Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY. Never will.
A/N: NO FLAMES! Not accepted.
2nd A/N: I know that it seems unlikely that Mac would leave someone pregnant but neither knew until Mac was back in New York and he was so busy he couldn't leave. It's fiction let's remember that.
Chapter Two: Dad
The next morning, Amanda woke to the smell of coffee and a note on the coffee table next to her glass of water. Picking it up she rubbed her eyes and blinked to focus. In neat joined writing it read:
Manda,
The coffee is made and the toaster is ready for you. Make yourself at home. There's some money on the counter and my keys. Go out and buy the things you need that I don't already have, and then you can do what you like in the apartment. I'll be home around 7.
Mac
Amanda smiled and got to her feet, she stretched and yawned. She unzipped her duffel and pulled out a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and made her way to the bathroom that Mac had shown her the night before. She looked through the cupboards making a mental list to write down later, as she showered she thought of other things she may need. She needed her feminine products, shampoo and conditioner, deodorant, maybe body mist and a razor. When she was dressed and feeling human again, she returned to move her bags. She shifted them to just inside the door of the second bedroom. Then she went to the kitchen to make herself some breakfast. Glancing at the clock she smiled, still an early riser. 9:35 glowed from the oven. She laughed quietly she couldn't picture Mac Taylor as a cook. Her mother had told her that whenever her and Mac went out it was fast food or a restaurant. Amanda knew that tonight, she would cook for them both. Her Grandmother had taught her a thing or two about cooking for a man.
Amanda frowned. The money Mac had given her had been $300 not knowing what she would need and how much it was. She looked down at the basket she had in front of her. She had what she needed and know she needed some food. It was nearing Lunchtime and she needed food desperately. An idea hit her and she smiled. Buying some items she left the store after paying and went back to Mac's apartment. She made herself some lunch and packed another in a microwave container. Slipping it into her satchel and making it sit flat she caught a taxi to the Precinct. Getting out she handed the driver a 20 dollar bill and went to the door. The officer stopped her.
"I can't let you in Miss. Not if you're not over 18." He said, she sighed and looked up at him with her large blue eyes.
"But…I'm Detective Taylor's daughter." She said. The officer looked hard at her, he couldn't see it but he had another officer upstairs to the crime lab. She was led to Mac's office and she knocked.
Mac looked up and frowned, "Amanda?"
"Hey," She smiled; the office still had a hold on her arm.
"It's ok." The officer let go of her and she stepped further into the room.
"Is something wrong? Did you need more money?"
"No. No it was enough for the essentials. Uh…no I brought you some lunch. I didn't know if you'd get a break or whatever to eat. So I thought you'd like something." She held out the container and Mac took it. He opened it and looked back at her.
"Sandwiches?" He inquired, she smiled.
"I didn't know what you liked. So it's got the basics in it." She said.
"Lettuce and tomato?" Amanda smiled.
"With mayonnaise, of course." She tossed a wave of hair over her should when a knock sounded at the door.
"Uh Mac? You got a second. I got the results you wanted." A voice that Amanda recognized from the day before made her turn.
"Adam, of course. Come in. Adam this is Amanda, my daughter." Adam froze at the words.
"Your…daughter?" The Lab tech stuttered. Mac nodded.
"Yes Adam." His boss stated.
"Oh so it's Adam. He pointed me in the direction of your office yesterday. Such a sweet guy." Adam blushed at the compliment.
"Easy Adam, she's 13." Mac told him, Adam nodded and handed Mac the results. Mac looked down at the page then back at Adam.
"You're sure?" He asked. Adam nodded, "Alright, get Danny to take it." He said.
"You don't want to?"
"No. I'm going to take a small break and eat my lunch. I'll make sure to get updated when Danny gets back." Mac said, and sat down watching Adam leave the office in search of Danny.
Amanda was on her way home when she was knocked on to the ground by someone. As she hit the ground the person fell on top of her. Suddenly the weight was lifted off her and she was asked if she was ok. Amanda was seeing stars. She couldn't even form a coherent answer. The next thing she was hearing sirens. Blackness closed in around her. Her head was aching when consciousness returned. Amanda tried to raise her hand to her head but found that her arms felt heavy. Not mention someone had hold of her hand. Amanda tried to open her eyes but she couldn't get them to open. She groaned softly, but it was enough for the hold on her hand to tighten.
"Manda?" She knew the voice instantly. She tried again to open her eyes and this time blinked them into focus and to help them adjust to the light.
"Mac?" She whispered, he smiled softly and nodded.
"Yeah, Manda. I get a call from Don Flack telling me you helped catch their perp. Well done." Mac smiled, Amanda slowly shook her head.
