A Misunderstanding
SUMMARY: Danny thinks Mac is ignoring him while Mac thinks its Danny who's doing the ignoring. The misunderstanding between the two has lead Danny to make an error in judgment…and leaves Mac having to deal with it. The way he does surprises both of them.
WARNING: This story contains the spanking of an adult and 4 curse words. If you don't like then please don't read.
READ: I wrote this story for a yahoo group I'm part of. I know, some of the story will seem like a summary of the show and, I admit it, it is! The people from the group I'm part of will read stories even if they don't watch the show. I do a summary type thing to make sure they can follow the story!
DEDICATED TO: Shot, for giving me the wonderful idea and for being so patient while I wrote it! Thank you!
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PROLOGUE:
Daniel Jay Messer, Danny, had been part of Mac Taylor's CSI team for six months. He'd been surprised to be hired on, so he wasn't surprised at some of the open hostility directed towards him. What surprised him was Mac's willingness to take him under his wing.
The case the two had just finished had been difficult…any case involving children were hard. This particular case caused Danny and Mac to have to work a triple shift.
It was because of this that Danny's reflexes were dulled. He never saw the car coming up behind him all he felt was the impact. He'd been in the middle of a turn when it happened; his car was pushed straight into a pole.
When he came to there were paramedics and cops all around. The cop who was at his side was one he knew…Don Flack.
"Hey Don."
"Danny; hold still man."
Danny did a quick inventory on himself. 'Nothing broken…gotta killer headache.'
"I don't need an ambulance."
"Jeeze Messer, you need stitches and you might have a concussion. You gotta to go the hospital."
Danny sighed and lay back down on the stretcher. When the ambulance took off Flack made a call.
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Mac sat in his office pondering whether to take a cab or drive home. The tiredness feeling was always stronger after hard cases.
Mac had his hand on the phone, having decided to call a cab, when it rang. He glared, not wanting to answer and knowing that he didn't have to. After working a triple it was mandatory that the person(s) be given 24 hours off. Mac's sense of duty was too high for him to ignore the ringing.
"Taylor"
"It's Flack; Danny was in an accident. He's fine but I don't think he'll make it in tomorrow."
"What happened?"
"He got rear ended. He's gonna need some stitches and might have a concussion. First responders said he was knocked out; they're taking him to the NYU hospital.
"Thanks Flack."
Mac hung up the phone, grabbed his keys, and drove to the hospital, no longer tired. By the time he got there Danny was already arguing about being released.
"How is he?"
"Mac…I'm fine."
Mac nodded his hellos to Danny but kept his eyes firmly locked on the doctor. The doctor looked between the two men before answering.
"He's fine. We're gonna stitch him up and he has a mild concussion. We'd like to keep him over night since he lost consciousness and has no one to keep an eye on him at home."
Danny began to argue once again but a warning look from Mac quickly shut him up. Mac motioned for the doctor to follow him outside. When Mac came back Danny looked at him with confusion etched on his face.
"After you get stitched up you'll be released."
"Thanks Mac; don't worry about anything, I'll be in tomorrow."
"You worked a triple Danny, you have tomorrow off."
Danny smiled at that and nodded his head. It was another couple hours before he was released. He was surprised to find Mac still waiting for him.
"Your car's gone Danny…"
Danny nodded his head and allowed Mac to help him into the car. Danny fell asleep and didn't wake up till he felt the car stop.
"Where are we?"
"My house; come on."
Danny was too shell shocked to argue. Once inside Mac showed him the guest room.
"Mac, I'll be fine on my own."
"I'm sure you would be but for now you're staying here."
Mac's voice left no room for argument. For the next two days Mac insisted on Danny staying at his house. It was this incident that forever cemented a father/son…big brother/little brother relationship between the two. A relationship that would remain intact for ever…or at least they thought….
---- TWO YEARS LATER ----
It had been a hard year for Danny. First his brother had told Mac about his ties to the Tanglewood boys. Then his brother had been killed…his murderer caught. Just when Danny thought things couldn't get worse, he'd been the main suspect in a police officer shooting. Mac…well, Mac had been too worried about the integrity of the CSI to care about him…so he thought. In Danny's attempt to help make things better he'd gone to internal affairs (IA) and talked with them. That had made Mac even madder…something he hadn't thought possible. Mac had taken him off the promotion board and then ignored him.
Danny turned on his side and looked at the clock. 5:00 am He still had two hours before he had to get up but he knew it was no use trying to sleep. It had been two months since the whole 'IA thing' had gone down. Danny had hoped things would go back to normal but they hadn't. If anything things had gotten worse.
Danny bit his lip…ok, so some of it was his fault. With another sigh Danny got up and got ready to begin his day. Before he knew it he was at work, waiting in the break room for Mac to hand out assignments.
"Stella, you and Danny will be working the robbery over on 40th street. I'm gonna take the double homicide over on 32nd."
The look of dismay on Stella's face didn't go unnoticed. Danny knew the look wasn't because they were working together but because she had hoped for the double. 'Considering there are two of us, we should work the double.'
Danny started mumbling under his breath and making 'rude' noises. He would have continued if it hadn't been for Stella finally elbowing him in his ribs. He glared at her but wisely kept his mouth shut.
Mac shook his head slightly at both the CSI's but chose not to say anything. "Do either of you have any questions?"
Stella looked at her partner before looking at Mac and shaking her head. Mac gave a nod of his head and excused himself from the room.
"Fucking moron," Danny's eyes went wide as he realized he'd spoken the words out loud.
Mac turned to look at the youngest CSI in the room but didn't say a word. He simply walked out of the room acting as if nothing had happened. Danny closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He could tell, without needing to see, that Stella was staring at him.
"I'll meet you in the car." Danny voice was tense as he quickly exited, not wanting to be lectured by the older women. Stella stared at his retreating back before seeking Mac.
"What the hell was that all about?"
"Come on in Stella; I'm not busy." The sarcasm in his voice was heavy.
"Mac?"
"It was nothing. Let it go Stella."
Stella turned to walk out of Mac's office, "You know, you yelled at Flack for a lot less. How is that fair?" She didn't bother to try and hide the anger in her voice.
Mac stared as she left; he didn't really want Stella mad at him but he couldn't deal with Danny right now. So far he and Danny had managed to ignore each other. Well…ok so that wasn't really true either. Danny had been ignoring him. Mac had wanted to apologize for losing his temper but Danny obviously wasn't ready to hear it.
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Danny sat in the SUV, trying to calm his shaky nerves. He hadn't meant to say what he did out loud…ok, so maybe he did actual MEAN it but he hadn't meant to SAY it. He knew, or thought he did, that there was only so much Mac was willing to take. Over the course of months since everything had gone down he'd been challenging Mac in every way he could.
He started little enough…being a minute or two late to work, turning down over time hours, being late from lunch. Slowly things had escalated…calling in to work at the last minute, muttering under the breath, disappearing without telling anyone where he was going. Mac did nothing.
Danny would never admit it to anyone but he WANTED Mac to react to his behavior. He'd rather a yelling Mac then a silent one. Of course, even he knew that his 'moron' comment was over the top. He wanted Mac to notice him…not suspend him.
When Stella got in the car she was surprised to find Danny in the passenger seat. She could see the regret in his eyes. 'Wake up Mac…before the kid self-destructs.' Stella gave the younger CSI a smile and did her best to pretend that nothing had happened.
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For Danny the following two weeks seemed to drag on forever. All he wanted was to take some time off and try to re-group but he knew he wouldn't be allowed. Sleep was becoming hard to get…Danny's temper was becoming shorter. 'Things can't get any worse…' If only he'd known…