New York, December 2004

FBI Headquarters. Manhattan

A quick glance through the glass walls as he walked into his office, made Danny realize the kind of day that he was going to have today. The whiteboard, where they usually placed the picture of a missing person and beside it the investigation and leads to follow, was completely clean. So it'd be a quiet day at work and Danny was grateful for it. Not only because of the previous case they had been working hard on until the day before, had been long and complicated, but also because his early visit to Rikers had him feeling at his lowest, without any energy. Dropping his bag beside the desk, he stepped out to the rest area with his mind on a hot cup of coffee.

He wasn't the first one who'd arrived at the office. His coworker Vivian Johnson, his boss Jack Malone's right hand, looked at him sideways as she read something on the newspaper and drank her coffee. The situation was actually unusual, but from time to time, not having a pressing case was very welcome and the normal stressful feelings changed into little moments like these.

"Hi Viv," He greeted with a smile as he grabbed a cup and poured coffee into it. She just handed the sports section to him with a mocking smile. Danny had completely forgotten about the baseball game. The results had been good for the Yankees, Vivian's team, and bad for Danny's team, the Mets. "Ugh…" he said, frowning.

"Did you watch the game?" She asked.

"Nope," He replied simply.

"Well," She continued in the same relaxed tone. She stared at him for a moment, before continuing, "What's her name?"

Danny frowned. Her name was Amanda, he had met her at an AA meeting and they had got along. Furthermore, Raymond, his sponsor, had asked him to do the same for her and become her sponsor. At first, he had refused because his job didn't let him devote the time she'd need, but Raymond convinced him to have a chat during the AA meetings. He insisted so much that Danny felt obligated to accept. It was the first time he got close to someone dealing with the initial phases of his own problem.

"Her name's Amanda," Danny replied, before sipping his coffee. "And it's the only thing you'll hear from me," he declared.

"All right, I'll accept that," Viv replied with a smile. "Hey, Sam," She greeted her coworker who was entering the room distractedly.

"Hi," She greeted, avoiding looking up at Viv. Vivian and Danny exchanged a curious look, "Is everything all right?" Danny asked, regretting his tense tone. Sam turned to him, glaring for a second before relaxing the tension in her face, and then replied, "Yes, as well it can be."

Without giving them the chance to ask another question, she left walking to her desk with the cup of coffee. Switching on the light, she introduced her password to access her session at the computer, as she decided where to start with the reports she had to work on. That was her job; when they didn't have to go out into the field to search for a missing person.

"Is there something going on between the two of you?" Vivian asked Danny. She didn't miss her coworker's attitude.

"It's nothing, it's just…we had a disagreement about the last case," Danny replied.

"The last case," She repeated, "Are you sure that this isn't about Martin, instead?" She continued.

Danny didn't reply. It was useless. Vivian knew them too well. But he wouldn't say anything that could be prejudicial for his friend, especially if he could avoid doing so.

In a way, Viv had been apart from team for a while and wasn't aware of Martin's problem. One year ago, she'd needed to have heart surgery and had returned to work only several days before Martin did. Still Vivian was aware of the effects the shooting had on her coworker. Beyond the crutches and bottle of painkillers, Martin's look was different; it had become insecure and evasive, without the confidence he usually portrayed.

It was a complete coincidence that the shooting and Viv's surgery had coincided and that, fortunately, Vivian's surgery had been a complete success. Beside an emotional Marcus, Viv's husband, Jack had called Danny to tell him the good news, while he and Martin were on the road, taking a prisoner Adisa Teno to the detention center.

Right after Jack's call, Danny and Martin became aware that something was very wrong. They realized that the van stopped before them didn't move when the traffic light turned green.

Vivian learned about the ambush from watching the news; a shooting involving the FBI and the occupants of a white van had resulted in one victim injured and one casualty, witnesses had stated. Adisa Teno. Martin Fitzgerald.

Fortunately, before Vivian was able to relate the events to her coworkers, Jack had explained to her that both Martin and Danny were okay; skipping the fact that Martin had spent five days critical condition fighting for his life, uncertain whether or not he would survive.

