Chapter Four

Emily

Don and I wake up next to each other in my bed a few weeks later. He looks at the clock on the wall and groans.

"Em, I've got a raid to do today." I instantly worry.

"Stay in bed with me." I wrap his arms tighter around my midsection and he scoots closer to me if it was even possible. "I'll be cold if you leave." I pout, hiding the fact that this scares the shit out of me, and he kisses my lips.

"You'll warm back up."

"Maybe, maybe not." I kiss him again. "Hurry back to me," I say giving him a peek into what I am feeling right now.

"Will do."

"Good luck."

"Thank you."

"Be safe!"


A few hours later I see Don on the news talking about his big raid.

"At six o'clock this morning, our narcotics tactical team seized 900 kilos of cocaine. That's an estimated street value of over 100 million dollars. We also apprehended several suspects we believe to be connected to the Wilder crime family."

"Detective, isn't this the biggest drug bust in the history of New York CIty?" A reporter asks my man. And my man looks damn fine in his button-up and kevlar vest. Damn fine.

"That's what they tell me. What I can tell you is that today's seizure will financially cripple one of New York City's most dangerous crime families."

"We understand there was a shoot out." I immediately start to worry. "Were there any casualties?"

He clears his throat, shit. Not good. "One suspect was killed, one detective sustained minor injuries."

"Can you confirm rumors that Gavin Wilder was killed during the bust?"

"Gavin Wilder's body was found at the scene. Without going into too much detail I'm confident that doctor Peyton Driscoll's autopsy report will confirm that he was dead prior to the raid on the warehouse." I stop watching and I get dressed. An hour later, I was called by Mac to help out with observing the processing of a major case. I think he wants me to move into the crime lab but I want to stay in the precinct with Don.


When I get to the warehouse Adam is kind enough to greet me and let me in and Danny is already here as well. I feel something hard against my head and pain and I'm unconscious.


A few minutes later, maybe more, I'm pushed against a wall next to Danny and Adam. I see Danny's fingers smashed.

"Did he break your fingers?" I ask.

"Yeah."

"Hey Adam, what'd they do to you?" I ask when I see the cigarette burn marks on his hands. "They wanted something. Danny I'm sure you've been over this, what did they want?"

"They wanted his ID and the pass codes to the parking garage for the crime lab. They also wanted to know where their guns and drugs were from Flack's raid this morning."

"God damn it," I said. A bit too loud for the Irish men's taste. One of them came over to me and kick my shin. Shit, I don't want to be out of work for a long time.

"Shut up or worse will happen."

"No! Do something about it."

"You asked for it girl." He kicks me in the side and then shoves the butt of the gun into my head, hard, then aims it at me. I comply and I shut up. A few minutes later I see Danny trying to set his fingers back in place with his shirt sleeve and his badge and I look to him.

"Wait." I remove my belt from my shirt, which kills, and I fold it a bunch of times. "Bite this." he does and he sets his fingers back in place without making too much noise. After he's finished he turns to Adam.

"Adam, what have you got in your kit, buddy?"

"What are you talking about? My kit's all the way over there."

"Just tell me what you have in there."

"Presumptive blood tests, enough kit stuff to case with, a narco test kit."

"Test kit. Test kit. That's good. That means... that you got a Marquis Reagent in there, which contains sulfuric acid. I'm going to need you to go get it." Adam and I look at him with wide eyes.

"Uhm, Danny, that's suicide. I'll grab it. I know how to be sneaky. Growing up as a girl with a cop as a father isn't fun and you learn how to sneak around." Danny ignores my plea for Adam to not go. He must have a plan.

"If they were going to kill us they would have done it all ready. They need us as hostages. I know you're afraid but so am I. But you are going to get it. You understand me?"

"How am I supposed to...?" Danny gets up and starts running. He starts shouting at the people keeping us hostage. Adam gets out and grabs the thing Danny was talking about and I hear Danny groan and grunt with pain. I close my eyes.

"You're going to make a call."

"Don..." I hear. My heart starts beating rapidly. Don! He'll be able to get us out! "It's Messer. We got a problem man. We got a problem. Yeah, Emily is here." I start to cry. He's probably worried sick. I don't hear the rest but I do lean into Adam's embrace.


About a half hour later I hear helicopters and murmuring. Then I hear Don's voice over a walkie-talkie. More tears stream down my face.

