29th March. 10:30
Danny approached Mac, who was sitting on a bench in the ICU waiting are. Mac had his face in his hands and Danny patted his back as he sat down next to his boss and friend. Everybody needed to rest desperately or they would collapse.
"How's Sheldon?" Danny asked.
"He's unconscious." Mac sighed and lifted his head up, "He has three broken ribs, internal bleeding, bruises all over his body and a concussion."
"He'll recover."
"Physically yes."
"Mentally as well. Hawkes is a strong man." Danny said.
"Danny, he's been through a living hell." Mac said, "I've been in his position. Scared for my life and basically tortured. It's not easy to recover from."
"I'm not saying it won't be hard. But I know that Sheldon will recover in time."
Mac nodded and rubbed his tired eyes. He had been to see Stella and was now waiting for her to be released.
"Mac, you need to go home and get some sleep." Danny said.
"We all do." Mac sighed and stood up as he saw Stella approach the bench.
Mac wanted to sleep, but he also wanted to find Milton and end all of this once and for all. Mac didn't want to leave Stella's side now that that they were going back to their place again. Milton could come back for her and he didn't want to risk her or the babies lives in any way. Stella gave Mac a soft kiss before she hugged Danny.
"Can we see Sheldon?" She asked
"Not yet." Mac said, "We need to get home."
Danny followed the couple outside and they parted ways at the parking lot. Danny longed to get back to Lindsay and Benjamin. He hadn't seen his son in several hours because of the case. He missed his little family very much.
Mac helped Stella inside the car and then drove off home.
"Mac, any word on where Milton is?" Stella asked.
"Not one. We searched every floor and every room in that hotel, but he managed to slip past us. We caught him on the surveillance cameras when he ran out through the hotel garage." Mac sighed, "He's been gone since that."
"He won't be able to stay hidden for very long. He needs attention and he will get it somehow." Stella said, "And when he does you will find him."
"I just hope he doesn't come after you or anybody else on the team."
"So do I." Stella said.
Once they got home, they went directly to bed. Both too tired to even take their clothes off and change in to something more comfortable. Stella fell asleep with her head on Mac's chest and his arms wrapped protectively around her.
-I-
When Danny got home he found Lindsay and Benjamin in the kitchen, eating a late breakfast. Lindsay hugged Danny for a long time and he kissed her softly. Benjamin protested after a while and Danny grinned as he picked up his son to cuddle with him.
"Hey there, did you miss daddy?" Danny asked, "Daddy missed you a lot."
"We both missed you." Lindsay smiled, "He hasn't been sleeping well when you haven't been here, but today we woke up late."
"I'll be home until Milton does something he shouldn't." Danny said, "He is our only case for now and we got three days off."
"Unless he decides to end your vacation." Lindsay said, "How is Sheldon?"
"Unconscious."
"Jackie? Angel?"
"Both okay. Angel is still in a coma and Jackie can leave the hospital tomorrow." Danny said, "Although I don't think she will until Sheldon wakes up."
"We have to go see all three of them." Lindsay smiled, "Now, I know how much you love spending time with Benjamin and I, but you need to sleep."
Danny nodded in agreement and gave Benjamin back to Lindsay. He kissed both of them goodnight before heading to the bedroom. Lindsay continued to feed Benjamin, who whined as his father left.
"I know sweetheart, it's hard to see daddy leave." Lindsay whispered.
-I-
17:00
Mac woke up from his sleep when he felt something heavy on his chest. He opened an eye and looked in to the eyes of Missy. Stella's cat.
"Oh Jesus. Get off." Mac groaned and turned on his side.
Missy fell off and glared at Mac from the floor. She then jumped up on him again and decided to rest on his hip. Mac sighed. He fell asleep for a few more minutes until Missy decided that Mac had to get cleaned. She licked his face and Mac growled when he woke up.
"You are the most annoying cat in the whole world." Mac said and put her down on the floor.
Missy started to meow and Mac pulled a pillow over his head. He lifted his head up and looked at his wife when she started laughing.
"She might be the most annoying cat in the world, but you wouldn't pick another cat to have rather than her." Stella grinned.
