A/N: Parts that are underlines are direct quotes from the episode! Hope you all like!

"Hi baby girl," Mac greeted his only granddaughter.

"Hi, papa," The young girl gave a watery smile.

Mac gave her a sad smile, knowing that his 'baby girl' was truly upset by the name in which he was greeted. She had called him papa when she had been too young to call him grandpa. As she got older and realized her friends called their grandparents grandpa and grandma she had slowly started to use the latter.

Mac had started to miss the times when she would call him papa and hold her arms out to be held much like he missed the times when Danny would lie on the couch, head in his laps, and talk to him about nothing for hours.

Anymore, the only time she used the name was when she was feeling the way she was feeling at that moment. Mac silently mourned the time, knowing that eventually she would cease the use of the name all together. His grandsons, at sixteen and fourteen years old, still used the name which made the process a little more tolerable. The sixteen, ever intuitive to other's emotions, had promised his papa to never stop using that name when he was only five; it looked like he was going to keep his word.

Mac pulled out her desk chair and beckoned her over. She didn't hesitate to launch herself into his arms. He pulled her on his lap, making sure her backside didn't touch anything, "Want to talk about it."

"It's not fair papa," She pouted, "I'm eighteen years old. I'm too old to be spanked."

Though the grandpa in him wanted to agree and sooth her feeling he knew he'd be giving her and her dad no help, "Too old huh?"

"James never got spanked at all and Jane's parents stopped spanking her when she was like, eight," The young woman refuted with a huff; giving examples of some of her friends.

"First of all watch your tone. I know you're mad but that doesn't mean you can take a tone with me," Mac warned. His granddaughter sighed ant looked up at him with puppy eyes in apology. "I know you think it's unfair but let me ask you this. You knew what would happen if you even took a sip of beer. Why did you drink?"

"Grandpa," The child sounded exasperated, "It's not like we were drinking hard liquor. I only had like, two or three beers."

'You are your father's child' Mac mused to himself, barely able to keep his chuckle and grin held back. Outwardly he raised an eyebrow, "You were warned about drinking," Mac silenced his grandchild with a look, "You are under age to be drinking period. You should be thankful that someone called campus security and not the cops or else your dad would have had to pay bail to get you out."

"If dad were me," Lucy started, "And you were dad. Would you have spanked him?"

"You better believe it," Came the honest answer, "He would have needed a pillow for quite awhile as I would have issued bedtime spankings for a week."

The girl had heard stories about how strict her 'papa' was and found it hard to reconcile those stories with the man she knew. It was that reason that her mouth gaped open, "Would you now?"

"My son is now a husband and a father, your father, he knows better," Mac responded. He added dryly, "Besides, he knows what my hand and a hairbrush feel like; I doubt he wants to know again."

This caused his grandchild to giggle like he'd hope it would. She looked up at him suddenly serious, "Papa, when did you decide daddy was too old to be spanked?"

Mac blinked at the child in his lap, having not expected that question. Like her two younger brothers, Lucy knew that her dad had been unofficially adopted by the man they called papa at an older age. Why it had never been official they never knew and they had never asked.

He debated for all of a minute whether or not to be honest, "A month or so before you were born."

The young woman once again, was left gaping, "Seriously papa?"

Mac stood the girl up and walked her to her bed, sitting down with his back against the headrest and his feet lay out before him. His granddaughter lay on her side, her head on his chest.

"I'll tell you about it but I want your word not to let your dad know that I told you." Mac leaned down to look the girl in the eyes, "I mean it Lucy, if I find out that you in anyway told your dad that you know, I will personally come over here and spank you myself."

The girl gulped twice understanding just how serious the situation was. It only took her a few seconds to decide on whether she wanted to know or not, "I pinky promise grandpa."

Mac took a deep breath, "It was when your mom went to Montana, she was pregnant with you and your dad decided to stay with me while she was gone. We were working this case where the…victim was the wife of a former colleague."

"You all wanted to get the suspect real bad then huh?" Lucy's eyes, just like her father's Mac's mind helpfully supplied, looked up and met his.

"Yup, no one wanted to be left out of anything," Mac agreed, holding the child close, "We'd been told our suspect was at his 'business' so I drove your dad and I down to the location; you're Uncle Flack and I were already vested…"

** FLASHBACK **

The truck had barely come to a stop when the two inside were out. Flack wasn't surprised to see Mac already vested as he drew himself up from the car he was leaning on. He too was already vested so he was surprised to find Danny not so.

He asked rather shocked, "Where's your vest?"

"It's in the trunk," Danny supplied, already digging through the content of the trucks bed.