When he returned to work, Martin not only found Viv's warm loving embrace, he'd also found Sam's. Sam's warm embrace reignited the passion and relationship that they'd had only several months ago. It was also the day that they all realized the lack of attention over Danny, who despite of having just a few stitches on his forehead, began to display inappropriate behavior.

Danny always maintained the attitude that he had done the right thing trying to talk to that kid who had the bomb and was intent on destroying the building they were in. But the fact was that he had failed in his attempt to convince the kid and the kid had pushed the button. They were alive only because the bomb hadn't exploded.

Jack didn't know what Danny was thinking with the action he'd just taken. He didn't know whether Danny was trying to be a hero or trying to get himself killed. With adrenaline still running through his body and not caring about the other agents around them, Jack confronted a puzzled Danny.

Apparently, Martin's crutches and Danny's behavior had become old memories now. At least, that's how things appeared.

…..

Looking at him leaning on the balcony railing outside on a cold day, while they were warm inside decorating the Christmas tree, Vivian realized that something was wrong with Danny; just like she'd noticed earlier that something was wrong with Sam. A quick glance at Jack's office, a concentrated Martin on the computer screen and Sam demanding help with the decorations, made her think about how lucky she was that she had her family. To the rest of the team, Christmas time was difficult. Danny and Sam didn't had anyone to share those days with, Jack would probably stay at the office, nurturing his already famous workaholism and Martin didn't have any desire whatsoever to get on the flight that would lead him to Washington where he would reunite with his parents.

'What a team' she thought with a sigh. Noticing that, apparently, Danny was trying to turn himself into ice out in that balcony, Viv decided to prepare a hot drink for him, as she wondered what had happened with his brother Rafi, whom Danny didn't say a word about since his last arrest.

Flashback

Arriving with the paper under his arm and his own mug of coffee, Jack headed for his office. Earlier than usual, he was surprised when he noticed that he wasn't the first one there. At the bullpen, Danny looked immersed in some sort of investigation. Frowning and curious, Jack approached him.

Actually, instead of an investigation, Danny surprised him with law books and notes. The Bar Exam would be at the end of the month and his neighbor's baby didn't stop crying. So, he'd opted for the calm of the office. He had been sitting there, studying the entire night and had barely noticed that sun had already risen and that it was morning.

To encourage Danny, Jack took one of the exam books and began asking him a question, but he was interrupted by the ringing of the phone. It was the beginning of a nightmare that had far from ended. Sylvia, Rafi's fiancée, had been trying to find Rafi for three days and was completely hysterical because she couldn't locate him.

A concerned Danny decided to investigate. Like he'd told Jack, Rafi was doing well since he had left prison eighteen months ago. He was working at a car shop owned by Sylvia's brother, he was clean and they were expecting a second child. Though their relationship was complicated and they only got together occasionally, Danny didn't expect that something was wrong.

Pretty soon Danny had realized that life hadn't changed so much for Rafi and he was the same person breaking the rules and putting at risk his own health like he had been in the past. Rafi had even admitted to Sylvia that he wasn't used to a normal life outside of prison, especially when he'd spent his time going in and out of prison for the last eighteen years. And it didn't look like he would change so easily.

Danny once again found himself involved a lifestyle that he had left behind and didn't want to remember. In a moment of weakness he'd nearly fallen into his alcohol addiction once again when he went into a bar for a friendly get together with friends. Unable to find his sponsor, he'd gone looking for Viv. It was then that he'd admitted that every time he got close to Rafi Danny felt that he was on the edge of the dark abyss, the abyss that would lead back to his alcoholism, to his former life.

However, Rafi's eighteen months of freedom had ended with an unusual reconciliation with his brother Danny, who had promised himself to take care of the family, at the same time he had gotten Rafi into the police car that had taken him back to prison.

End of flashback

Opening the door of the balcony, Viv got Danny's attention, who gratefully accepted the mug she offered to him.

