CSI NY – Gap Filler Veritas
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Characters: Mac, Stella, Hawkes, (Danny, Lindsay)
Genre: Pre-romance, hurt/comfort, friendship
Spoilers: Veritas
A/N: Okay here goes nothing. I am a new fan of CSI NY; I came across it on the TV one day at the end of season 7. Since I recognized Gary Sinise from earlier (Mice and Men, science fiction movies) I got hooked. So after ordering season 2-6 I just sat there watching one great episode after another.
The missing scene takes place the night after the bank robbery, after Mac visits Sid and before the morning after when he and Stella check out the old railway where Joe kept all his passports.
Please feel free to leave a review, they are much appreciated, actually they make my day.
A huge thank you to Brii Taylor for the beta work.
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It was long after hours and to say it had been a great day would have been an outright lie. Mac Taylor slowly made his way through the half-empty corridors of the New York Crime Lab. The more he thought about the case, the more frustrated he became. He had to fight to stay awake and his head just wouldn't stop aching, but going home wasn't an option; his own stubbornness and pride prevented him from it.
Fourteen hours ago he had stepped into a bank where a man, holding several people hostage, had demanded the presence of a CSI to clear him of a murder. For Mac to send himself in was the logical choice, he was the Head of the Crime Lab. Right now he wished he had never heard about the man calling himself Joe, the bank robbery or the dead body of Derrick James in the half-submerged car with him.
He had let himself become a hostage, been fooled by a desperate man which had almost cost him his life. He had to get this 'Joe' character; it had become personal now.
He stopped briefly, closing his eyes, rubbing them, annoyed at the effort it took just to stand up at the moment. "You have the signs of a minor concussion." The EMS had said to him out on the site. Stella had tried to get him to the hospital, but he refused. He wasn't going to waste time feeling down when 'Joe' was still at large.
While exiting the elevator back in the HQ, Danny had asked what he was actually doing back at the lab. "You have a concussion; it's not something to take lightly." Hawkes had cautioned him.
Mac opened his eyes again as the dizzy spell passed and cautiously glanced around to see if he had been caught in the act. He sighed as there was no one looking in his direction. Picking up the pace he reached his office and gently lowered himself on the leather couch.
He recalled Lindsay's worried glance as she had examined his shirt and Stella's when she thought he didn't see it. Taking a deep breath he reached up with his hands and started massaging his temples in an effort to get rid of the stupid head ache that wouldn't go away.
There was soft knock on the glass window and then the door opened, revealing a very concerned doctor. "Mac?"
'Why couldn't he just be left alone for a moment?' He thought unhappily. He really didn't want to deal with anyone right now, especially someone with a medical degree.
"What?" He asked tiredly, a hand over his face.
He heard Hawkes kneel beside him. "You promised to tell me if you felt worse." Sheldon almost sounded disappointed.
Mac slowly opened his eyes, only to find Hawkes face in level with his own. "I am not."
Sheldon's mouth curled into a faint smile. "So, you have been feeling like this the whole day?"
Mac made an effort to rise from where he was laying but he felt the good doctor's arm suddenly preventing him from doing so. "You are twisting words, Hawkes," he said reproachfully.
"As I said before, a concussion isn't something to be played with. You should have gone to the hospital and been thoroughly examined."
"Give it a rest, Sheldon, I am fine."
He snorted. "You are many things, Mac, but fine isn't one of them, not right now." He looked up as the clicking sound of someone's shoes carried over the hallway and saw Stella walking briskly toward them.
'Great,' Mac thought and briefly closed his eyes.
"Hawkes what's going…?" she trailed off walking into the office seeing Sheldon bent over Mac in the sofa. "…on?" she managed to finish.
"Mac is worse," he said, frowning.
"I am not."
She looked at Sheldon and gently kneeled beside him, reaching out to touch Mac's forehead. For a brief moment blue eyes met blue eyes, one pair deeply concerned and the other tired and dulled with pain.