While Danny searched his dad turned to Flack to see if the suspect was truly in the building. He got confirmation and listened while it was explained who Little Stevie was and about his business. Flack was just finishing when he heard it.

"Ugh," Danny let a growl slide out.

Mac's gaze immediately went to his son, "What's wrong?"

Danny gave him a half disbelieving, half irritated look, "The vest is in my locker."

Flack's gaze was one that was indescribable. It turned from a smirk to a look of disbelief as he met Mac's eyes. The two seemed to have a two second silent conversation before Mac turned back to his son.

His dad's tone was firm, "Then you're staying here."

"Mac…" Danny's voice was pleading. He didn't want to sit this out. He needed to find answers, for Annabel and for Marty.

The firm tone turned stern, "This is not open for debate."

Danny could only watch as his dad and Flack walked away. Flack turned to look back giving him a look that clearly said 'what were you thinking' but said nothing.

He gave one more look through the bed of the truck before giving up and shutting the drop gate, harder then strictly necessary but not hard enough to be considered a slam. (He wasn't stupid enough to). He opened the passenger door and stood behind it, waiting.

As they left the younger man at the truck, Mac couldn't help but feel bad. He knew how much his son wanted to be part of the take down but he wouldn't risk his life especially now that he was, not only married, but about to be a father.

Moments later that feeling was reinforced as he was forced to jump into an empty room as the suspect shot through a door where a millisecond before he had been standing.

Mac lay where he landed for a moment before getting up and crouching next to the entrance, getting his breath back. He noticed Flack doing the same, before they left the building the two did a quick sweep of the room the suspect had been in not knowing what had transpired outside.

OoOoOoOo

Danny had been standing, his gaze never leaving his dad and big brother's back as they entered the building. He silently yelled at himself for not having his vest but knew it was pointless at this point in time.

When the gunshots sounded he'd taken cover behind the door, his gun out, his head sticking out every so often. When the door opened he was shocked to find a man, with a gun, look around and take off to his right.

He left the safety of the passenger door and called out, ""Freeze, Police!"

Just like he knew it would be, the call was pointless. So intent was he on catching the man that he never thought not to give chase. He followed the man into an abandoned warehouse not realizing that back at the original building Flack and Mac were at the entrance and finding an empty truck.

Mac's gaze searched the perimeter but his eyes fell back on the truck where he'd last seen his only child. He asked worriedly, "Where's Danny?"

He ran towards the truck but found no signs of a struggle. Before he could react to the situation of his lost child his ears were greeted with the sound of gun fire. With a call of over there he and Flack were off to where Danny had unknowingly disappeared moments before.

In the warehouse Danny and little Stevie were exchanging gunfire. Danny didn't seem to realize his situation until the second time the suspects bullets almost hit him. With that second time he also realized that he only had one more chance. There was no doubt in his mind that Little Stevie could and would win this shootout.

Taking careful aim, he got his shot off and saw the man go down. He ran to him just as Mac found him.

Mac called out, "Danny! Flack, he's over here!"

His son didn't seem to realize that he was by his side as he frantically held the fatal neck wound and questioned the man, "Look at me! You're dying; it's over, alright? I want you to do something good Stevie. I want you to give me something. Did you kill Annabel Pino at the hotel, two nights ago?"

Stevie nodded and mumbled that it was just business. He hadn't planned on killing the female but her husband was a no show and the man owed him money.

Stunned at the revelation, Danny never noticed his big brother storming up behind him.

"What do you think you were doing?" Flack didn't bother to hold his temper back. "You went after a suspect with no vest? Are you out of your mind? Are you trying to kill yourself; trying to make Lindsay a widow?"

"Whatever man," Danny stumbled away, his mind not fully comprehending what had happened.

Mac, himself, was too stunned to pay much attention, wondering how he was supposed to tell Sid what they'd just learned.

Flack, to Danny's later dismay, wasn't so stunned, "Whatever? You almost get yourself killed and you tell me whatever!"

Danny's hands were shaking, "Just leave it alone."

"I don't think so," Flack grabbed Danny by the back of the collar and found a steady platform to put his foot on top of.

By the time Mac came out of his shock, Flack had already administered half a dozen swats.

"Are you out of your mind?" *SWAT, SWAT* "You don't chase after," *SWAT, SWAT* "a suspect," *SWAT, SWAT* "without a vest." *SWAT, SWAT* "You damn well," *SWAT, SWAT* "don't go after a suspect," *SWAT, SWAT* "without back up!" *SWAT, SWAT*

"You can't," *SWAT, SWAT* "OW!" *SWAT, SWAT* "Do this!" *SWAT, SWAT* "Damn it Don!" *SWAT, SWAT* "Dad, stop, OW, him!" *SWAT, SWAT*

Mac shook his head, "Flack?"