"I'm glad that we don't have any case to work outside. It's so cold," She began. It was snowing again.

Danny shrugged his shoulders but didn't say anything.

"Listen…can I ask you a personal question?" She asked.

Danny smiled. "Amanda?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"That would be good question to ask, but I was actually thinking about your brother," She continued. "When you came to my house, you told me that you spent these days with him…"

"You have a good memory," Danny smiled softly, remembering that day at Vivian's home, struggling to not give in to his addiction, while at the same time working on finding Rafi. "Obviously, it won't happen this year," He continued, looking at the mug in his hands and avoiding Vivian's eyes.

"When Rafi went missing, you came to my house. You told me some things about your family. If you don't mind me asking, how are things with them?" Vivian was aware that she was walking on thin once asking Danny about his family, but she was worried about him and couldn't stop herself from asking the questions.

"Well, Rafi is back in prison, he's got two children now and Sylvia is doing her best to take care of everything. Fortunately, her brother and sister help her with the kids…"

"Do you maintain any contact with them?"

"Not really. I just cause them bad memories, so I avoid going over there often," He said in a near whisper as he focused on the falling snowflakes.

"Bad memories?" Vivian said with a raised eyebrow. "You saved your brother's life."

"Yes and I also handcuffed him," He murmured.

"He handcuffed himself, Danny. I told you then and I'm telling you now. I don't think your sister-in-law thinks that way. I don't think she blames you for what happened."

Danny remained silent.

"Don't do it. Don't blame yourself. Danny, you know it's perfectly well that it wasn't your fault." Vivian tried to push him but then she had a doubt. What had the two brothers talked about in that garage when Danny found Rafi getting high and trying to end his life? What was their relationship like, the history they shared? If Danny didn't tell her, it would be better to respect that.

"I think that Sam and Martin are decorating the Christmas tree. Don't you want to join them?" She asked, changing the subject.

"Sure," Danny replied. But he didn't move.

"Listen…" She began.

"I'm fine, Viv," Danny replied sharply, but realizing his tone, he smiled slightly before continuing, "…and I'll put the star as high as I can, if that'll make you happy."

"Of course," She said, ignoring his initial reaction. She knew him well enough to read between the lines. "Shall we go inside?"

Danny sighed and drinking the rest of the tea, replied, "Let's go. Let me see that star."

Inside, Martin was now helping Sam with the decorations, once he stopped working on his computer, but he couldn't stop frowning. Loneliness wasn't his problem.

With the plane ticket in his pocket, he wasn't happy about spending the next several days in Washington in a place that he remembered only brought him displeasure. Just thinking about it caused the vulnerability that Martin felt, to return at full force.

Moreover, ever since the ambush occurred, his father insisted more than ever, that Martin change his life's direction. He proposed to him a job in the FBI in Washington, where he would gain prestige and a political career. Martin had had no intention of leaving New York for a political career in Washington. Martin's feelings, however, weren't an obstacle for Victor Fitzgerald who was already talking about his son's brilliant future. It was the only thing that mattered to him. Martin had learned to live with that peculiar personality of his father, but he tried to keep as much distance between them as he could.

Martin was pretty sure that his family had influenced Sam's hesitation about their relationship. A relationship they had started right after Jack had announced his intentions to move to Chicago, trying to save his marriage, even though he never made it there. Maybe Sam's fear of commitment made Sam and Martin take different ways. Martin wanted to introduce Sam to the family; not his parents but his loved ones who she had already had met, his cousins. She always wanted to keep the relationship secret from everyone, even her coworkers, but Danny found out and supporting her, he was always joking about the nieces and nephews he would have.

Now things were very different. The triangle formed by Sam, Martin and Danny was dealing with the consequences the ambush had over Martin. The addiction to painkillers was very serious and both Sam and Danny were worried about Martin's safety and their own. Finally, Sam had talked to Martin but he denied having a problem. Desperate, she had trapped Danny in her car to ask him for help. "You know what's like to go through an addiction, Danny. You know how to help him." However, Danny wasn't strong enough to confront that specific problem and no one seemed to understand it. So he was still fighting, with Martin, with Rafi, with himself.