After a little bit when I don't hear Don's voice anymore, I get my phone out quietly. I scroll to Don's contact and I send him a text.

'Donnie, it's me Em. I need you to be safe if you're going to bust in here. These men are dangerous and will snap and kill one of us any second if we provoke them. Danny and Adam aren't doing well, they need help.'

I turn the ringer off right after I send the message so the men holding us captive don't know anything.

'How are you doing?'

'Not as bad as Danny and Adam. Help us.'

'Working on it Em.'

While I'm texting Don, Adam and Danny are getting us out here. I hear Don's voice again. Something about proof of life. One of the captors runs up to me and screams at me to get up. I do with his forceful tug on the collar of my shirt, breaking a few of the buttons off. Wow, cheap clothes nowadays. Then I feel myself getting pushed forward toward the opening as Danny sprays something in the guys face. The other one comes over and I take the gun the first one dropped and I shoot him several times while Danny wrestles with the other one.

I hear the cops come in and Adam gets up with me. "Don't shoot!" I scream crawling to the edge of the place I've been in the past few hours. "They're cops!" I yell again. Adam helps reveal them and saves their lives. Thank God for Adam.

"Danny!" I hear Lindsay say. "Flack!" I see her yell. "Oh my God. Oh my God, Danny." She helps him get off the lift and helps him stagger out of here. I see Don rushing toward us and I smile at him. I turn over on my back and I sigh. Finally, something I can look forward to.

"Em, where does it hurt?"

"Everywhere," I breath out. He picks me up bridal style and carries me out of the warehouse. I wrap my arm around his shoulder and he sets me on a gurney in front of a bus.

"Em, I can't come with you to the hospital. I need you to tell the paramedics what's wrong though. I'll have a uni get your statement later."

"No, I want you to do it." He nods and kisses me quickly.

"The crime lab is under attack. I need to leave now."

"Go."


Several hours later I see Don walk into my hospital room. I smile.

"Don, you're here!"

"Of course I am. I wouldn't just abandon my girlfriend now would I?" I smile and laugh with joy till my side hurts and he notices it. "Now I have to stop cracking jokes. What hurts?"

"My side, my head, my leg."

"All right. What are the injuries?"

"Severe concussion, my spleen is bruised pretty badly, and my leg, well it's fractured so I'm going to miss several weeks of work. How are Danny and Adam? Are they okay?"

"They're fine. They were both let go from the hospital hours ago. Lindsay is staying with Danny and Adam, well his flavor of the week is taking care of him." I smile.

"So that means you're taking care of me?"

"Yes. I'll come by every night after work and when I work doubles I'll call you." I nod.

"Come here," I say as I scoot over in the bed. Luckily they gave me a bigger bed than usual and now Don could fit up here with me and sleep next to me as if we were in an actual bed. He crawls up onto the bed with me and I snuggle into his chest. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." I lean up and I softly press my lips to his. I hear someone clear their throat and I pull back smiling. I look over Don's shoulder and Mac and Stella are standing in the doorway.

"Finally Mac. They're together," Stella says.

"Have been for weeks guys," Don says. I giggle and lay down.

"Good. I was getting sick of those longing looks between you two and those not so hidden smiles that you were flashing her, Flack."

"What can I say, I'm in like." I laugh again. Wow the drugs must be kicking in. I feel great, sore, but my mood is terrific.

"All right well she looks tired. I think we are going to go. Just wanted to check in on you Emily."

"I'm great. Don is here and I'm tired and I can't feel very much pain."

"She's high on the drugs the hospital gave her," Don says to them. "She'll probably be better in the morning. Mac, when are you leaving for London?" London?

"A couple of days from now."

"Good luck," Don says. I curl up into a half ball since my leg is broken and is up in the uncomfortable sling thing.

"Night Don."

"Night babe." He kisses the top of my head and I pass out.


A few weeks went by and I was at my apartment and Don was with me taking care of me like he said he would. I was laying down on his lap with my leg propped up on the arm of the couch and I was helping him solve a case.

"Could the wife of done?"

"No, her alibi checks out."

"What about," I strain my neck and I see a picture of some guy that I know isn't the victim. I touch his picture. "Him?"

"Maybe. His alibi checks out but there was that case where Mac and Danny came across a business that created fake alibis for like cheating."

