A/N : First of all my sincerest apologies to all those of you who started reading this story back in June before I got hit by computer troubles and real life issues which kept me off-line for much of the summer. I promise it will be finished this time. This story is set somewhere in an S7/S8 AU universe where Jo has been with the crime lab for some months, Christine doesn't exist (to keep my friend Kay happy) and Mac is keeping fit. ;-)

Disclaimer : I do not own anything! Pity really!

Chapter 1 – Shopping trip

Mac Taylor looked up as the elevator jerked to a stop and the doors swished open. His face broke into a shy smile. "Hey there Stacy. How are you today?" The dark-eyed teenager looked at him in open-mouthed astonishment. Mac shuffled nervously, a little taken-aback at her open appraisal. "Er … there a problem?"

"No … er … I mean .. hello Detective Taylor … gosh … " The elevator doors tried to close but Mac swiftly put out a hand to stop them. Stacy stepped in with a smile and turned to face the doors as Mac let go. "Thanks." She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "I'm sorry ..." She blushed prettily. "I didn't mean to stare but … it's just that I didn't you wore normal clothes."

Mac laughed wryly and looked down at his black jeans, running shoes and long-sleeved dove grey tee-shirt hitched up to his elbows. "Is it that shocking?"

Stacy laughed nervously, a tinkling sound that made Mac smile. It was the first time he'd heard her laugh since she'd moved in almost six months previously. In that time he'd seen her blossom from a pale-faced, traumatized young girl into a relaxed, happy teenager and he knew that the transformation was down to one person. Alice. "No. It's just that … well Alice said you're always working and I've only ever seen you wear a suit."

Mac nodded thoughtfully. "True but as it happens today is my day off and I thought a suit was a little formal for getting groceries."

"Whoa! You get to have a day off?" Stacy looked at him in amazement. "I thought you had to work like ALL of the time. Alice says you even work Sundays and you NEVER take vacation. Alice says that it isn't healthy." Mac chuckled. He could just imagine Stacy's foster mother saying that. Alice Graham was a formidable woman with strong maternal instincts and that no-nonsense attitude that made her the perfect foster mom. She was also the nosiest person in Mac's complex. "Alice says you should get married again." Mac rolled his eyes. He could imagine Alice saying that too. "It's not good to be alone," she added in a quiet voice. Stacy looked up at him with her big dark eyes and a sincere expression. Mac could see from the sadness in her eyes that she was speaking from experience. At that moment she looked older than her thirteen years suggested. He gave her another shy smile and dipped his head in acknowledgement knowing how she felt.

Mac was grateful that they had reached the lobby. He held open the doors for Stacy and followed her out through the front door and onto the side-walk. Expecting her to head off, he was surprised to find her falling into step with him.

"Detective Taylor, can I ask you a question?" Stacy asked in a low voice, her face slightly worried.

Mac felt his stomach flip dreading what kind of question a thirteen year old girl would want to ask him. "Sure," he answered with mock confidence. "And I think you know me well enough to call me Mac now."

Stacy smiled clearly pleased. "Oh sure Mac!" She dug a hand in the pocket of her jacket and pulled out a paper. "What exactly are an...cho...vies?"

Mac gave a silent sigh of relief grateful that the question was nothing more complex. "Er … they're small salty fish."

"Oh! Do I get them at the seafood counter?"

"No you get them canned or as paste. What are they for?"

Stacy's face lit up. "Pizza night. Michael is coming home for the weekend. He's just got a job as a ..." She hesitated. "...a trainee ac...chu...ary?" She looked at Mac uncertainly.

"An actuary. Wow! That's great!" Mac had met Michael, the oldest of Alice's foster children when he had first moved into the complex after Peyton had left. His stomach did another little flip as he thought of her but he pushed the feeling away. Michael was a shy kid but smart with a real head for figures. Alice had recognized that too and had encouraged him all the way and now he was going to be an actuary. Mac couldn't help smiling.

"Yeah. Alice says he's done real well so we're celebrating. Simone and Oscar are coming too. I'm getting the ingredients. See?" She showed him the list that included mozzarella, tomatoes, pepperoni, ham and the infamous anchovies. "It's the first time I've been allowed to go to the store by myself," she added proudly. "I usually only go with Alice or Hank but he's working today. What are you getting?" She looked at him curiously. "Don't you have a list?"

For a moment Mac felt at a loss. He wasn't used to being interrogated by teenage girls. "Er, no. It's in my head. I just need something for dinner tonight."

"Oh, you could come to pizza night. Alice won't mind. The more the merrier she says."

Mac could imagine Alice saying that too but he shook his head. "Thank you but I can't. I'm expecting a friend for dinner."

Stacy's eyes widened and she leaned towards him conspiratorially. "Oh is it your girlfriend?" she asked excitedly. Mac didn't answer but for some strange reason he found himself blushing. "Are you cooking her something nice? What are you having for dessert? Oh are you going to have wine?"

Mac sighed as they turned the corner. This was clearly going to be a long shopping trip.

.

Mac handed over his money as the assistant packed his groceries into a bag. He smiled at her as she handed him the bag. "Have a nice day Detective." He thanked her and headed for the door.