Placing the ladder beside the Christmas tree, Danny took the star that Martin was handing him and climbed the three rungs he needed to reach the top. As he secured the star, he remembered a childhood memory, a quick flash from a rare day of familiar scenario, when his father held him to put a star on another shorter Christmas tree, a long time ago, in the hot city of Miami. At that moment, he realized the significance of that morning's conversation with Rafi at Rikers.

Stepping quickly down from the ladder, he met Martin's glazed eyes. "What's the matter?" He blurted out, afraid that someone had noticed his sudden absentmindedness as he placed the star on the tree. Martin simply raised his hands as a reply and turned around with a sigh. Martin didn't understand his partner. Since he had come back, since he had left the hospital, Danny's attitude at first was elusive, then vigilant and now very critical toward him. It was not a big deal. He had told Sam that he needed the pills because he was still in pain. Why didn't they understand that? What were they thinking? He wasn't an addict.

However, he had turned away and had walked quickly toward the restroom as his fingered the small bottle in his pocket. He refreshed his face with water and with a trembling hand, he pulled out the bottle. Fearfully looking around, checking that there was no one else around, he opened it and took the small pill that would relieve his stress and trembling hands.

Sam stared at Danny and he knew that he didn't have a choice. Nobody else but them had noticed Martin's gesture, the glazed and elusive eyes and his sudden urge to leave. "Please," He read Sam's lips and pleading look and Danny had to put Rafi aside once more that day. Suddenly, he deeply wished that they would receive a call, a picture on the whiteboard, and someone missing to be found.

But it didn't happen and the call never came.

…..

Closing his eyes and putting the painkillers back into his pocket, Martin felt the effects almost immediately, causing a false sense of security. However, it was then that Martin heard the bathroom door opening and also the click of someone locking it, blocking anyone else's entrance to the bathroom.

Danny.

No, it wasn't true. He needed that moment; that peaceful moment he was being robbed of. He felt the heat on his cheeks, his face reddened out of rage in an uncontrolled reaction, but he wasn't able to move or speak. Lightly muddled by the effects of the pill, he couldn't react when Danny grabbed him by the jacket and pushed him against the wall. He couldn't move when Danny pulled out the bottle of painkillers and held it directly in front of his eyes. He couldn't say a word when Danny read the name of the owner of those painkillers belonged to; he'd taken the bottle of pills from a witness' house during a previous investigation. He couldn't deny that he had put the life of a child in danger and Danny had fortunately been there to do the job and cover for him and help him just like Sam had done. They were his friends and Martin had failed them. They had remained silent and observant, protecting him, putting their own jobs in danger by trying to help him and he'd refused to accept that he had a problem.

Faced with this certainty, in that restroom, with no other witnesses, Martin Fitzgerald finally understood that he'd never make it alone and he needed help. He understood that asking for help was not a weakness but the most intelligent and bravest decision he could make at that moment. Then, surrounded by his best friend, he let go, buried his head on his legs and completely ashamed let the tears roll freely down his face, in front of the only person that could understand him at that moment.

He didn't feel Danny's hand on his shoulder, when he put his inside his suit jacket or when Danny left the restroom a while later. Later that night, feeling tired from a day full of emotions and no active cases, his fingers fished a small card from his jacket pocket. He remembered his friend's words and decided that it was time to change things.

…..

Hesitating, he took a deep breath to calm his nerves before opening the door of the building. Inside, someone was speaking and he could sense the group. Unsure of what he should do, he looked around, searching for the familiar silhouette. His friend quietly looked back at him before picking up a newspaper from a chair beside him. Walking in, still unsure of being in the right place, Martin sat beside Danny in that room, where everyone had something in common: an addiction to fight to overcome.

Several times during the night, he reached inside his pocket looking for the small bottle, only to remember that, with courage, he'd made the decision to beat this addiction and had thrown out that bottle. But he realized that beating this addiction wasn't going to be as easy as attending meetings.

