De Pilo Pendet
By Shaz
Disclaimer: As usual none of the characters in this story that you recognise belong to me, I will return them at the end only slightly worse for wear I promise!
This story picks up literally as 'Veritas' finishes, please review and let me know what you think!
De Pilo Pendet
"But most of all, for pissing me off" he finished, nodding at the officer behind Scott's shoulder, who instantly lead the shocked man away. Mac Taylor watched as the hapless bank robber come kidnapper was led away, finally drawing a close to what could only be described as a harrowing couple of days. What had started off as a normal run of the mill bank robbery had culminated in the head CSI being taken hostage, kidnapped, shot and then near drowned, all before lunch. He sighed to himself, his body a mass of aches and pains and the exhaustion catching up with him quickly. Now that Ethan Scott was finally locked up, he could no longer hold the tiredness at bay. He walked slowly out of the station and towards where the avalanche was parked, his head was pounding and the dizziness that he had tried to ignore all day threatened to overwhelm him. Luckily the ever reliable Stella caught sight of him swaying on his feet as he dug his keys from his pocket and intercepted him before he could even open the door.
"Hey Mac, you all right?" she asked softly, noticing the pallor to his skin and unsteadiness of his gait.
"I'm fine, just tired" he replied, leaning against the bodywork of the car, whilst she opened the doors.
"Come on, I'll take you to hospital and get you checked out" she told him, her tone strict, but obviously he wasn't taking the hint that she was none too subtly dropping down.
"No, I'm fine. Take me to the lab please" he told her, closing his eyes as he rested his head back against the head rest. She sighed a long suffering sigh at his stubbornness, yet she was not surprised for a second. If it wasn't for the fact that two very qualified and very able doctors worked on their team she may just have ignored him, but in a move that she hoped she wouldn't regret she acquiesced to his request and headed to the lab. Her boss didn't stir at all for the whole journey.
CSI-CSI-CSI-CSI-CSI-CSI-CSI
Mac walked slowly and carefully to his office, his actions not unnoticed by his partner, but she knew better than to comment. He eased himself down into his faithful office chair and reached into his desk drawer for the pack of Tylenol that he kept there, dry swallowing them both before turning back to the stack of paperwork that was waiting for him.
"Seriously Mac, let me take you home, there is nothing there that can't wait until tomorrow" Stella tried to reason with the marine, wishing that he wouldn't constantly disregard his own health and wellbeing like this.
"I'm fine Stella, please just stop fussing" he told her, the softening of his eyes the only thing that took the sting out of his words. She sighed again, before nodding slightly.
"Fine, I'll go and get the coffee, you look like you need some" she replied, leaving him reluctantly. As soon as she had stepped out of the room, he allowed himself a moment to react to his feeling, his head swimming he rested it on his hand, elbows perched on the desk. Massaging his temples in an attempt at pushing away the agony that pulsated through his skull. He yawned tiredly, his body feeling drained, and got to his feet deciding that a shower to wake himself up, he headed down to the locker room, barely acknowledging his colleagues as he walked past them.
CSI-CSI-CSI-CSI-CSI-CSI-CSI
"Hey Stella" Hawkes greeted the detective softly in the rest room. "Is Mac ok?" he asked her in concern.
"He says he is fine, just tired" she told the former ME in reply to his question, her tone clearly conveying what she thought about that.
"I have just passed him in the hall and he looks like death warmed up" Sheldon continued, "he was heading to the locker room and walked straight passed me, I don't think he even noticed me" he told her, his worry clear in his voice.
"He seemed all right until Scott was taken away and then he just seemed to flag" Stella told the doctor softly.
"I'm sure he's fine, and just tired. I'll go and check in on him in a while" Hawkes told the female detective with a reassuring smile. He then reached around her and swiped a cup of coffee from the counter. "I just need to check in with Flack and then I will go and see Mac" he told her, before leaving the room taking the coffee with him. Stella smiled to herself as she poured herself a replacement cup of coffee, pleased that Hawke was going to check on their friend. She took a sip from the hot liquid and headed back to the lab, drinking on the way so fear of being caught by her boss.
CSI-CSI-CSI-CSI-CSI-CSI-CSI
An hour later and Stella was on her second cup of coffee and had returned to Mac's office with the promised drink for him too, however the head of the lab was nowhere to be found. She couldn't ignore the niggle in the back of her mind that was increasing worry for her friend, she placed the mug on his desk and headed out to find Hawkes to see if he could help her locate the missing detective. She ran her hands through her curls, as she dialled the extension for the former ME, her worry escalating when he failed to be contactable either. She sighed and mind made up set off towards the locker rooms herself.
CSI-CSI-CSI-CSI-CSI-CSI-CSI
Mac sat on the bench, clinging on to the edge of it as dizziness overwhelmed him; he swallowed down on the taste of bile rising in his throat. His headache, as impossible as it seemed, had got worse and his vision was so blurry he could hardly focus on his hand in front of his face. He had sat down in an attempt to ride out the worst of it, and he was finally managing to rein himself back in. He raised a hand gingerly to the cut in his hair line, and sighed as the events of the last two days once more rushed through his tortured mind. He staggered to his feet and stepped under the pounding of the shower, letting the water rush over him and sooth his aching muscles. He closed his eyes and allowed his mind to drift, after a few moments he turned the faucet off and stepped out of the shower, holding onto the stall to prevent him from slipping. He reached for a towel and patted himself dry. He reached into his locker and pulled out a clean pair of pants, before shrugging on a t shirt. He smoothed his hair down, and then was forced to stand still by a roll of nausea. He reached out to his locker, resting his head against the door as he rode out the ill feelings, desperate to not be sick.
"Mac?" a voice questioned from behind him. The detective resisted the impulse to whirl round and look at the owner of the voice; for fear that he would drop to the floor.
"Hi Sheldon" he merely greeted, not moving his head.
"I thought we had an agreement?" Hawkes commented softly, his voice laced with concern for his friend. Mac sighed in acknowledgement.
"I'm fine" he stated, before slowly turning around now that he had gained control of his stomach.
"Doesn't look that way, I think you need to sit down" he told the older man softly.
"I need to get back to the office and finalise the paperwork" Mac replied.
"That can wait" Hawkes stated, his tone leaving no room for argument. Mac took one step towards the doctor, before he faltered, Sheldon barely had time to react as the other man's eyes rolled back in his head and he dropped to the ground.
End Chapter One
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