"True. It's because she looks so sad when you ignore her." Mac chuckled, "Are you hungry?"
"Oh yes." Stella smiled and they both got up.
Missy followed them to the kitchen and stoked against Mac's legs when he made dinner. Mac tried not to step on her.
"Please get out of the way." Mac said and looked down at Missy with pleading eyes.
Missy just sat at his feet and waited for him to pick her up. When Mac and Stella ate their dinner, Missy watched them intensely and stared at Mac for several minutes.
"Once the kids start crawling and bite things, she will meet her masters." Mac grinned.
"She's tough, she will show them who the boss in this place is."
"But that's me."
"Mac, you never own a cat. The cat owns you." Stella grinned, "What are we going to do today?"
"Lay on the couch and watch movies." Mac smiled, "Sounds good to you?"
"Absolutely." Stella smiled widely.
-I-
31st March. 09:30
Lindsay gave Jackie a small smile as she entered the hospital room. Danny was outside, trying to get Benjamin to sleep before joining the two women in Sheldon's room. Lindsay looked at her friend in the bed and felt some tears falling.
"I'm so sorry Jackie." Lindsay said and hugged the other woman.
Jackie nodded and wiped a few tears away. When she had heard that she had lost her baby, she had cried for three hours straight. Little Nicholas hadn't understood why at the time, but now he knew. Nicholas was asleep in Jackie's arms.
"My doctor said I should go home and get some sleep." Jackie said, "But I'm afraid to leave him again. I already did at the hotel."
"You saved him by doing that. We wouldn't have known where you were if you hadn't left." Lindsay said.
Danny had told Lindsay everything about the case.
"But what if he thinks of it as a betrayal?"
"He won't. We both know Sheldon. You know in your heart that you did the right thing and so does he."
"I love him Lindsay." Jackie cried.
"And he loves you." Lindsay smiled.
The door opened and Danny entered with Benjamin in his arms. Jackie smiled and stood up to give Danny a friendly hug. She looked down at Benjamin and grinned.
"Hey there little one."
Benjamin smiled right back at Jackie. Danny sat down on the other side of the bed, across the ladies.
"How's he doing?" He asked.
"His doctor thinks he might wake up soon." Jackie smiled widely.
"That's great. You know what he will tell you when he wakes up?" Danny asked.
"No, what?"
"To get some rest and food." Danny smiled, "I bet both you and Nicholas needs it."
"Yes, I can't let Nicholas spend every day at a hospital. He needs to get home." Jackie sighed, "Is our apartment safe?"
"Yeah, it looks like before the attack too." Lindsay smiled, "Why don't you and Nicholas get something to eat and we'll stay here."
"Okay, thank you so much for your support." Jackie smiled.
"That's what family is for." Lindsay and Danny said.
-I-
11:00
Sid was playing a board game with his two children when his wife told him he had a phone call waiting. Sid got a gut feeling that it was job related. As much as he loved his job, he didn't want to leave now that he had three days off. He wanted to spend it with his family.
"Hello?" Sid answered.
"Hello Dr. Hammerback."
Sid frowned. He didn't recognize the voice, but he knew that the tone was serious. Even scary.
"Yes?"
"Your wife seems happy that your back home after a few rough days."
"Um, yes. She is."
"I noticed that Lindsay was too."
"Lindsay? You mean…"
"Danny's Lindsay yes. She was happy he was back home again. Just like your wife."
"Who is this?"
"I will tell you my name if you tell me how old your kids are."
Sid swallowed hard. This had to be Milton, he was sure of it. Sid waved for his wife to give him his cell phone. He found Don's number and called, giving the phone to his wife Sarah.
"Um, why do you want to know that?" Sid asked.
He wasn't used to talking to criminals on the phone and he feared that Milton was just outside his apartment.
"I like your daughter, how old is she?"
"Younger than you are."
"Funny guy. Tell me Dr. Does she have a boyfriend?"
Sid looked towards his son and daughter. They smiled at him. Sarah told them to go to the living room and stay there.
"Not that I know of." Sid said.
