Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY. Never will.
A/N: NO FLAMES! Not accepted.
2nd A/N: I am aware that the date of Father's Day changes year-to-year but I have chosen the one from this year.
Chapter Eight – Father's Day
June 15th 6am
Amanda had this day planned from the get-go when she found out the date of Father's Day, she had it marked on her calendar. Getting out of bed she crept down to her Dad's bedroom and opened the door quietly, he was sleeping. He didn't sleep often but when he did, she made sure he was undisturbed so she snuck in and stole his phone from beside his bed. If it rang he would remain asleep. The criminal classes could wait. But this was a day just for him (also for Danny but that was Lucy's job). Their third Father's day and Amanda was excited she had missed the past two because she had forgotten or he had gotten a call before she woke up and a case had kept him at work. Ruining all the plans Amanda had. But not today.
Amanda had hidden everything so he wouldn't get suspicious. She took out the bacon, eggs, sausages, hash browns, tomatoes. He was going to get a traditional English fry-up. Without the beans. She started by squeezing out the oranges she had bought the day before. She had said she had fancied having some fruit in the house. Soon she had two tall glasses full of orange juice and as she glanced at the clock, she knew her father would be waking on his own now so it was time to start cooking. She methodically worked as she cooked; she had done this a few times for her mother on Mother's Day. She looked up as 7:30 crept around and smiled when she saw her father – he was still dressed in the t-shirt he slept in and pyjama bottoms. He raised an eyebrow at her sleepily.
"Am I still dreaming?" He asked, she laughed.
"No. I'm cooking you breakfast. It's Father's Day! Happy Father's Day Daddy!" She said turning the stove down before moving to give him a hug. Hugs were often and Mac relished every single one. He let her pull away and go back to her cooking it smelt divine and he couldn't wait to taste it. If she was as good of a cook as her mother had been then he'd be a very proud father indeed.
It just so happened that as Mac finished his breakfast, which was absolutely mouth-wateringly good, his cell rang, Amanda quietly cursed before handing it to him.
"Taylor." He looked up at her and saw the crestfallen expression, "I'll be right there."
"You have to go huh?" She said chewing her bottom lip.
"You want to hang out with Adam for company?" He asked, he never asked her to 'hang out' with Adam. Usually she had to beg and plead and basically drive him mad until he agreed.
"Sure. Maybe I can be of some help." She said, getting up and clearing the table.
"By the way sweetheart?" Amanda turned at the term of endearment, "breakfast was divine." He said in his best fake British accent and Amanda laughed. She still hand an English twang but her accent was mostly American now. The pair took turns in the bathroom and soon they were grabbing anything they needed (Amanda included her iPod and a book in case she got bored…as if!). They climbed into the SUV and so their Sunday began.
Mac dropped Amanda at the lab and then went on to the Crime Scene. Amanda let herself into the lab and looked around slowly. She could see Adam in the DNA lab and Lindsay running prints. She could see Hawkes standing with her. Several of the other scientists too were going to and fro running DNA or prints or fibres and whatnot. Amanda made it to the doorway of the DNA lab before her mind took her right back to when she was 13 and got shot.
She could hear the elevator ping open;
The computer alerting her and Danny to a match on the prints he'd been running;
The shouting of the other scientists;
The tearing of her flesh as the bullet hit it;
Being pushed to the floor as Danny shielded her from any more harm;
His voice in her ear telling Adam to press harder and that she was going to be ok.
Her mind ran right back to there and she had to grip the doorway to stay upright, Adam looked up to greet her and did a double take. Amanda had gone pale and she was swaying slightly. He got to his feet and gripped her under her arms just as her knees buckled and she lost her grip on the doorway.
"Hawkes!" He shouted the doctor turned and didn't even have to ask what was wrong. The sight of the brunette in Adam's arms was enough. He sprinted over and got Adam to lay her down on the floor, not the most comfortable but it was easiest. Even Lindsay hurried over to help. They knelt next to her; Hawkes checked her vitals glad to find she had just fainted. He told Adam to help him and together they took her to Mac's office and laid her gently on the coach so she could wake in her own time and she'd at least be comfortable. They decided against calling Mac and they let Amanda recover on her own. She woke sometime later and Mac thankfully still wasn't back from the crime scene. Hawkes was there when she woke; he'd just wanted to check up on her.
"How you feeling?" He asked.
"Okay I guess…did I faint?" She asked.
"Yeah. Right into Adam's arms. Poor guy nearly fainted himself." Amanda smiled softly.
"Sorry if I worried you. Is Dad angry?" Amanda asked.