"What are you doing this Christmas?" Danny asked as they drank hot coffee.

The meeting had finished a while earlier and Martin felt lost and unsure in a place where, apparently, everyone else knew what to do then. Danny noticed that Martin finally calmed down only when he walked up to him. Martin was clearly aware of what had occurred that morning in the restroom and he felt very ashamed, but made the best effort to face what had happened and was grateful when Danny didn't mention anything about the incident. All of sudden, Martin realized that in that place no one asked questions and instead everyone listened when someone wanted to speak; an experience, an achievement, a failure, anything. Martin had heard stories about what went on during these types of group meeting and didn't believe in the success of coming to them, but now Martin felt comforted, he had to admit, more comforted than he'd felt in a long time.

"I have a plane ticket for Washington on the 16th." Martin responded. "I had several vacation days left and…"

"Isn't that a long time to be spending in hostile territory?" Danny teased.

"It is, but I'm also going to spend several days with my cousins. I haven't seen them since Aunt Bonnie died and we've always been very close." Martin explained. "What about you? What are you going to do this Christmas?" Martin asked.

"I spent Thanksgiving at a friend's house. Maybe you know her. It's Polly, the social worker who worked with us about four years ago. It was almost Thanksgiving and she invited me to her house. That year...the next…and now this year again." Danny said with a smile.

That all sounded like new to Martin. "Wow," He said.

Yeah…this year she's going to be working on Christmas Eve. They've organized a Christmas dinner for families in need. They're shorthanded and she asked me if I could help. Maybe I might go. I don't know, I haven't decided anything." Danny explained.

"It's a good thing. Isn't it?" Martin nodded. "I thought that you were going to go by your brother's house."

"No. All of Sylvia's family gets together and…I don't know. After everything that's happened with Rafi…I…I don't feel comfortable being with them."

"How are things going with Rafi?" Martin asked.

All of a sudden, Danny remembered the strange conversation he'd had that morning with his brother, but he didn't mention anything to his friend. "I don't know, I don't…I think it's harder for him this time. I think he was trying to do the right thing and get out of that life."

Danny not being critical and hard about his feelings about Rafi's behavior was something knew and that also surprised Martin. Maybe it was this place causing that change in Danny, he thought. "Listen, Danny. I…I haven't thanked you for what you did for me today."

"I didn't do anything, Martin. It was you, who made the decision to come here, don't you think."

"Yeah, of course, but you've supported me, you haven't said a word to anyone and you've given me a way out without having to feel ashamed in front of someone at work. I…I don't know how to thank you."

"We're friends, Martin. What's happening to you was caused by something that happened to both of us."

"What do you mean?"

"The ambush, of course, is what I mean. If it weren't for the ambush and the pain that you went through, you wouldn't have become addicted to those pills."

"We've never talked about that night," Martin murmured. "Both of us could have died out there. Have you thought about that?"

"I try not to think about it," Danny replied. He wouldn't tell Martin about the nightmares he'd suffer countless nights where his bloody hands tried in vain to keep Martin from bleeding to death. Sometimes it was Martin, other times his father took Martin's place in his dream. But what didn't change, however, was that they always took turns accusing him of being responsible for their deaths.

…..

"Did you talk to him?" Danny raised his eyes from the newspaper that he was reading, to see the concerned expression on Sam's face.

Vivian was going to talk to Danny, but frowned when she noticed Danny and Sam's body languages. "Again?" She thought.

"I don't you should worry about that situation anymore, Sam," Danny replied.

"But, did you talk to him?" She insisted.

Danny stared at her for a moment but didn't say a word. He wouldn't compromise Martin right now and there was an unwritten rule regarding the people who went Alcoholics Anonymous. There was a reason it was called 'Anonymous'. Martin was a part of the group now and Danny wasn't going to disclose to Sam what had and hadn't happened there.

But Sam didn't seem to understand that. In fact, her sole concern was that Danny talked to Martin, but she never suspected that the night before, Martin had attended his first AA meeting.