"Interesting. Dr. would you mind having a visitor today?"
"Visitor?" Sid asked, "You mean you?"
"Exactly."
Sid looked at the phone as Milton had hung up. He jumped in fear as someone started pounding on the door.
"Take the kids and hide in our bedroom, do not let anyone inside until I say so!" Sid said to his wife.
Sid peeked through the glass on the door and recognized Milton from the pictures he had seen of him. Sid grabbed a kitchen knife and then the cell phone on the kitchen table.
"Sid, where is he?" Don asked.
"Outside the front door." Sid said, "I have to hang up, he's inside."
Sid hung up and swallowed hard as he came face to face with the man every cop in NY were chasing.
"Sid Hammerback. Father of two, married and an a coroner." Milton smirked, "So you never answered my question, how old are your kids?"
"It's none of your business." Sid said.
Milton approached Sid and Sid backed away. When the sirens from the police cars started coming closer, Milton growled.
"See you later." Milton smirked and ran out of the apartment.
Sid was still shocked when Don and six officers ran inside the apartment.
"Sid, are you okay?" Don asked.
"He's after my kids. Especially my daughter. He wondered if she had a boyfriend." Sid said and then walked to his bedroom to opened the door.
He hugged his wife and kids and explained the situation for them. Don insisted that they move to a safe house and nobody had any objections.
-I-
11:30
Mac had mixed feelings as he stepped out of the elevator to the lab. He was happy that Milton had started making contact with someone on the team, because that meant they could catch him soon. But, he was sad to leave Stella at home again and that Sid had become a target for Milton.
"Boss, I traced the call to Milton's cell phone and well, he threw it in a dumpster." Adam said as he met up with Mac in the hallway.
"He's smart. He'll buy a new cell phone and call again." Mac said, "Make sure that you put a bug in everyone's cell phone that belongs to someone in the team."
Adam nodded and bumped in to Don as he turned to leave. Don gave Adam his phone to start with.
"Sid has been moved to a safe house." Don said, "Let's hope that'll keep Milton away."
Mac nodded and sighed heavily. He was about to say something more when his phone rang, he didn't recognize the number and walked towards the AV lab as he answered.
"Taylor."
"Taylor, Taylor, Taylor. Placing Dr. Hammerback in a safe house wasn't a very clever idea." Milton said, "At least not when I know where it is."
Mac was stunned. Only Don, Mac and Adam knew where the safe house was. Milton could have no idea.
"How do you know where he is?" Mac growled.
Adam was frantically trying to trace the call as Mac kept Milton on the line.
"I can't tell you that. Oh and by the time Adam traces the call, I will be long gone and the phone will be in a dumpster." Milton laughed, "Good luck finding me Taylor."
Mac growled when Milton hung up.
"He knows where Sid is." Mac said.
"How the hell can he know that?" Don asked.
"He must have followed you or he has an inside source." Mac sighed, "Adam?"
"He's in Central Park." Adam said.
"He's tossed the phone already. He will only keep one phone for one call." Mac said.
"Alright, I will take Sid and his family somewhere else and call you when I get there."
"Use a taxi." Mac said, "It will be harder for Milton to follow you then."
Don nodded and left. Adam called for him to come back and get his phone first.
"Every call that comes to you I will hear, I'll only trace if it's Milton calling though." Adam explained.
Don nodded and then left. Mac sat down on a chair and sighed heavily. He gave Adam his phone and watched as Adam worked his magic.
"Same to you boss." Adam said as he gave Mac's phone back.
"Thanks Adam. I'm sorry to let you work this much with tracing calls. Unfortunately we won't be able to rest until Milton is caught."
"I'm prepared to help in any way I can." Adam smiled.
Mac growled when he got another phone call, but when he saw that it was Stella calling, his anger switched to worry.
"Stella?"
"Mac, my water just broke!"
"What?!"
"I'm going in to labor, oh god, it hurts." Stella panted.
TBC…
AN: I don't know if they ever mentioned in the TV show how old Sid's kids were, so I just made something up and I'm not sure if he had a son and a daughter or two daughters. Please review!