"Yeah Mac," Flack look up at the older man, his hand still falling to meet his younger brother's backside; not once missing a beat

"Just remember I need to deal with him tonight," Mac raised an eyebrow, "I won't be going easy on him."

Flack nodded in understanding, "Just a few more."

Mac nodded and left the building to head off any more cops from entering for another couple of minutes. He wanted his son to learn a lesson, not be embarrassed. He could hear Flack still lecturing.

"The only thing stopping me from baring you this second," *SWAT, SWAT* "is the fact that we're at a crime scene and more cops will be here in a second." *SWAT, SWAT* "That and your dad will deal with you later." *SWAT, SWAT* "You ever pull a stunt like this again, neither reason will stop me." *SWAT, SWAT* "You got that?"

"OUCH!" *SWAT, SWAT* "I un-understand!" *SWAT, SWAT*

Flack pulled him up and hugged him tight, "I thought he got you. I thought he was shooting you. Do you have any idea how scared I was?"

"I'm sorry," Danny's reply was muffled by his face being pressed into his big brother's shoulder.

"Let's go," Flack ushered him towards the door, "You need to get cleaned up and we have some leads to investigate."

The ride back to the station was quiet. The only sound was that of Danny shifting in his seat, trying to get comfortable.

OoOoOoOo

Danny went into the locker room to wash the blood off his hands. When he saw the blood on his wedding band his hands start to shake yet again. His big brother's words finally hitting him; he had to fight back the tears.

It was harder yet when his phone rang and it flashed Lindsay. His brother was right; what he did was stupid and now he was going to pay the price.

After talking to Lindsay for almost five minutes Danny hung up the phone and finishes cleaning himself off. If his dad were to walk in at that moment to punish him he'd take it without complaint.

For Danny and Mac the rest of the case went quickly. They found Marty, who first holds a hostage, and then threatens to take his own life. It's only Sid's intervention that prevents it.

No one says anything when Sid looks Marty in the eyes and asks, "After you left the ME's office, how many did you kill?"

There was no answer but no one expect one. They just wanted to go home.

OoOoOoOo

Danny's emotions were still high when he got back to his dad's place. Danny sat on the couch, the sting from his earlier spanking had died down to almost none exist; he knows it's only because Flack was too emotional to put much force in most of his swats.

"Dad, I…" His voice trails off.

Mac stands at the doorway "Go get the brush."

"Dad?" Danny looked up, almost fearful.

"I told you what would happen if you ever put yourself in danger," Mac's voice was firm, "Go get the brush."

On shaking legs his son did as he's told. When his boy got back he gave him a look but knew he wasn't about to get a reprieve.

"Pants down," Comes the command and Danny found himself obeying.

Tears formed in his eyes already as he was gently placed over his father's lap. It's been several months but he still remembered the routine.

"Give me your hand son," Mac orders, not wanting to risk Danny putting a hand back and getting hurt.

"Dad, please," Danny pleaded even though hours before he swore he'd take his punishment quietly.

"No," Mac refutes as he takes the proffered hand in his, "You were warned and you put yourself in danger in a big way today."

With that there are no more words as Mac raises the brush and brings it down smartly on the bared backside.

"OW!" Danny can't help but yelp, "No, dad, too hard!"

Mac steels his heart for what he has to do. He continues to bring the brush down not bothering to lecture until he sees his child's feet twitching.

"I told you to stay by the truck." *SMACK, SMACK* "When I give you an order, I expect to be obeyed." *SMACK, SMACK* "You could have been killed today." *SMACK, SMACK* "What would I have told Lindsay?" *SMACK, SMACK* "What would I have told your unborn child?" *SMACK, SMACK*

Mac continued to bring the brush down, while letting his words sink into his child's mind. He knew it was harsh but he needed his son to understand where he was coming from.

"I-I-I'm sorrrrrry!" Danny squirmed, hating the position he was in even more now than ever before. Worse yet for the young CSI…his dad and brother are right. Hearing the beginning of his child's cries, he continued to lecture.

"You better know where your vest is at all times." *SMACK, SMACK* "If you don't have your vest, then you don't go after a suspect." *SMACK, SMACK* "You don't go after a suspect if you don't have back up." *SMACK, SMACK*

"I'm s-sorry!" *SMACK, SMACK* "OUCH!" *SMACK, SMACK* "No more, please d-dad." *SMACK, SMACK* "I w-won't OW! Do it a-again!" *SMACK, SMACK*

Mac didn't respond as he tipped his child forward and started to aim at the tender under curve; the part of the backside that would have Danny feeling this particular spanking for some time to come.

