The phone ringing woke Danny up from a sound sleep. "What?"
"It's Flack; we gotta homicide / Robbery. I was told you were on call."
"I'll be right there."
Danny got dressed as slowly as he could afford and took off to the address Flack had given him.
"What do we got?"
"Mr. Roberts, who lives alone, came home to his house being robbed. He managed to call for help before, who ever was robbing him, shot him point blank. He died by the time the first responders got here."
"I guess I better get started."
"Gonna have to wait on that Danny. We haven't had a chance to clear the entire house yet."
"Why the hell did you call me then?"
"Hey man, I'm just doing by job; no need to bite my head off."
Danny glared at the detective and moved to stand by his car. His temper was already high and having to stand and wait in the cold weather just made it worse. He watched as Flack ran into the house; he stood straighter and watched. Five minutes later Flack walked back out. Knowing that he should wait for the signal but not caring to, Danny headed inside; he made sure to walk in the shadows so Flack wouldn't see him.
Once inside he found his way to the body. He knelt down and was so intent on looking at the body that he never heard the closet door open…he never heard the person walk over to him…he never heard the sound of the gun being cocked…all he heard was it go off.
Danny jumped and twirled around only to find himself being knocked to the ground. The person ran off as Danny was getting to his feet. Within a minute an irate Flack was barreling into the room.
"Damn it Danny! I told you the place wasn't clear. What were you thinking?"
"I saw you come out. I…" Danny's voice trailed off; something was wrong but he didn't know what.
Flack looked up at his friend with concern, "Danny?"
"Don…"
Danny's body lunged forward; Flack just managed to catch him. When he laid his friends body on the ground he saw the blood. 'Oh god…" Flack grabbed his walkie-talkie and yelled into it, "Cop down! Get a medic!"
Danny watched as the world around him seemed to speed up. Flack was replaced by a paramedic and Danny had to fight down the terror that was threatening to seep up. "Don?"
Flack's face appeared above Danny's.
"Hey Danny; just take it easy ok? Lie still man."
"I-I want…Mac…" There was desperation in Danny's voice that Flack had never heard.
--
Mac was just waking up when he got the call about a cop being shot. He quickly got dressed wanting to find out who got hit and why. His phone ringing brought him up short. "Taylor"
"It's Flack; Danny got shot Mac."
"How?"
"The suspect was still in the house. I didn't know Danny was inside…" Flacks voice was pleading for Mac to understand.
"Where are they taking him Don?"
"NYU hospital; he asked for you Mac."
"Tell him I'm on my way."
Mac ran out of his apartment and to his car. Throwing on the siren Mac sped through the streets of New York. When he got to the hospital he was met by Flack who had blood on his shirt.
"Are you hurt?"
"It's all Danny's. I'm so sorry Mac."
"It's not your fault Don. Where is he?"
Flack pointed in the general vicinity of the triage area. Mac hurried through, ignoring the protests coming from the nurses. When he got to Danny he walked over and found the only free space by him.
"I'm right here Danny."
"Mr. Taylor?"
Mac nodded at the doctor's question.
"I'm Dr. Stevens, Danny is gonna be fine but I have to take him to surgery. You're his emergency contact number. Will you sign the papers?"
"Yes, sir"
After signing the papers allowing the doctor to perform surgery Mac went to wait, with the rest of his team, in the waiting room. The surgery would take three hours.
--
When Danny finally woke up, he saw Mac sitting by his bed; he couldn't stop the smile that came to his lips. 'Maybe he still cares.'
It was a week later when Danny was finally being discharged. Thinking he was being taken home he was surprised when Flack drove up to Mac's house. "What's going on?"
"Mac said you were staying with him. Don't worry man, he went to your place and got your stuff. Docs said you should be ready for duty in another week or two."
Danny didn't say anything as he followed Flack up to Mac's apartment. Mac was waiting for the two boys at the door. He smiled and opened his door wide to allow them to enter.
"I got your room ready for you Danny."
Danny glared at the older man before storming away. He had been thrilled when he first saw Mac at the hospital but since then things between the two had gotten weird again. Wincing as the bedroom door was slammed shut Mac sighed and sat down.
"Mac," Flacks voice had a touch of nervousness to it.
