack, are you now or have you ever been in a relationship with Aiden Burn, CSI grade two? – and Don will have to answer truthfully.

Aiden holds him now as he sobs quietly into the curve of her neck and she whispers that it will be okay (echoes of his own words two weeks prior) as she rubs his back. Don remembers the ring he bought the other day with Stella and reminds himself to ask Aiden when the time is right, because life is just too short. He mumbles something into her skin about never letting her go and Aiden agrees softly.

If we go looking for offense
We're going to find it
If we go looking for real love
We're going to find it

Danny asks her if it's true (did Flack really ask you to marry him, Aid?) and Aiden shows him her ring. It's not much but she loves it, a simple thing with a diamond in the middle. Danny snarks something about how is he ever supposed to find a girl who can stand him now that Aiden is taken and she grins. Diamonds are supposed to be a girl's best friend but Danny Messer is Aiden Burn's.

Three months later Aiden's fussing with her dress while Stella's fixing the zipper (they only make things for skinny white girls, Stell, I don't understand); Don comes in with his eyes closed escorted by Danny. It's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding but he had to tell her just one more time—

"Flack," says Danny, "you're the luckiest man I know. She's the most beautiful woman on the face of the earth."

"I tell myself that every day, Danny. Every day."

Bells chime and an organ starts to play. Stella fairly pushes Danny and Flack out of the door, but before the door closes behind him, Don says, "Love you Aiden."

And that's all she needs to know, really. That's all Aiden has ever needed to know.

finis.