"No, he doesn't know yet. We decided not to call and worry him." Hawkes said. Amanda looked past him to the elevator.
"He'll know if you tell him now." She said, Hawkes turned, and sure enough Mac had just stepped out of the elevator and noticed the pair in his office. His pace quickened mostly because Amanda still looked slightly pale. He was at her side as soon as he stepped inside.
"Are you all right?"
"I'm fine Dad. Hawkes looked after me, it was just a small fainting episode. Flashbacks." She said waving him away.
"Flashbacks?" Both men said.
"Yeah…it all came rushing back. All of it, the sounds, the smells and even Danny's pushing me to the floor. I even felt the bullet again…" Amanda had gone deathly pale. Mac put his hand on her cheek and forced her to look at him.
"It's going to be all right. You can rest in here if you want, but if you'd feel better you can stay in the DNA lab with Adam."
"It might make him feel better. Sheldon said he was quite scared when I fainted."
"All right, Adam it is, but you know," Amanda nodded waving her hand at her father.
"If I feel sick or get dizzy again to find Hawkes or you." She recited, having heard it all the times she'd been sick in the lab. Which was a grand total of three times – not including today.
Amanda looked down at her watch it was well past six o'clock, she'd asked Danny to drive her home, and now her father was late for dinner. She'd already cooked it and it was probably ruined by now. Her present sat on the table across from her and as she heard the lock slide as her father finally got home she sighed and got up from the table moving to her room, leaving the table as it was. She knew her father saw it because she heard him curse quietly as she shut her door.
"Manda? Baby please let me in." Mac said as he knocked on her locked bedroom door.
"No, dad, I'm really tired right now. Today's been a pretty big day." Amanda replied but really she was sitting at her computer ready to rant in an email to her mother.
"You sat in the lab with Adam all day after you fainted. Nothing too strenuous." Mac said, he was a little annoyed but he knew he'd upset her.
"Maybe not, but I'm still tired. Goodnight Dad. Hope you had a good day." She said conversation over. Mac shook his head and went back to the kitchen. He picked up one of the plates he guessed it was his and put it in the microwave. He heated it up, it looked very nice and he knew he'd hurt Amanda's feelings if he threw it out or didn't eat it. He covered her's and put it in the fridge, knowing she'd come out at about midnight and eat it. She had once before. Mac felt really horrible about this, Amanda had gone to all the trouble to make this Father's Day his best and it had been ruined by work. He had promised her he would leave Jo to finish up with the case and he'd come home for dinner at six and he'd forgotten. As far as Amanda was concerned he'd lied to her. Broken a promise – their relationship wasn't as close as it should have been to start with and now she was upset. Well done Mac, he thought bitterly, now you've gone and done it! He knew he should've left Jo with the closing of the case, she was more than capable. But he hadn't. He'd forgotten about Amanda's need to make today special for him. And now he'd gone and ruined an already unstable relationship with his own child. He was a terribly father.
As he waited for his dinner to heat he opened the card.
Daddy,
I love calling you that and I love the fact that you and I are now a real family. I never knew you for such a long time and now I do I feel as though I've known you my whole life. I hope you like your gift…Danny helped me pick it out.
With all my love,
Your Panda Bear xx
Mac smiled, he knew he'd love it whatever it was. He picked up the brightly wrapped box and unwrapped it carefully. He smiled at the shiny mahogany box that sat in his hands, he slowly opened it and smiled. There lying neatly on the velvet were his service medals. And on top of them was something he'd been eyeing for a while now. A brand new strap for his guitar. He picked it up and as it unrolled he noticed it had something stitched into it.
Mac Taylor
He stared it for a moment before looking up at the clearing of a throat.
"Do you like it?" Amanda asked in a small voice, she'd obviously taken his silence the wrong way, Mac pushed himself off the bench and wrapped his arms around her pulling her in close to cradle her to his chest, he could tell she had started to cry even though they were muffled she was sobbing. He rubbed her back soothingly.
"Manda? Panda Bear?" Amanda made a noise that sounded like a laugh, "I love you gift. It's beautiful and I love the guitar strap, I've been needing a new one. I love it so much." Mac said kissing her cheek and hugging her again.
"I'm sorry I was such a sook before. I've never missed a meal with Mum on Mother's Day so I guess it was just a bit of a shock you missed it. I'm sorry Daddy. But Happy Father Day anyway!" Amanda said, "And I like the sound of you calling me Panda Bear." Mac winked at her.
"Thank-you Panda Bear. I love you." He said.
"Love you too Dad." Amanda replied before moving to heat her dinner too.