Mac raised his eyebrow in question.
"He thinks you don't care."
"What?" The disbelief Mac felt was evident in his voice.
"We talked a while back. He said some stuff…Mac…talk to him."
Flack left, not giving Mac a chance to respond to what he said. Mac waited a couple days…a couple tense days. Danny's attitude, which Mac thought was bad in office, was worse. After the first day Danny simply stopped coming out his room. Finally Mac realized that the silence between the two couldn't go on.
Taking a deep breath Mac entered Danny's room. Danny glared at him but Mac didn't let it faze him. With a gentleness Danny forget he possessed, Mac moved his feet off the bed and helped the younger man sit. Mac sat beside him.
"Want to tell me what happened?"
"I got shot."
"That's not what I meant."
"Well what do you want to know then?"
"I want to know everything."
With a put upon sigh Danny began his tale, "I was on call; it was five in the morning. It was Flack, he said they had a case on 31st a-a man was robbed and shot. I got dressed, grabbed my stuff, and went to the scene. Flack said to wait so I did…"
"Why were you told wait?"
"The cops hadn't cleared the building all the way."
"Continue"
"I waited until I saw Flack come out of the building, then I went in and was working on the evidence surrounding the body. I heard a noise and then I felt something on my shirt. The man ran out and I guess the cops caught him. Flack came in, mad, and started yelling till he realized I was shot. The next thing I know I was in the hospital."
"Why was Flack mad?"
Danny shrugged his shoulders, not wanting to say anything.
"Danny, I want a straight answer. Why was Flack mad?"
Danny swallowed hard; Mac was using his best marine voice which meant he was pissed. A pissed off Mac is not someone you lie too…then again, telling the truth didn't sound to appealing either.
"Maybe he just felt like it."
"Danny…" The warning tone wasn't lost on the younger man.
"The building hadn't been secured. I never got the ok, I just saw him and I went in."
"You went…you what?"
"I won't do it again ok? Just let it go Mac."
"Wait here."
Mac left the room and Danny lay on the bed and closed his eyes. 'This is so not good.'
Mac went to his own room, silently screaming in his head. The thought that he could have lost Danny because of his lack of following standard procedures was simply too much. Danny was too much…don't get Mac wrong, he loved Danny with all his heart. In the short time they'd worked together Danny had become the son Mac wanted but never had the chance to have.
Mac closed his eyes, 'What do I do?' It was another five minutes before a thought came to him but he quickly shook his head. 'He's a grown man not some little kid.' Mac suddenly frowned and kept to the line of thinking. 'He acted like a kid. Why shouldn't I treat him like one; he's been testing me and everything.'
With a decisive nod of his head, Mac went back to Danny. "Would you like to tell me why you'd do something like that?"
"I felt like it Mac."
"You sure that's your answer?"
Danny rolled his eyes at the older man. If Mac didn't know what was going on then he wasn't going to say. Danny's no non sense demeanor changed to that of horror as he found himself face down over Mac's lap.
"What the hell Mac; let me up!"
Mac said nothing as he quickly repositioned the younger boy over his lap.
"You're such an asshole! Let me up Mac!"
"I can't do that Danny." With that Mac brought his hand down hard over the pajama covered bottom. Danny continued to fight him and call him names; Mac seemed oblivious to it all.
After a couple minutes Mac sighed, "Danny, if you keep fighting you're gonna lose a few items of clothing. I don't mind but it might be embarrassing for you."
Danny laid rigid understanding Mac's threat. He shook his head a few times as tears came to his eyes. Mac continued to swat though now he started to lecture.
"I don't know what's going through your mind," SWAT, SWAT, SWAT "but your attitude had better change." SWAT, SWAT, SWAT "I care about you," SWAT, SWAT, SWAT "whether you want me to or not." SWAT, SWAT, SWAT "Your behavior had better change," SWAT, SWAT, SWAT "quickly or so help me, I won't hesitate to spank you again." SWAT, SWAT, SWAT "Do I make myself clear?" SWAT, SWAT, SWAT
"Y-yesss"
Mac kept swatting, he could tell Danny was almost to his breaking point. Hoping to hurry things along Mac tipped Danny a little more to be able to reach the tender under curve.
