Author's Note: MJ Taylor is my creation however, CSI: New York and its characters belong to CBS.

The time frame is a few years after M.J. Taylor has completed the NYC Police Academy. Her family, brother Mac Taylor and his wife Claire Taylor are the heart and soul that drives her. She has strived to overcome her past and make her parents, Walter and Marie Taylor, proud of what she's accomplished in her life. However, the nightmares of her childhood are never far and are still a threat to everything she holds dear. Keeping her family safe is basis of everything she does. Now in order to keep them safe she has to face her the monster from her past, but she won't face him alone, whether she likes it or not.


CHOICES

Back in the truck, MJ spent the entire ride angrily muttering to herself. Mac had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing. He couldn't remember the last time somebody got under MJ's skin so bad that she was talking to herself. Claire was going to love this.

Once at the crime lab, Mac and MJ made their way upstairs to Mac's new office. On the way there, he gave her the fifty-cent tour. They walked into his office and MJ strolled over to the window. "Wow, Mac. What an incredible view." Mac grinned. "Thanks. Hey, I'm gonna grab coffee, you want one?" MJ nodded. "I'm going to say hi to Stella." Mac grinned. "She is two doors down on the left." MJ stepped out the door and headed towards Stella's office. She heard her talking with one of the lab techs and waited for her to finish. She was so absorbed in the conversation she didn't even see her. Once the lab tech left she finally looked up and saw MJ. "Oh My God. MJ." Stella quickly came over and embraced her in a warm hug. "Hey Stella." MJ returned the embrace. She really liked Mac's partner. "Love the new digs." MJ commented. "Thanks. How are you? You okay?" Stella searched MJ's face for the answers she sought. "I'm fine Stel, honest." Stella stepped back. "We'll see. Eyes on Murphy yet?" Stella hopefully asked. "No, that's next on the to do list." MJ told her. "Everything okay with you?" She wanted to switch the focus off of herself. "Same as always." Mac walked in and handed MJ her coffee. "Stel, if you have everything under control here, MJ and I have got work to do." Stella nodded. "Nothing I can't handle and I know where to find you if stuff comes up. But do me a favor?" Stella asked. "If there is anything I can do, let me know." Mac smiled. "You got it. MJ, you ready?" MJ nodded. "Let's get to it." Mac headed back to his office with MJ close on his heels.

They had been working for about an hour when a shadow stood in the doorway of Mac's office. So immersed in what they were doing Mac and MJ didn't notice until a voice interrupted their work. "Margaret Joanna Taylor, how dare you come off assignment, show up at this lab and not check in with me." MJ and Mac looked up and saw Dr. Sid Hammerback standing there looking not too happy. "Sorry Sid." MJ guiltily answered. Mac grinned at Sid's scolding. "I had to hear from a Stella that you were here." MJ came around the corner and stood in front of Sid. She looked up into his eyes and saw the concern for her. He was always afraid she'd end up on one of his tables knowing how dangerous her work could be. "I'm okay. I promise." Sid didn't believe her. There was something behind her eyes. Sid noticed they were both hard at work and asked. "What are you working on already? You usually have a week or two between assignments." MJ's eyes widened with shock and she swung around to look at Mac. "You didn't tell him?" She asked. Mac cringed knowing what was coming. "Sorry, it's been a crazy 48 hours Sissy. I barely had time to tell Stella." MJ sighed.

For some reason, telling Sid that Murphy was in New York seemed to be harder than telling anyone. Sid knew more than most and that was primarily because he had MJ's medical file. That medical file told of the horrors of her early adolescence and teenage years.

