A/N Okay this just came to me randomly a while ago. I would uploaded it earlier but somethign was up. Okkies here's the sitch: This chap is rated T for violence and language. Rating will go up in later chapters for slashy situations. But PLEASE don't kill me for getting Mac shot... I just thought there should be a MacDanny fic in which Mac gets shot and not Danny, for a change... I dunno... just enjoy for now because the relationship bit comes later! EDIT: I switched a word to make more sense, and I changed the rookie's findings. I was recently given the realization that you can't really tell what type of gun was used just by looking at the DB before the autopsy. Thanks again to my informant!

Sirens blared loudly outside the car, resonating shrilly in Danny Messer's ear as he and Mac Taylor drove to the crime scene. Danny glanced over at his boss, who was gripping the wheel fiercely with a determined grimace, weaving in and out of lanes fixedly but quickly. Danny sighed, ready to face another dead body and new crime, wishing somewhere along the line he'd work up the courage to tell Mac he was in love with him.

Danny had loved him for a long time, in between the screw-ups and successes, the laughter and sorrow, the anger and amusement. Somewhere in those long yet paradoxically short years he developed feelings for Mac. The way he was a natural leader; the way he could command silence in a room with one look; the way he secretly sought justice with passionate energy; the way he was still a human behind it all at times, times at which Danny would find him slumped up against the wall in the locker rooms, just thinking. And it pissed him off that he was so close to him all the time but never felt that he was close enough to comfort him or tell him the truth.

Mac jolted him out of his thoughts, gruffly saying, "Come on, Danny; we're here." They hopped out of the SUV and grabbed their gear. The cop on the scene briskly walked over to the approaching CSIs. "Hey, I'm Detective Taylor, and this is Detective Messer. Where's the DB?"

"She's in the apartment. Let me tell ya, it's not pretty. It looks like she was shot by a handgun, could be anything. I dunno...Poor kid…" The officer led the CSIs to the scene and started shifting his feet when they started processing. "Umm… hey, I'm new at this, and I think… I need to get some air…"

Mac looked back at the cop who was running for the door, looking very green. "Not gonna make it very far in this town if he can't handle the pressure." Danny nodded in agreement. Mac noticed a red fiber on the victim's clothing, photographed it, and picked it up with tweezers, showing it to Danny. "What do you make of this?"

Danny peered over and commented, "It could be from the suspect. Let's bag it and tag it." Danny looked around the room. "Jesus Christ, this place is a war zone. Look at the mess! Probably was looking for something…"

"The question is, did he find it? Was it worth shooting some girl over?" Mac looked once again at the victim. "Nothing's worth doing this… she can't be older than 20…" Danny and Mac shared a moment of silence as they continued to search for more clues. The younger CSI found a fingerprint on the victim's wallet, but the wallet wasn't missing any cash or any credit cards.

He was about to show Mac his findings when there was a crash in the closet. Mac's eyes widened as took out his gun, pointing at the door and silently motioning for Danny to do the same. "NYPD!" Mac yelled towards the door.

Danny inched closer as the door erupted open and a bear of a man lashed out at the younger man, pulling him into a death clench, pointing a black pistol at his head. "Move and I'll kill him," he hissed to Mac. His eyes were frightened but angry.

Mac's mind raced, fearing quietly for Danny as he spoke calmly. "Sir, I can understand you're scared, but please, no one has to get hurt today. Just let him go…" He moved every so slightly in their direction.

It was not unnoticed by the suspect, who grasped harder onto Danny. Danny was now struggling against the perp wildly, gasping for air, both of which were testaments to the man's strength if he could hold Danny down. The man yelled, "Don't FUCKING move, or I will kill him!" He raised his gun and shot above Mac's head. Mac ducked defensively, gun still raised. "I'm not joking; I will kill him, so just put your gun down."

Mac and the perp exchanged glares heatedly, until Mac's face contorted into defeat. He placed his gun on the ground and slid it to the perp's feet. Pick it up… pick it up... Mac didn't have to wait long because just then, the perp bent over, still clutching Danny, to grab the gun. Mac sprung into action and took out his ankle pistol quickly, not before a shot rang out in the morning air.

Mac stumbled backwards and then stood still for a second. He took in what was before him: the suspect was holding his smoking gun, pointed directly at him. Mac looked at Danny, whose face was a cocktail of horror and shock, screeching, "MAC!"

It was then Mac realized he had been shot.

Pain blossomed in his chest, which he clawed at to feel a sticky warm liquid. Mac's eyes widened blankly as he stared at his reddened fingers, feeling everything in his body start to quiver. To Danny, time seemed to stop as Mac fell into a swooping arc to the floor to land with a sickening thud, his body trembling with pain.

Danny felt like throwing up, but knew he had to act now before he lost any chances of saving Mac. The perp had lessened his grip, allowing Danny to twist away and deliver a fierce punch to his attacker's head. The blow glanced off of him, as the bear-like man retaliated and shoved Danny into a table and ran.

Danny saw stars for a few seconds, reaching his hand up to the back of his head, where he noticed a little bit of blood was flowing. But he didn't care… nothing else mattered but Mac.

Danny heard a groan come from Mac's body, as he quickly scampered to his side. Mac looked up at him with a frightened deer-in-the-headlights gaze. "Oh God… Mac stay with me, okay? Don't leave me here…" Danny grabbed Mac's radio and yelled into it, pressing his free hand over Mac's on the gushing wound. "I need an ambulance now! I have an officer shot!" He threw the radio angrily away and looked down sadly at Mac. "Mac, you're gonna be okay, you hear?" He reached up and stroked Mac's hair gently.

Mac blinked frequently, trying to make clear his vision of Danny, who was becoming more and more blurry as the seconds rolled by. The pain was ebbing, something he faintly recalled was due to the brain shutting it off because there was an overload, but Mac was still scared as hell. He wasn't afraid of dying. Hell, there were days when he wished for death… Mac was more terrified of leaving this earth without saying the three words to Danny that he heard vaguely as he slipped into unconscious.

"I love you…"

A/N Mac ISN'T dead! I swear! Him getting shot is what brings them together, so I won't kill him, I promise!