"Mac…OW!" SWAT "I…sorry!" SWAT "OWWWW!" SWAT "No more…please!" SWAT "Ahh!" SWAT, SWAT
Danny gave one final yell and then hung limp over Mac's lap. Mac took that as his cue to be done. He looked at the body over his lap and could feel tears fill his eyes; he began to rub the boys back. "Shh…it's ok Danny. I won't leave."
Danny tears wouldn't stop. He felt embarrassed at sobbing…he was mortified to find that he couldn't stop sobbing. Mac began to feel a little afraid when Danny didn't quit crying. Not knowing what else to do, he flipped Danny around and held him on his lap. Danny clung to him, needing the comfort that Mac could provide.
Mac continued to rub Danny's back and murmur soothing words. It took almost twenty minutes before Danny quieted down; when he realized he was on Mac's lap he blushed a deep scarlet color and squirmed until Mac released him.
"Lie back down and let's talk."
Danny frowned not wanting to get back in bed but a throb from his backside sent him scurrying to obey.
"What's going on Danny? I know you tend to follow your instincts and I have no problem with that but you went into an unclear building. That isn't like you; what's going on?"
Danny looked everywhere but at Mac. Mac finally took Danny's chin in his hands and forced the younger man to look at him.
"Danny…" The warning didn't do unnoticed.
"I was angry with you."
"Why?"
"You were so worried about the integrity of the lab you didn't even bother to ask if I was ok! I thought I'd killed a cop and you didn't say anything! Then when I went to try and fix it you just got mad at me! What the hell was I supposed to do Mac?"
"First of all watch your tone and your language. I won't tolerate it anymore. Secondly…Danny, I didn't mean to make you feel like that. I knew you couldn't have done what they said and I had to make sure to prove it. I wouldn't watch you being sent to jail over something you didn't do. As for going to IA, Danny, you should no better. You never talk to IA alone…ever."
"What was I supposed to do Mac? You were ignoring me and everyone else was acting like I was some disease that was contagious. Then you fucking tell me how no one wanted me and that maybe they were right!"
Danny's temper was showing in full force. Mac stared at him, understanding why he was angry but knowing he had to stop it before it got out of control. Not wanting to but knowing he had no other choice, Mac lifted Danny up and maneuvered him over his lap with an ease that startled Danny.
"I think you thought I was joking," SWAT, SWAT "but I wasn't joking." SWAT, SWAT "You will watch your tone," SWAT, SWAT "and your language." SWAT, SWAT "If you don't not only will I spank you again," SWAT, SWAT "I will wash your mouth out with soap." SWAT, SWAT "Do you understand me?" SWAT, SWAT
"OW! Y-yesss, sir…Ahh"
Mac stopped swatting and laid Danny back on the bed. Fresh tears fell from Danny's face and Mac, using a tissue, wiped the tears away.
"I know you're mad at me and you have every right to be but I won't tolerate your behavior any longer. Do you understand me?"
"Yes, sir"
"Danny, what I said to you was wrong. I never should have said that let alone say it in anger. I was scared."
"Why?"
"Danny, I look at you and I see a young man who will make a great older man as soon as he learns to control his temper. I look at you and I see me and I want to help you. I-I see the son I never had. I am sorry Danny."
"Why did you ignore me all this time?"
"Honestly? I thought you were ignoring me."
Danny looked up at Mac with a shocked look. "I'm sorry."
"So am I Danny."
Mac looked at Danny and could still see the hesitation in his eyes. With a sad smile Mac lay down beside the younger man and held him. Danny cried until he fell asleep…Mac stayed with him.
EPOLOGUE:
The relationship Danny and Mac had established so early in Danny's career eventually returned. Those around them could tell immediately that something had happened but no one said anything. Danny was careful about cussing for awhile. The first time a word slipped he'd blushed and quickly stammered out an apology but Mac ignored it…as he would do every time unless the words were directed at him.
Mac made sure to show Danny how much he truly cared. The two began a ritual of having supper together at least once a week. The two were often seen together and once, on an outing to see a baseball game had a couple mention to Mac how proud he must be of his 'son.' Danny smiled when Mac replied, "I am."
THE END