Part 8a/14 of What Danny Deserves, CSI:NY fic
Series: What Danny Deserves (08a/14)
Title: Emergency
Rating: R for angst and hospitals and blood and brains.
Summary: Mac goes to check on Danny, horrified by what he finds.
Warnings: hospitalisation due to graphic violence and injuries.
Wordcount: 3580 (split into two parts. LJ hates me)
Disclaimer: I own nothing but I just had to tell this story. No money is being made.
part one: suspicion
part two: potential crime scene
part three: witness statements
part four: modus operandi
part five: interactions
part six a: failed interventions I
part six b: failed interventions I
part seven: failed interventions II
Emergency
It’s been a slow week and Mac has to admit that that’s a good thing, but he’s sick of paperwork and budget meetings and worse of all, interviews for Danny’s replacement. Mac has stormed out, zoned out and generally acted out over the past week and it’s not professional, not mature but he just wants someone to hear him. It’s not very ‘Mac’ and he’s been screening his calls, ignoring the over-heads and losing his temper, especially with Lindsay.
“Mac, relax, you’re gonna give yourself a coronary.” Hawkes advises. Mac scoffs and takes a deep breath, only to exhale microseconds later.
“It’s just...” Mac sighs. “I know,” He gives into Hawkes’ doctorly stare. “But it sucks, y’know?”
“Mac?” Hawkes asks incredulously. “You’ve been spending way too much time with Adam, not enough time working. My advise to you, focus on the pile of mind-numbing paperwork. Danny's physical condition wasn’t too alarming when I last examined him.”
“Which was over a month ago.” Mac argues.
“And he was improving.”
“Right until he stormed out of the job he loves.” Mac answers, but Hawkes shakes his head.
“I can’t listen to this, I’m sorry Mac, but I have work to do.” Hawkes walks away.
******
“It’s been ten days, he’s not coming back.” Adam says, not taking his eyes off the computer screen.
“I know.” Mac sighs. “But I just-“
“Can’t give up hoping.” Adam concludes and Mac nods. “Or worrying?”
“You think I’m being a worrywart? A Motherhen?-“ Adam laughs
“Hey, I didn’t say that. Not this time.” Adam mutters that last part under his breath.
“No. Hawkes did.”
“Really?” Adam looks impressed.
“Not in so many words.” Mac admits. “Have you heard from him?” Mac’s referring to Danny, of course.
“No.” Adam replies. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, why do you ask?” Mac replies defensively.
“Well, I’d give you a hug but I’m scared you’d snap in half.” Adam comments, making Mac laugh as he forces himself to relax.
“I always thought Danny would be a cop ‘til he died.” Mac muses, not knowing whether to smile or to frown. “I dreaded the possibility that Danny could die because he’s a cop.” Adam gives in and gets up to give Mac a hug.
“Don’t say things like that.” Adam begs, letting go of Mac.
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m still living in a world where we can rescue the Prince from the Dragon.” Adam says, his voice like a little boy’s.
“I dunno Adam, that Ivory tower is pretty tall.” Mac realises Hawkes and Stella may be right, he can’t keep living in this fantasy world forever. Danny has always been written off as a lost cause, but Mac can’t give up on him. “You really haven’t heard from him?” Adam shakes his head, ruefully.
“Not so much as a text.” Adam confirms what Mac already knows. “This isn’t like him Mac, even when he was starving himself, even when he was hurting himself, he’d still make sure I was okay, swear blind that he was fine.” Mac sees the fear in Adam’s eyes, he shares it. “He could have just taken a vacation.” Adam shrugs, trying to make them feel better but it doesn’t work.
“When’s the last time you’ve known Danny to take a vacation without inviting us? No, the only reason I can think of for Danny to stop talking to us if he thinks we hate him, if he thinks he’s shamed us, if he thinks we don’t care.”
“That’s the only thing you can think of?” Adam mutters and hates himself for it as he sees Mac’s eyes darken. “How could Danny ever think we could hate him?”
“He hates himself. And I can think of plenty times in the past when I’ve been too much of a boss to even hear him out as a friend.”
“Mac, you can’t beat yourself up over the past.”
“I know, but I feel partly responsible, like my attitude towards him in the past somehow led to his decision to choose Lindsay over the job he loves.” There’s a silent, ‘and us’ on the end which Adam hears loud and clear.