"You'd better not," *SMACK, SMACK* "because if you do," *SMACK, SMACK* "I will make this seem like a walk in the park." *SMACK, SMACK* "Do you understand me?" *SMACK, SMACK*

"I p-promise I w-won't do it a-agaiiiiin!" Danny wailed, wanting desperately for the spanking to be over. He'd thought he had it bad when he got caught smoking, among other things, but this spanking by far out does that one. "Pl-please dad, I'm s-sorry! R-really, r-r-really sorrrry!"

Landing four more smacks, the hardest of the set, to the fuller part of his child's backside Mac brings the spanking to an end. Danny can only lay over his lap, sobbing.

Mac instantly rights him, making sure his backside isn't touching anything that could aggravate it, "Shh…it's ok. I got you baby boy; it's ok. Breathe for me kiddo."

Mac rocks his child back and forth until Danny's sobs are broken cries. He gently stands him up and helps him fix his clothes before leading him to his room. This is another night that father will stay with son, content to hold him until his son is ready to let go.

* END FLASHBACK *

Lucy stares up at the man holding her in shock, fighting back a glare on behalf of the man she had just said she hated an hour previous, "That was harsh grandpa."

"Our job is dangerous enough without adding to it," Mac refuted, "Besides, he'd been warned about would happen if he put himself in danger."

The girl squirmed in her grandpa's hold feeling guilty. She'd been angry about the two dozen swats with her dad's hand on her clothed backside. Her dad had gotten…well more than that, with a hairbrush on his un-clothed backside.

"So tell me," Mac cut into her thoughts, "Is your dad so terribly unfair?"

"No," Lucy whispered, "Oh papa, I was terrible. I told him I was going to move out and never talk to him again." Her eyes filled with tears, "I – I told him I hated him."

Mac gave a soft chuckle, "All kids say that to their parents. I said it to mine, your dad said it to me, and you said it to him. You need to go out there and apologize."

"Do you think he'll ever forgive me?" His grandchild looked up, tears in her eyes.

Mac nodded, "Want to know how I know?" Seeing a nod he answered, "Because he loves you just I like I love him."

Lucy smiled at that, "Grandpa, can I ask another question?" Her grandpa nodded, "Why…why didn't you ever adopt him?"

Mac once again blinked, having not expected that question, "Well…I guess it's because…I don't really know sweetheart." With a gentle tug both were standing. Mac put a hand on the small of his grandchild's back and ushered her out of her room. "I'll have to think on that."

OoOoOoOo

The duo walked down the stairs and into the kitchen where her parents were still waiting. Danny was at the coffee pot, making a fresh pot for his dad, when they entered.

He'd turned around when he heard a noise but wasn't given a chance to take in who had entered the room when he felt something crushing him. He looked down startled into the eyes of his baby girl.

"I'm sorry daddy," Lucy cried, clinging to her dad as Danny had once clung to Mac.

"I know baby girl," Her daddy soothed, "Shh, it's ok, baby."

He led them to a chair where he sat and pulled her onto his lap. He looked over her head at his dad with a raised eyebrow. Mac nodded back at him while he escorted Lindsay out of the kitchen and into the dining room to give them some privacy.

Danny couldn't help but blush. He hadn't wanted to give permission for his dad to tell his oldest the story of the last time he'd been upended but his dad had argued that maybe she'd see just how much he actually took it easy on her. Besides that, Mac had gotten his son to admit that Lucy had said she'd hated him.

Though slightly worried that she would use it against him at a later date, Danny now knew that his dad was, once again, right in his thoughts.

He wrapped his arms around his child tightly, letting his love show through his embrace just like he'd been taught by the man in his dining room.

EPILOGUE:

Over the course of six months Mac thought about what his granddaughter had asked him and realized he had no good answer. He couldn't help but wonder if some of the insecurities that Danny had, and still had though he hid it better now, were because of that one fact.

Ever the investigator he looked into and found that in that state of New York, adult adoptions were possible. For Danny's next birthday, he received two things. The first was a katana sword, similar to one he found at the flea market; now a father, he understood why his dad hadn't want him to have it even at his age. It was awed over before going into the vault that also housed his gun. The second was a set of adoption papers that needed his signature.

They were signed with a flourish and a month later they became official. At his wife's and children's understanding and smiles, they all officially became Taylor's.

