So we were talking in the chat room one evening about Season 4 ... and I or we decided that it was all a dream of Mac's--and it could only have been Mac's dream. So lying in bed one night, unable to sleep, I worked this story out in my head.

It didn't want to come out through my fingers though, until I handed it over to Lindsay. So here it is ... if I forgot something, I'll see if I can add it in.

This means we end season 3 at Snow Day and start back at Page Turner.

Dedicated to Stacon.

Oh and I own nothing ... especially not Mac's mind.

The Accident

Lindsay sat beside the hospital bed and watched Mac sleep. When she watched him, she couldn't imagine that he'd nearly been killed—well, twice with the lab blowing up—that fateful day. He didn't sleep with a peaceful look on his face, but as if he was thinking. Sometimes he grumbled and it made her laugh.

Then she would remember.

She'd brought some forensic and scientific journals with her, but as usual, she just watched him sleep. He was just asleep, she would remind herself.

He'd been like this for a month.

They would all take turns, spending their time off up here at the hospital in shifts, waiting for him to wake. Stella, Flack, Hawkes, Danny, Adam, Sid and his family, Reid … and some of the lab techs and police that had known him for a long time. There were always fresh flowers, though Stella had encouraged everyone to donate money to a local fund in his name.

Like he had died.

But then, they all knew how straight and practical Mac lived.

Danny had come in with her that morning as she relieved one of the detectives who had taken the night shift. They'd sat there on the table, playing cards, with Danny making snide comments to Mac. Lindsay knew it was his way of trying to push his boss out of sleep … but she really hoped Mac didn't remember most of what Danny said.

Because if his comments hadn't been to wake Mac, they were geared toward her.

She couldn't believe they were together like they had been. That day had been one of the best and worst since she'd come to New York. She and Danny were in a great place … and Mac was here.

Sometimes, she would sit there and pretend he was waking up. His eyes would move and she would take his hand. Smile. She was so afraid she would lose him if she didn't know what to do at the right time. She'd done that before. When her friends had been killed. She would sit there and pretend how she'd react when they would walk through the door.

Ring her on the phone.

She watched him again, watched his eyes flicker, and sighed.

If only.

Then she blinked. It wasn't her imagination. She hopped up, journals spilling from her lap. She grasped his hand. "Mac!"

She felt his hand move. It was warm, still so strong. "Mac … it's Lindsay. Lindsay. Can you here me?"

And then it happened. His eyes blinked open. He stared up at the ceiling. The twisted his head to look at her. His voice stuttered, came out coarse.

"Lindsay?"

Tears steamed down her face, but she didn't dare release his hand. "You're back."

"Where have I …been?"

"Just," her voice cracked. "sleeping on the job."

He smiled that way he did sometimes when he was waiting through her demonstrations.

"You're in the hospital. You were in an accident."

"Peyton ..." he murmured, as if he vaguely remembered something. "Is she …"

"She's fine Mac," but that was all Lindsay could say. She squeezed his hand. "I'll go get a doctor. Call everyone. Stay with us, okay?"

*

Mac was rubbing his eyes with his thumb and index finger when Lindsay came back in. She wanted Stella to be the one to tell him, but she couldn't leave Mac alone.

"I can't believe I've been out a month. And that it's only been a month since the attack on the lab. It seems like … the dreams were so real."

"Were they good dreams?" Lindsay asked, taking his hand in both of hers.

He frowned over the thought. "No … Lindsay?"

"You want something to eat? Some water? You've been out—"

"What happened to Peyton?"

"She…" Lindsay hesitated. "Stella will be here—"

"I hired you to tell me the truth."

"You're not my boss right now."

He lifted his brow. "Lindsay."

Her jaw trembled as she worked out the words. "She went on back to England."

"And?"

"Again, Stella—" she sighed. "She just had a hard time seeing you like this, I think. Her first husband, fiancé—someone she knew …"

He pulled back his hand as he nodded. He looked up toward the ceiling.

She slipped her hands in her pockets and waited. She didn't know what to say or how to say it. They had all been surprised at the abrupt change in Peyton. She had talked to Stella numerous times. She had tried.

"Mac, she tried to stay—"

He shook his head. "You and Danny. You two okay?"

Lindsay nodded and took a step back toward the bed. She hadn't realized that she'd retreated. "We're fine, Mac."

"He hasn't … he didn't cheat on you?"

"What – no! Do you expect him, to?"

"No," Mac shook his head. "Just these dreams … they seem so real."

"You dreamed that Danny cheated on me?"

"You don't want to know."

Lindsay laughed a little. "No …"

Mac smiled a little and held out his hand again. "But things are okay?"

"Things are …" she stumbled a little over a word, thinking of the in and out tension they seemed to always have to work around, "we're working on it. We're not the best communicators."

He squeezed her hand. "You'll do fine. Everyone else?"

"Fine. Everyone will be here soon. You'll see."

He nodded, even as his brow furrowed.

"Mac…?"

"Just…" he shook his head and reached up with his free hand to rub his face. "It's just … it's all running together. We investigated Noah's Ark?"

"Yes—Danny told me. I wasn't here though."

"You were back in Montana."

"Yes."

"And they found the guy guilty."

"Yes."

He yawned then and Lindsay adjusted his covers. "Just save your energy, Mac. It will all make sense …"

He simply shook his head, his eyes narrowed as he worked through his thoughts. "The magician, the angel … the lab. It blew up. He went for his gun. It all … exploded."

"That all happened. I think," Lindsay laughed gently and reached back, still holding onto his hand, and pulled her chair close. "Unless you're talking about a real angel."

"What about the Statue of Liberty. It was bleeding. And Hawkes, he nearly drowned. And there was the car … it was like some sort of bat mobile. The Zombies and … my phone. It kept ringing."

"Uh … zombies? I think that's all dreams, Mac. Except for your phone," she reached over and picked it up off his bed side table. "We've been taking turns answering it. People just know to call it to ask about you. But we changed the ring tone about halfway through … it kind of got annoying."

It was Mac's turn to stare her down.

"Well, and it seemed to upset you a little. I like to change it sometimes—see if maybe there's something you would like better."

He simply shook his head. "One more thing. Did we hire someone name Kendall?"

"Kendall?" Lindsay blinked. "Oh, your nurse? No … but she's been giving you your sponge baths."

I nearly killed Peyton off. I didn't know what else to do to explain her absence. It seemed a little cruel. I liked her. So, that's the best I could come up with.

And yes ... Mac was apparently dreaming of Flack doing the ... I don't know why, except that he must have missed Peyton's presence. What person wouldn't want to look like Flack (I'm assuming here.

Also, the ending is in reference to Kendall and Lindsay's discussion of ceramic and steal balls. It was one of the jokes Danny made that flustered Lindsay after they came in ... after Kendall the nurse had finished up.