"Are you finished? I found everything Alice put on the list." Stacy suddenly materialized at his side. Mac sighed. And Adam said he had Ninja skills!

"Not quite. I … er … need to pick up my dry cleaning and go to the florists before I go home." Mac turned as though to head in the opposite direction but before he could say goodbye Stacy jumped right in.

"Ooo. Can I come? I love flowers. Especially roses and baby's breathe. What are you going to get?"

Mac looked a little nonplussed. He hadn't really thought about it. "Well … er … I'm not sure. I guess I'll decide when I get there."

Stacy's face lit up. "Oh I can help. I love going to Flora's. Alice and Hank let me get flowers sometimes and arrange them at home. I'm going to be a florist when I finish school." Stacy tipped her head to one side as a sudden thought struck her. "Do you have to be good at math to be a florist?" She didn't wait for an answer for which Mac was grateful as he wasn't sure if math was a prerequisite for flower-arranging. "I not very good at math. Did you always want to be a policeman?"

Mac sighed. At least that was a question he could answer. "No. I always wanted to be a Marine. I joined up the day I left school."

"You were a soldier?" Stacy looked at him with big eyes. "Did you fight in a war?" Mac nodded. "Did you get hurt?" He nodded again. Stacy's eyes grew to the size of saucers. They turned the corner and headed down the side-street. "Dwayne joined the Navy. He's one of Alice's children too. I've never met him but she's got a picture of him in his uniform on The Wall," Stacy finished reverently. Mac smiled as he knew what wall she was referring to. Alice and Hank had painted one wall of their kitchen a dark blue and there was a framed photograph of every child that had ever stayed with them. "He looks really handsome in his uniform. Have you got a picture in uniform?"

Mac paused outside the dry cleaners. "Stacy shouldn't you be getting back? Won't Alice be worried?"

"It's okay. I'll text her." Stacy whipped out a pink cell phone and started tapping away with one thumb. Mac sighed and turned to go into the dry cleaners. A couple of minutes later he came out with his suits dangling over his shoulder hooked by one finger, his bag of groceries firmed tucked in the crook of his left arm. He wondered how he was going to carry flowers too. Stacy smiled and fell into step beside him as they headed to the florists. They hadn't gone more than two dozen paces when a heavy-set man with short cropped hair, a goatee and dark glasses stepped out from the alley onto the side-walk in front of them. In his hands was a newspaper folded in two.

"Don't say a word. No sudden moves," he growled. He waved the newspaper at them and tipped his head to indicate that they should head down the alley. Stacy squealed with fright as she saw the barrel of a gun poking out from under the newspaper. "Into the alley. Move." He waved the gun and looked around nervously.

"Now just hold on ..." Mac began.

"Do as he says or I'll blow a hole in your back!" The hairs on the back of Mac's neck stood on end as a second gun was jabbed hard into his spine. Slowly they stepped into the entrance of the alley. Mac noted a black van with the back doors open. The inside was dark and empty like a gaping hole ready to swallow it's victims. "Keep moving." The gun jabbed into his back once more forcing him forward. He felt rather than saw Stacy edge closer to him. He could hear her rapid panicked breathing. As they neared the van Mac felt the suits being pulled from his fingers. He turned to look at the man behind him. If Mac had thought that the first-guy was heavy-set, this guy was something else entirely. He wasn't tall but he was one solid block of muscle with large jowls and small dark eyes. His hair was cropped tight and one side of his face was disfigured as though his cheekbone had been broken and not reset properly. His entire body said street-brawler. Jowls glared at him and threw the dry-cleaning onto a pile of boxes next to a dumpster. He gestured towards the grocery bag in Mac's hands. "Dump it." Mac hesitated. "Do it," he ordered holding his gun a few inches from Mac's face.

Mac tossed the bag on top of the dry-cleaning causing the boxes to topple as he stared coldly at Jowls and the unwavering Desert Eagle in his hand. If he had been alone he might have risked an attempt to disarm him but as it was Mac knew he didn't stand a chance though perhaps he could get Stacy out of harm's way. "Leave the girl out of this..." Jowls sneered and with surprising speed he twisted his wrist and lashed out with the butt of the gun, landing a back-hander to Mac's right cheek. Mac's head snapped to one side and he flew backwards landing heavily by the van doors.

Stacy screamed and dropped her bag of groceries. Jowls grabbed her by the arm growling at her to shut up and pushed her into the van.

"Hey, what's going on?" Both men spun round to see a man in a dark grey uniform staring at them from the entrance to the alley. His hand was moving towards the holster on his hip. Without hesitation, Jowls lifted the Desert Eagle and took aim. The boom from the massive hand-gun reverberated around the alley making it sound as though they were in the middle of a war zone. Mac shook his head and dragged himself to his feet levering himself up against the edge of the van, his only thought to protect Stacy. As his vision cleared he found himself staring once more down the long silver barrel of the Desert Eagle.

Jowls glared at him. "Empty your pockets. Phone, wallet, watch." He gestured to his partner who hesitated slightly before discarding the paper, jamming the gun in his belt and holding out a small black drawstring bag. Jowls pulled the cell phone from Stacy's hand and threw it in the bag. Mac had no choice but to remove his phone and wallet and put them in the bag. "Now, get your ass in that van. We're going on a little road trip."