“Y’know, for the longest time, I couldn’t understand why my sister would choose my bully of a father over me. But Danny told me: it wasn’t because she didn’t love me, it’s because she was confused. She thought because Dad hit her that he loved her the most, he taught her that she was special, that he got mad because he cared. She wanted that love. All Danny wants is to be loved and to belong. I just think he’s confused like she was.”
“The more he stays away from his friends, those who truly do love him, the more confused he’s gonna get.” Mac states.
“You thinking about paying Danny a visit, perhaps with a dictionary?” Adam asks, Mac shakes his head.
“I dunno, the last time I did that, I think I made him turn to Lindsay even more.”
“Well you’ve got to do something Mac, you’re driving us all crazy.” Adam replies. Mac smiles a little at that, realising it’s true.
“Well, we haven’t found any suitable CSIs to replace Danny,” That’s a lie, there are plenty qualified. “I guess I could go and offer him his job back.”
“You do that Mac, and if Stella asks, I’ll just tell her you’re sick.” Adam tells him.
“You’d lie for me?” Mac frowns
“Of course not. I’ll just leave out the ‘with worry’ part.” Adam grins, making Mac shake his head before letting out a huff of laughter.
“I’ll let you know what happens.” Mac receives another hug from Adam.
“You better.” Adam gets back to work, Mac starts heading to the car park.
******
When Mac arrives at Danny’s apartment, the door is ajar. As Mac enters, he feels his uneasiness grow. Danny’s clothes are ripped and torn; some burned; some defecated. Lindsay’s clothes are gone, as are the baby’s. He checks the drawers and finds Danny’s passport but he can’t find Lindsay’s or Lucy’s. He calls Adam.
“Adam, it’s Mac. I don’t think Lindsay will be coming into work today.”
“What’s going on Mac?”
“Lindsay’s gone, it looks like she’s taken off.” It’s a plausible theory.
“And Danny?”
“I don’t know!” Mac says with gritted teeth.
“Is he okay?”
“I don’t know Adam!!!” Mac shouts. “I’m sorry, I just, this place is a mess and I don’t know what happened but Danny’s passport is still here, what’s left of his clothes, but to be honest, there was hardly anything of Danny in this apartment to begin with so I can’t tell what’s missing.”
“Do you want me to call someone? The authorities?” Adam offers.
“It’s too soon to turn this over to Missing Persons.” Mac states.
“You’re too close to try and solve this on your own.” Adam tries to be the voice of reason.
“I know.” Mac sighs, trying to think clearly, failing to do so but at least he’s acknowledging that he’s not thinking clearly. “Just do what you think is best Adam, I’m going to look for Danny.” Mac hangs up, knowing he’s probably freaked Adam out but he can’t focus on that at the moment, not when Danny is missing.
The place is a mess, as cluttered as Mac’s mind and he doesn’t think he’s going to get anything useful from it. It’s like somebody packed in a hurry, throwing around anything they didn’t want. But it’s all speculation. Mac likes to work with facts.
Mac’s not thinking straight enough to gather the facts at the moment, his heart is racing in ways that it hasn’t since he was on the battlefield. He pulls out his cell and calls Danny. It rings for a while before going to voicemail. It’s not in the room but it sounds like it’s switched on, Danny’s probably got it on him.
Mac decides Adam’s probably figured something out by now, and he can’t stay here, he needs somewhere familiar and the office almost feels like home. He keeps dialling Danny’s number though, hoping that this time he’ll answer. Mac doesn’t think he could handle a claustrophobic elevator right now so he decides the stairs. That’s when he hears it.
Danny’s ringtone, a few floors below him. It takes Mac dialling and hanging up a few times before he makes the connection, but it is definitely Danny’s phone and Mac can feel his legs begin to shake as he runs down the stairs, down to where the sound is coming from.
Mac feels sick. Danny is lying unconscious at the foot of the concrete stairs, lying in a puddle of blood, his knee bent the wrong way, the part of his face that is exposed is bruised and swollen with blood seeping out of the back of his head even though most of it looks like it’s been spilt already.
Mac rushes over, trying to stop the wound from bleeding, swallowing as he can feel Danny’s skull underneath his hands and it doesn’t feel intact.
He calls 911.
*******
part eight b: emergency
part nine a: hangovers and hang-ons
part nine b: hangovers and hang-ons
part nine c: hangovers and hang-ons