"Not intentionally. He ran into me." She said. Mac kissed her forehead softly. He had been scared when Flack had called and said she was in the hospital. Ac had always envisioned his children being the strong type. Like himself. Liking to ignore the pain and keep going. But obviously he was wrong.
"Mac?" Amanda voice made him lock eyes with her again.
"Yeah Manda?" He whispered, careful not to speak too loudly. Amanda smiled softly. She pulled his hand up to her lips and gently placed a kiss there. Telling Mac that she loved him for staying with her.
"You know, on my way up to the lab yesterday, I wished for you to like me. Just like me. I never asked for love." She told him. Mac smiled.
"Well, sometimes what we don't ask for, we get." He responded. She smiled, she knew that was true.
"You never asked for me and yet, here I am." She said. Mac kissed her forehead softly.
"Manda…I may not have asked for you, but you are best thing that I could ever have in my life." He said; Amanda couldn't help it, tears slipped down her cheeks. She was delighted that he loved her; she was thrilled that even if he hadn't asked for a daughter, he got one who would be by his side through everything.
Since Amanda wasn't hurt badly she was allowed to go home that night. Unbeknownst to her while she had been out Mac had ordered a bed for her room, and a desk. She would have all she needed. When they got home Mac told her he had a surprise for her and covered her eyes leading her into her very own room. Amanda was speechless.
"You can repaint it if you don't like the colour. I just left it the colour it was." Mac said with a small shrug. Amanda smiled at him.
"Blue's cool. It's a nice shade of blue." She said. Her bags had been put on her bed to let her officially unpack.
"Mac?" He turned back as he left the room when she spoke. She held out a piece of paper.
"What's this?"
"I drew it when I was little. Mum said that I came home from Kindergarten and told her that it was a drawing of my Daddy. But I knew I didn't have one so I drew what I imagined he looked like." Mac looked down at the messy drawing of what was clearly a man. He had brown hair and blue eyes. He was tall and strong looking.
"The only thing my mum told me about you was that you were a police officer. I didn't know what that meant, but my teacher told me it meant that you helped people. I was 5-years-old." Mac glanced at her and then back at picture and sure enough next to picture were the neat words, written most likely by the teacher: My Daddy, The Police Officer. He looked once more at Amanda and she smiled softly.
"All I ever wanted to do since then was find my Dad. I never knew that he might live on the other side of the world! Or at least more than a thousand miles away. Look…I don't know if I'll ever get used to it. But I know that I've found my father and for now, that will do. I'll work on finding my Dad another time." Amanda said. Mac nodded. For now, yes being her 'father' would do.
It was during the night that Mac woke to yelling. It took him a moment to realize that it was Amanda. He hurried to her room and sat down next to her on the bed pulling her into a hug whispering all the comforting words he could think of. Holding her agasint his chest, he could feel her meld into his body. Making herself comfortable agasint him. It was like they were always meant to be like this. Like, and he knew it sounded cliché, but like they were meant to be together. They had been made to fit like this. Mac knew that he would never forget this particular moment. Holding his little girl against his chest. Soothing her nightmares.
The next morning Amanda woke to sunlight streaming through her window. Blinking to clear her vision she yawned and stretched, she looked around her room and smiled remembering that she was in New York in her father's apartment. She got up, had her shower and dressed before going out to the kitchen, where her father was cooking.
"You can cook? I thought it was restaurants and fast food." Amanda said as she emerged from the bedroom.
"I'm not the best at dinner. But Breakfast I can do." He smiled, she laughed. That sounded about right. Amanda opened the fridge and pulled out the orange juice, she poured a glass for herself and went to sit down at the table. She paused.
"What's that?" she asked pointing at a parcel sitting on the table. Mac turned to look.
"Oh, that's from me to you. I went out this morning to get it. Go on open it up." He said. Amanda put her glass down and looked at the box. It was small, like the size for a bracelet or necklace. She opened it and almost gasped A necklace sat in the box with an "A" on it. She turned back to look at Mac and he smiled softly.
"Do you like it?" He asked.
"Like it? I love it!" She said running to hug him tightly.
"I picked it out yesterday and the lady held it for me. I thought maybe you'd like something from me." Mac told her.
Amanda fastened it around her neck, "It's the only necklace I own. I love it. Thank-you so much." She said as she reached up to touch the "A".
"I'm glad you like it Manda. I don't have a lot of experience picking out jewellery. When I told the lady it was for my daughter, she told me that you'd love it. I just hoped you'd tell me you did." He said, Amanda kissed his cheek.
"Well I do love it. Thank-you a million times." She turned to go back to the table when she paused and turned back around, "another thing…you know how last night I said I was still looking for my dad?" Mac nodded, "well I think I might have found him. Thanks against for the necklace Dad." Mac couldn't keep the smile off his face all day. She'd finally called him Dad.