"I'll come with you to recheck everyone of them tomorrow. Please, Don, please?"

"Maybe. I'll think about it."

"You'd get to spend the day with me," I say smiling.

"Maybe babe." I hope he'll say yes. A few minutes later when my eyes are starting to droop shut, Don asks, "tired?"

"Yeah, I'm tired. I'm gonna go to bed. Meet you in there?"

"Yeah, I'll get you water. Go to the bathroom before you lay down." I nod "I'll meet you in there in five. I need to make a call to Stella, tell her you'll be working with me tomorrow on the rechecking alibis thing."

"Yes!" I lean over and press a kiss to his lips. "When are you getting up tomorrow?"

"Eight."

"Kay. I'll be up with you, thank you!"

"Anything for you, Em. You know that."

"I suppose so." I kiss him then do my nightly routine.


The next morning Don and I are talking about everything while we are in the car together. He talks about his family. He's got a sister named Sam and Don himself is a junior. His father is Don Flack senior. I talk about my brother and sister. They were the ones that took care of me after my dad died. My mom on the other hand is a forbidden subject. He knows that too.

"So what was your dad like?"

"Sweet, caring, loved his family. Wasn't one of those mean cops that came home and beat their kids like they say happens. No, he was a good man and an even better dad."

"That sounds wonderful. It's a shame he was taken away so early."

"I know. I regret not spending more time with him closer to when he died. I just didn't think it was going to happen to him. He was better than that. That's one thing that I regret."

"I agree from what I've heard."

"Thank you." Don reaches over and grabs my hand.

"All right, what's the next address?" I rattle off another address and we start driving. "You know what, after work how about we go to this bar I know, it's a cop bar."

"All right sure. Let's invite some people along. Do you want to stay at your place tonight, or mine?"

"Your's."

"You've been staying over a lot. What does you apartment even look like?"

"I don't know." I laugh and we check an address. "What's this supposed to be?"

"Uhm, not a motel."

"And who's alibi was this?"

"The wife's."

"Let's check the other guy's. The one you pointed to." I nod and tell him that address. We drive there in a comfortable silence and when we get there, his alibi checks out.

"So the wife could have done it?" I ask hopeful that I'm right.

"Possibly. Let's go to the crime lab and talk to Stella about it." I nod, finally getting back into the swing of things and I'm not even going to mention that I am working today, again. The first time in ages. Thank goodness.

He helps me out of the car when we get to the crime lab and we take the elevator up. I lean against Don instead of on my crutches as we wait for the right floor. He wraps his arm around me to keep me up right.

When we get to the crime lab, we walk out, well he does. I use my crutches to limp out. He reminds me everyday that I should just get a wheel chair then I remind him about the stairs going up to my apartment because there is no elevator then he agrees and I stay with my crutches.

Walking into one of the labs where we see Stella, I start talking. "Stel, we think the wife did it."

"Me too."

"We just double checked alibis and the wife's is the only one not true. I thought that Danny and Mac shut that alibi place down?" Don asks.

"I thought so too. I guess not."

"Well what do you have that makes you think its the wife?" Don asks. I lean against him again, worn out from all the movement I've had to do.

"Other than her alibi not panning out, we have her fingerprint on the knife and on the victim's shirt."

"He wasn't killed by the knife though," I say. I memorized this case the night before when we were laying down reading about it.

"He was shot in the abdomen."

"Who preformed the autopsy?"

"Sid. Peyton isn't here, she's with Mac in London."

"All right Don, let's go talk to Sid." I stand up and I balance on my crutches and I walk toward the elevator. I get right outside the door when Don wraps his arm around my waist pulling me back.

"Ah, ah, ah. No you don't. Go sit in with Lindsay. She'll be less inclined to yell at you for being at work while you're still injured."

"You always take all my fun away." I pout but he kisses my lips.

"I'll be right back." I watch him leave with Stella and I wander around trying to find Lindsey. When I find her, I walk into the lab and I sit down in the seat next to her.

"Hey."

"You're back! What are you doing in the crime lab if you're back?"

"Well actually I was helping Don with the case y'all are working on and he ditched me to go with Stel to see Sid."

"Sid would yell at you for being at work with a broken limb."

"He didn't yell at Danny."