Before Sam could insist again, Martin stepped into the office with a young woman, talking cheerfully. The familiarity with which they talked to each other made Sam frown as she felt a punch of jealousy.

Danny grinned as he saw Sam's distasteful jealous look toward Martin and his female companion, making him wonder if they had restarted their former relationship, something that for some reason caused him happiness.

When Martin finally got to them, he nervously gave Vivian the file that the young woman had given to him. "We have to prepare Williams' statement, Vivian. The legal department doesn't want any mistakes. Sarah Parker is leading the case and she doesn't want any contradictions. She gave us this to study the statements," He explained nervously.

"Is she the woman you were talking to? I haven't seen her before, is she new on the job?" Vivian said.

"Yes, well, she's a family friend. She just came to the missing persons unit at the Law Department. So we're going to see her around a lot more often," He replied quickly.

"Well, I don't think we should be worried about this case, Martin," Vivian replied thoughtfully. There wasn't any reason for the concern her coworker exhibited. 'Why was he so nervous?'

Sam and Danny also noticed it, but before he made his problem evident, Danny stood up and grabbed him by the arm, nearly dragging him outside the bullpen. The gesture was enough for Sam, who'd realized that she had found the answer that she had been seeking from Danny.

"Hey, listen to me. You have to settle down, okay?" Danny whispered to Martin on their way to the coffee machine.

"Settle down?" Martin nearly screamed. "No, I don't need a coffee. I'm too wired up as it is," He protested as Danny offered a cup of coffee.

"Drink it, you'll feel better. Listen, please, calm down. The beginning is the worst part but you'll get through this, okay. Come on, talk to me," Danny encouraged as he forced his partner to sit down.

"What do you want to talk about?" Martin asked confused as he tried to understand how the hell a cup of coffee was going to help him feel better.

"Tell me how you feel," Danny asked. He remembered that speaking out loud about the initial fear to lose control, helped to actually regain control once again, especially when the other person also knew the feeling.

Twenty minutes later, Martin felt much better after confessing to Danny about the horrific night that he had spent and how he had succumbed to the temptation, looking desperately for the pills, the ones he had thrown out with confidence, just several hours before.

"This is going to happen for a long time, Martin," Danny announced. "That's why it's important you have a sponsor, a person you can talk to when you don't feel strong enough or when you feel like you're going to give in to that addiction."

Martin nodded in agreement.

"I'll introduce you someone who'll be good for you and help you out," Danny added. "No, not me," He clarified. "Besides, I'm already sponsoring someone but that's only because someone kept insisting that I be that sponsor.

"Was it the woman you stayed talking to when I left?" Martin asked, remembering how kindly Danny had greeted her.

"Yes, and I'm sorry for not having the time she needs. Unfortunately, this job ruins what little bit of social life we've got."

Martin nodded again, feeling better and more confident. Standing up, they threw the cups away in a nearby trash can before heading back to the bullpen. While outside the snow covered the streets again, inside, Jack was firmly walking toward the whiteboard with a picture in his hands. "Bad day to be missing" Jack stated seriously and Danny and Martin exchange a look of displeasure.

That case led Jack and Martin to Allison Griffith's parents, while Vivian, Sam and Danny drove to the elementary school where the little girl had disappeared from, during recreation time. While Sam talked to some students, Viv interviewed the teacher and Danny searched through Allison's personal effects, which were still on her desk.

"She hadn't planned to leave," Danny said aloud, as he removed a lunchbox and sweater from her backpack.

The teacher glanced nervously at him. The woman was very nervous; the kid was in her class and she was responsible for her safety and well-being, as well as every child in her class. A child leaving school property, unnoticed by any school officials, was a very serious matter.

"We need to look at the security tapes. If she left with someone, we may be able to identify that person," Vivian said, dialing Sam's cell phone.

"Yes… of course," The teacher agreed.

"What can you tell me about Allison? How is she interacting with her classmates? Have you noticed any recent changes in her that caught your attention?" Vivian asked.