The name change wasn't a big deal for Mac and Danny in terms of work. Mac had retired when his oldest grandchild was ten though he often came in to consult. It would take Danny a year to get used to hearing someone yell out "Detective Taylor" and remember they were calling him. In truth, he never really got used to it, it always brought a smile to his face, but he learned to respond to the call.

Lucy, her parent's eldest child, became a teacher and married in her mid – 20s. She had always declared she wanted nothing to do with anyone in uniform, understanding all too well the dangers that came with said uniform. It was no surprise to anyone that her husband was also a teacher. She would never tell her father that she knew though when she had her first kid her dad did inform her that he knew.

Danny Junior, the 2nd Taylor kid, proved to be like his papa. Even tempered, he was never in much trouble, choosing to investigate the possible outcomes before doing anything. Though as the only granddaughter, Lucy did have a special place in her grandpa's heart; it was Danny Jr. who was the closest to the man. He would follow in his papa's shoes by marrying young and in his Uncle Flack's shoes by becoming a cop. Sadly, DJ's, as he was called by his papa, career didn't last long. He was shot in the chest at the young age of 26 and left his wife a widow. Until that moment he had kept his word and called Mac papa, no matter who teased him. Mac cared for his wife while she grieved and the two became close. Mac walked her down the aisle six years later when she remarried.

Mac, Junior, as his dad called him, was the youngest and an exact replica of his dad down to eyes and ears. Unfortunately for him he even had his daddy's temperament and ability to get into trouble. It was often weird to hear a stern voice call out "MAC" and then see a mini Danny come running over. Mac had wanted to become a cop but his big brother's death changed his mind. He would carry on the tradition of calling his grandpa, papa. In the end he followed his Uncle Hawkes and Uncle Sid's shoes and became an ME. He never ventured out in the field. After a string of failed relationships due to his strange hours and one bomb attempt earlier he left the ME's office. A year of classes later, and some help from Uncle Hawkes, he set up his own private practice; most of his patients would be law enforcement officers. He married two years later. His wife bore him four children, all carrying on family names, Claire, Mac III, Jay Daniel, and Stella Lindsay. Mac would be the only Taylor to never get to know Stella due to her death when he was only three.

All the Taylor children would find that one child they would take under their wing as their grandpa had done their dad. DJ's wife would legally adopt the boy they had taken in as would Lucy, though she adopted two, one boy, one girl; each well above legal adult status but each needing to know they were loved.

Flack, Hawkes, and Adam would flourish under their Uncle titles. There were no talks of it being an honorary title and no talk of them not being blood related. They were family and that was all that mattered.

Adam would be the only one who didn't marry; his past haunting him too much. He would stay and take care of Mac later, when Mac needed it. Sheldon Hawkes would surprise everyone when he left the CSI lab to work in a hospital as the doctor he once was. It was time to stop hiding, he told Mac when he handed in his notice. Flack rose through the ranks once he stopped letting his temper rule him. He retired after several years as commissioner; he had to live with jokes at his expense from his family but it was all in good fun.

The lives of all at the CSI lab were forever changed when Stella, going undercover without Mac's knowing yet again, was shot in the back. Had she lived, she would never have walked again. The funeral was huge and a few days later another service was held for her family only.

With three children Lindsay handed in her badge; it would have been a sad day had she not had a big smile on her face. She was ready for the next challenge in her life. Danny stayed with the lab, rising to the rank that his dad once held; head of the lab. With his dad, wife's, and later, children's, love he flourished.

And Mac? Mac could often be found at the grave he finally had made for his late wife, Claire. He and Reed would talk but the young man had a family and had come to terms with his past. Mac would sit on a bench that his family had, had made for him and talk to his wife about the family…their family. After the Payton fiasco, as Danny called it, Mac would date every once a blue moon. He would never remarry. His heart and love were with Claire as it had been since they day he first met her.

He retired three years after Stella's death. Her death hit him harder then he thought possible but then again, she had been there for him through everything…marrying Claire, the days when hope was still alive to find Claire, the day hope died, everything he went through with Danny…

He watched his family grow with a smile on his face. Adopting Danny, though a little late, was the best thing he'd done since marrying his wife. On the day he died it was with a smile on his face. His family would continue his legacy…and his wife was waiting for him with open arms.

THE END

A/N: And so it begins…I posted my First Danny/Mac Series Fic (Misunderstanding) on August 25, 2007. At that point I was making friends with Karl and on my third quarter of school.

And so it ends...On this day, August 12, 2009, almost 2 years to the day, I post my last fic. At this point I am married to Karl and one quarter shy of my degree. I tip my hat to all who read and those who read and reviewed.

I lay this series to rest. May it continue to bring a smile to everyone's face!