"Sid didn't yell at Danny because Danny's a big boy, you on the other hand, he cares about you and doesn't want to see you hurt."

"I love Sid but sometimes I just want to do my own thing without everyone worrying about me constantly."

"I get it Seattle. Lindsay won't stop worrying about me and can't do her job half the time." I smile when I see Danny walk in and kiss the top of Lindsay's head. "I'm going to lunch, want anything?"

She shakes her head. "No. I packed a lunch."

"Right. I forgot." She smiles at him as he walks away toward the elevator.

"You two are so sweet with each other."

"Yeah, I like being around him."

"How's he doing with the whole, hostage thing?"

"Better everyday. How are you doing?"

"I don't think it has really kicked in that it happened. I mean for a while all I saw on TV was the news and the coverage they got on what happened there and here at the crime lab. It never really clicked in my head. Besides, Don is always with me and he's just the definition of safe in my mind. I feel very safe and well protected when I have him around me. I love that about him."

"I'm glad he makes you feel safe."

"Me too. I think it's given me a lot of stablity in the world of crime and murder."

"I didn't used to have that. Then Danny came along." Lindsay smiles, thinking about her comment, then draws herself back into the conversation. "But with you and Don, there's this look in his eyes and every time you're in the same room as him, he'll always sneak looks at you. Looks of just... of something really special. He, not to sound cliché, he lights up when he sees you walk in. Unless you're upset, then worry is etched on his face until you're either in his arms or you feel better. He wants to always be touching you and I think he's reassuring himself that you're still real when he thinks this is all a dream. Don't pass him up. He's a good man and he's definitely infatuated with you and he's got a good heart."

"I won't. I plan on keeping him with me as long as I can keep him with me."

"Good," I hear his deep voice say behind me.

"You heard all of that, didn't you?"

"Yep. Come on, Sid wants to see you."

"I thought he was going to yell at me if he saw me." Don shakes his head. "Okay." I stand and Don helps me out of there. "Have a good rest of the day Lindsay!" I shout back toward her. She gives me a thumbs up and I know she heard me.

I go with Don to the morgue and Sid comes toward me with open arms.

"Emily!"

"Sid, how are you?"

"I'm good. How's you're leg?"

"Better. Don's taking care of me though."

"Good, you know if your commanding officer finds out that you two are dating, there will be concequences to pay for."

"I know. I've been thinking about switching and doing what Stella and the rest of them do, but I don't want to leave Don by himself and I sure as hell don't want him working with another female partner."

"Then work this out as long as you can and when the time comes, you can move up and become an honorary scientist."

"That sounds great Sid, I'll get to see a lot of you more often." He smiles at me. "All right, so what's the verdict on the wound? Did you find a bullet?"

"I did not. Stella did, in the wall."

"Okay so it was a bullet wound, a through and through. Then what about the knife?"

"See I've got a theory about that. What if he was stabbed first then shot? The wound is very large and the tissue surrounding the intestines was pushed out of the way, making this an even deeper wound instead of a fast act of stabbing. The bruising around the wound indicates a very close range shot as well."

"And if he was stabbed first then it would make sense that it would go all the way through. But you would have to get some diviation off the original path, wouldn't you?"

"Not necessarily. If it was a close enough shot and there wasn't a lot of kickback with the gun, then it could very well be on the same path."

"Okay, so look for a gun. Stella did someone determine a type of gun?"

"Not yet. I'll let you know when we do." I nod.

"You know, you don't report to me. I'm just a detective."

"With a masters in forensics."

"Eh, whatever. Just another title. All right, well I'm getting exhausted and I think I need to go home. Good bye Sid, it was very nice talking to you."

"You too Emily. Get better. I wanna see you off those crutches soon."

"Will do." I turn and I let Don help me to the elevator with Stella trailing behind.

"You know Emily, everyone around here adores you," Stella says. "It's nice to see, you're officially apart of the family."

"Awh, Stell. Thank you. I love everyone here. All of you are so sweet and kind but when something, or someone, pisses you off you don't sugar coat it and it's good and it's healthy to let your feelings out. You guys are one of the most functional and healthy crime labs that I've seen. And I've worked with a lot of crime labs and it's not pretty all of the time."

"We love you too kiddo."

Don takes me home and then leaves again after he knows I'm settled into bed. It's nice to have someone looking out for me and someone that cares about me. Someone that I love.