"Well… actually, Allison is a new student here with us. Her foster parents told us about the special circumstances she'd been living since the traumatic loss of her parents. I don't know how she was before that, but she's pretty withdrawn, but well, it's normal for her, I guess. Changes…no, she's acting the same as she did the first day."

Browsing through the girl's notebooks, Danny realized something and asked the teacher, showing a notebook to her, "Is she like this all the time?" The tidiness and order he observed was unusual in a child her age and caught his attention.

The teacher smiled. "Yes… I'm not sure if it means something to you…"

"It means a lot," Danny replied without further information, Vivian got immediately. "What can you tell us about her foster parents? Do they come to the school regularly? Are they interesting in the progress she is or isn't making? Do they take of care of the Allison?"

The teacher nodded as Danny asked. "Yes, they're doing great with Ally. It's not the first time they've fostered kids at home. The Mathison Family takes part with a temporary fostering organization and they have a lot of experience. I know that because Allison is not the first child with them who's come to this school. But it's been only four months since Allison came to live with them and the beginning is always complicated."

"What happened to her biological parents? Why did they separate her from her parents?" Vivian asked.

"Her parents died during a home invasion six or seven months ago. Allison survived because she had spent that day at a friend's house. It was all over the news."

"Do you know where they lived?" Danny asked.

The teacher shook her head thoughtfully. "No. Allison is currently registered in the Mathison's home. We don't have previous information on her, however, and her foster parents don't know either. I know they came from Brooklyn but…"

"Do you know where they were buried?" Danny tried again.

"No, I don't know. I'm sorry," She replied.

"Excuse me," He agreed, as he dialed a number on his phone. If someone was able to skip the confidentiality policy without wasting time in asking for an authorization, it was her.

While Vivian continued with the interview, Danny focused on the call. He had an idea. Those tidy and organized notebooks showed Allison's need for a sense of security, warmth and peace she wasn't able to find at Mathison's house, no matter how loving they were. A feeling Danny was pretty much familiarized with. "Polly Mathews?" He asked.

"Danny?" She replied.

"Yeah, uh, listen, I'm looking for information, maybe you can help," Danny went straight to what he needed. "I need the exact address Allison Griffith's parents lived when they were killed or the cemetery where they were buried. They lived in Brooklyn Heights. They were victims of a deadly home invasion six or seven months ago."

"How old is she?" Polly asked.

"Nine years old. She's under temporary foster care with the Mathison Family. Can you please take a look and see what you can figure out?" Danny explained.

"Sure," She replied, "I'll start working on this right now."

"Brooklyn Heights is far from here. If Allison's parents lived there, I don't know how she's going to get over there unnoticed, especially in this weather. A lone child wandering the streets would catch someone's attention," Vivian told him as Danny approached her.

"Yeah, but you never know," He said, "What about the security cameras?"

"Sam is working on it," Viv started, as Danny's cell started vibrating. Raising a hand, not even reading the screen, Danny took the call. "Tell me, Polly," He demanded.

"Danny? It's Sylvia," The anxious tone of his sister-in-law made him frown surprised.

Before he could ask, she continued, "Did you talk to Rafi?"

"Yes," Danny replied. "Yesterday…"

"So? Are you going to do the exams?" She cut him off. "Doctors said there's not a lot of time left before…" Danny realized that Sylvia's confident voice turned weak and fearful. But Danny wasn't able to give Sylvia an answer. 'What was she talking about?' he wondered. "I don't know what you're talking about," He replied honestly after a pause and cursed silently as he listened to Sylvia's sobs.

Despite the fact that Danny and Rafi had been talking in prison, what Sylvia was saying didn't make any sense to him. "Listen, I can't talk to you right now. I'm working on a case and I need the line free. I'm sorry," Danny felt terrible listening Sylvia's pleas. "Um…I'll call you back as soon as possible, I promise. Then, we can talk, okay?" He had no option but to end the call.

Closing the cell phone, he felt the curious eyes of Sam and Vivian on him and felt uncomfortable. "There's nothing on the security camera," Sam announced.