"Okay, that's it. I am taking him home," Stella said, looking sternly at Mac.
"I'll help you," Hawkes said.
"No, you are not," Mac replied, "I'll be just fine."
But Stella would have none of that. She placed her hands on her hips and looked down at him where he lay flat on his back. "Mac Taylor, look at you, the fact that you don't get up from there and tells us to mind our own business right now, tells me you're pretty beat."
He couldn't help but smile slightly at her as he replied with an innocent look on his face. "Know me that well, huh?" he asked sarcastically.
"I know you all too well Mac."
He looked at her casually. "You're not feeling sorry for me, are you?"
She knew the game. "Why would I feel sorry for you?"
The tension between them crackled and Sheldon had to hide a grin.
Stella bent down and grabbed Mac's arm, hauling him up in a sitting position. "Come on, Hawkes; help me get him out of here."
He shrugged off their helping hands. "I can walk on my own."
Mac hated being vulnerable but the concussion together with weeks of hard work, overtime and too little sleep had finally caught up with him.
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"Here we go," Sheldon said as they stood outside Mac's apartment door.
Stella squeezed his shoulder gently. "Keys, Mac."
He reached deep into his pocket and handed them to her. The walk from the office to the car and then the walk from the car to the flat had left him more exhausted than he wanted to admit.
After walking through the door Stella led him to over to the couch. Sheldon left them alone for a while and went out the front door to get something in the car.
Stella sat down next to Mac, studying his tired features. "When was the last time you ate something?"
He sighed, fighting the urge to close his eyes. "I…"
She nodded. "Thought so, that's why I brought you some soup." Stella pulled up a can from the bag she had taken with her.
"You took it with you from the lab?"
"Don't worry Mac; I was going to eat it myself but there's plenty of it to share." She rose and headed over to the kitchen.
After a few minutes she walked back into the living room, carrying a tray of soup. "Here you go," she said setting it down in front of him.
Mac suddenly felt like a ten year old kid. "Thanks." he mumbled.
Stella sat down next to him. "Mac, why don't you try some? It's not as bad as it looks."
He looked at her as if realizing for the first time she was there. "Sorry, I was thinking."
"About the case?" she placed a hand on his shoulder. "We'll sort it out in the morning, why don't you just rest and take it easy for a while?"
She looked up as Sheldon walked up to them carrying what looked like an IV bag.
The young doctor kneeled beside his boss and reached for his left arm. The former marine looked down at him wearily. "Hawkes, come on, it's just a mild concussion. I don't need that," he said with an air of shrugging it off. "I have had worse."
Hawkes nodded. "I bet," he said ignoring the statement. "Now, please Mac, get some rest," he looked at Stella. "Keep tabs on him and don't let him sleep a couple of hours."
She nodded, and he turned back to face his boss. "I don't want to see you at work tomorrow," he said. "However, I am guessing I don't have any choice in that matter?"
Mac gave him a wry smile. "You're right Sheldon."
"Well then, I'll see you both tomorrow."
Stella smiled. "Thanks, Hawkes."
"Anytime," he offered.
She watched him leave and then returned her focus on Mac. "You don't have to be macho, you know. We'd love to know you are only human as well."
"I had things to do…" He began, feeling the need to explain himself.
She leaned in over him and placed a soft kiss on his cheek.
He stared at her, confused. She smiled mischievously look on her face. "If that's what it takes to keep you silent," she said, by way of an explanation.
Stella got up from the couch and walked over to a nearby chair. "I'll be here if you need me," she said softly. "Now you rest, Mac."
"Stella, go home," he whispered tiredly.
"No way, Mac Taylor, this is what friends are for." She rose and leaned forward, gently nudging his shoulder. "No sleep yet."
"I wasn't, just resting my eyes."
She sat down again and folded her arms. "Great lie Mac, very transparent."
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