"Come on in Sid." MJ instructed. "I don't like the sound of that." Sid looked at her realizing he was about to learn the reason for his disbelief that she was okay. "Sid, it's going to be fine, I promise." MJ stated. "What's going to be fine, MJ? What are you working on?" Sid asked. MJ shut the door to Mac's office and turned around to face him with her hands folded in front of her. She took a deep breath understanding there was no easy way to tell him. "I got pulled off my assignment, Sid." Sid looked surprised. "Why?" She sighed then answered him. "Murphy's here in New York." Sid's facial expression said so much. He was first shocked then disgusted and finally angry. "WHAT?" Sid was so irate he started to pace. "How? When? Isn't it Bennett's job to keep an eye on him?" MJ nodded. "Yeah it is but as usual "he misplaced him" again." Mac tried to calm Sid down. He had always been extremely protective of MJ. "Sid, we've made some headway and should have eyes on him soon." Sid stared at Mac. "Is that before or after he finishes what he started?" Sid knew it wasn't Mac he was angry at; it was Murphy, for putting MJ through hell and continuing to return just to torment her. "Sorry, Mac. I know it's not your fault." Mac just brushed it off. "It's okay Sid. We're all on edge." Sid looked at Mac. "Claire?" MJ answered for him. "She's got a detail per Sinclair. She's safe." MJ walked towards him and put a hand on his arm. "And so am I, I promise Sid. He can't hurt me anymore." MJ tried to reassure him." God I hope not, he's done enough damage." She gave him a small smile then wrapped her arms around his waist and gave him a squeeze. "Oh Sid, I adore you, you know that?"

Sid wrapped an arm around her and dropped his head on hers. He was always amazed with MJ's abilities to lock the horrors of her childhood in a box and carry on as if she had a normal life. Hence his desire to protect her, especially knowing what he did of that life she escaped from. "And I you, little one. I just wish you could stop looking over your shoulder." MJ gave a small laugh. "Now where's the fun in that?" Sid looked down at the young woman who he cared for like his own daughter. "You should be out dating and having fun, not worrying about looking for Murphy around every corner." MJ scoffed at the idea of dating. "Me dating? With Mac around? Yeah, right."

Mac, seeing that the mood lightened up slightly, chose to offer an apology. "Sid, I am sorry for not telling you sooner, it just happened so fast." Sid shook him off. "No problem, Mac. Just keep our girl safe and when you find him, I want just 5 minutes with him. Just 5 minutes." MJ shook her head. "Get in line." Mac countered. She interrupted both of them. "No. Sid, you are going to make me the same promise Mac did. He's not worth it. He can't hurt me anymore." Sid looked at her in disbelief. "What about what he's done to you? What about the hell he's forced you into, living on the streets?" MJ brushed it off. "Sid, it's now that's important; not what happened back then. I just want to protect what I have now. Can you understand that? All I want is for my family, including you, to be safe from him. That's what's important to me." MJ pleaded and finally Sid relented. "Yes, I can sweetheart. Yes, I can." He then embraced her in a hug. "Sid, you are going to have two choices." MJ stated with a very serious tone. Sid was taken back by her comment. "What choices? What are you talking about?" MJ looked up at him. "You accept the detail I've requested for you or you move into a safe house." Sid began to argue. "I don't need either. I'll be extra careful and the second I think there's a problem I'll call you or Mac. Promise." Sid crossed his heart. MJ shook her head. She knew that by the time Sid thought there was a problem; it was going to be too late to do anything. "Nope not good enough. Sid, please for your family and for me. I need to focus on finding him not worrying about whether or not you're safe. Please." She looked at him with pleading eyes. "All right. All right. For you." There was a silent pause between the three of them. "Well the sooner I let you two get back to work, the sooner Murphy's out of our hair. So I'll leave you to it." Sid nodded at Mac and kissed MJ on the head. "You're to be safe, promise?" He asked. MJ gave him a small smile. "Promise." With that he left. "You asked for a detail for him?" Mac asked. Confidently, MJ responded. "It's a phone call away. Besides, having one of the top ME's of the city hurt wouldn't look good in the press and you know how Sinclair hates bad press." MJ grinned. Mac chuckled. He was again impressed at exactly how good his sister was at getting what was needed.