Disclaimer on chapter one.
AN: Tada! Ok so amist all the crap flying around in my life, I still found time to churn this baby out. I think I'm happy with it...I hope you are too. Let me know what ya'll think. dark rolling sea.
Chapter Ten: Emotions
Mac walked across the room and slapped his hands down hard on the corners of the sink. He ducked his head and closed his eyes, paying no attention to the door banging open behind him. The person came in slowly and then stopped. Mac continued to grip the sink tighter and tighter, ignoring whoever came in after him.
His knuckles were a bright white as he clenched his teeth and bit at his lip. The stress of this day was about to kill him, he thought. His mind reeled as he knew just how close he was to actually snapping and physically harming Conner Ebbits. That thought scared him. His arms started to burn from the force he was squeezing the sink, but he didn't relent. The pain made him feel alive. It helped him to maintain control over his shattered mind.
Lindsay stopped just inside the doorway not sure how to proceed. She could tell Mac didn't know it was her that had followed him in the restroom. She stared at his back, wondering how close to the edge he was teetering. She felt the nervousness gnawing at her gut, as she replayed his actions in interrogation. She knew she needed to reach down deep and find the guts to say something.
Obviously she followed him in there for a reason. She rationalized her hast actions now that she was faced with the deed. It wasn't clear to her why she had followed him, just a deep seeded force that had propelled her forward. That much she knew, but what if this was all in her head? What if all that has happened in the last twenty four hours was just stress induced? She noticed Mac's chin settled against his chest and she knew she needed to make a move. Lindsay took a deep breath and stepped forward.
Mac flinched when the hand came down softly on the back of his shoulder. The gentleness of the touch made him relax under it. He still held his eyes tightly shut, battling the panic rat that was attempting to gnaw from its cage inside his head. Lindsay stood for a while just touching his shoulder with the palm of her hand, before she moved closer and snaked her arms around his waist. Her head came to rest against his shoulder blade and she laid her cheek flat against it, closing her eyes.
Mac felt the warmth in the gesture and knew he was done for. The little that he let out the night before was nothing compared to what he let go of in the bathroom with Lindsay holding him tightly. It was a silent onslaught, but the tears were plentiful. When Mac's knees gave way, Lindsay helped to lower him to the floor, his grip finally faltering on the porcelain sink basin.
Mac twisted in Lindsay grasp as they went down and they ended up sitting side by side with Mac's head coming to rest on Lindsay's shoulder. His face turned and buried itself into her neck as the tears came down his face. Lindsay wrapped both arms around him and held him tightly to her.
They sat for a while like this, Lindsay just simply holding him while he released the emotion built up inside him. Mac kept his head buried in her neck and battled the feelings that bounced around inside him with each breath he took. Lindsay's scent filled his nostrils with each intake and his gut would flutter. He wondered if it was his weakened emotional state that had finally broke the damn on his feelings for his subordinate. There was no denying it now, as he sat cradled in her arms with his nose pressed into the delicate skin on her neck.
Rational thinking left him and instinct took over, as his lips moved up to her neck, causing Lindsay's eyes to flutter open, as she sucked in a breath. Mac slowly moved his lips, tasting her flesh with his eyes shut. He didn't know what he was doing; he just knew it felt right. Lindsay couldn't stop herself from tilting her head to the side, giving Mac more access.
His lips slowly made their way up her neck and onto the back of her jaw. Mac shifted slightly giving himself a better angle as he made his way down her jaw line towards her chin. A small moan escaped Lindsay's lips while he continued his gentle caress with his lips. It was enough, she turned her head and met his lips full on with her own, both reeling in the passion felt from the other.
The need for air separated their mouths, but their foreheads remained touching. Neither one had ventured to open their eyes as they sat panting. Mac still had tears leaking from his eyes as he pursed his lips and battled the rational part of his mind that had returned. Lindsay sat wondering what the hell had just happened. When she was breathing again, she leaned down again capturing his lips, not satisfied with the one taste. Mac responded with equal want and desire.
The second kiss came to an end and Lindsay opened her eyes to look into the serious face of Mac. Their eyes locked for a moment before she pulled back from him and slumped against the wall. She was afraid he would say he was sorry, afraid he would regret what had just happened, afraid he didn't.
Mac slumped back between the sinks and ran a hand over his face, trying to clear his jumbled mind, wondering if he had just screwed up. From the look on her face he wasn't sure, but he knew he saw some fear in it. Lindsay leaned forward and cupped his jaw in her hands, forcing him to look at her. He took a deep breath and looked into her eyes.
"I…" but he couldn't form words to explain.
"I know," Lindsay whispered as a small smile crossed her lips. Mac nodded and reached up with his own hand, running his palm down the side of her face.
"We need to talk about this," he whispered and Lindsay nodded.
"But it can wait," Lindsay replied.
"Reed," Mac breathed and then stood. After he was on his feet, he extended his hand and helped Lindsay up as well. Mac splashed some water on his face before he led the way from the restroom with her on his tail, as they headed back towards interrogation. Flack stuck his head out and saw the two coming and couldn't help but smile. He knew well enough to not intrude though and kept his mouth shut. As they neared, he finally spoke to them.
"Storm's done with him. They got him in booking now," Flack said.
"Did he give up a location?" Mac asked with a drained voice.
"No. He claims he doesn't know a Reed Taylor. Storm gave the undercover name and got a smile out of Ebbits. He knows, he's just not sharing," Flack replied with a sigh. It was then that Stella walked up to them with Danny in tow. Danny looked at Mac with a solemn look.
"What are you doing here?" Mac asked softly looking at Danny.
"Uh, Stella needed help," he replied with a slight shrug. Mac glanced at Stella and nodded. He stood surrounded by his team and knew things would work out in the end. They would find Reed; he just hoped it was in time.
Patrick walked hurriedly up to the desk in the ER. His face was drawn and distraught as he explained to the nurse he was looking for his cousin. Patrick explained who had brought him in and what his injuries were and the nurse immediately knew who he was talking about.
"They took him up to surgery. Would you be able to give us some information on your cousin?" the nurse asked. "So we can get it in the computer. We don't even have a name for him."
"Yeah, sounds like Tyler. He doesn't usually carry his ID on him. I'm always telling him that's a bad idea, but you know he never listens. Then something like this happens," Patrick started to ramble, mimicking a panicking cousin worried sick.
"I understand," the nurse said cutting him off gently. "If you could just provide some information…"
"Oh yeah, sure, sorry. I'm just so worried ya know?" Patrick said while fidgeting with the sleeve of his shirt. "Ah his name is Tyler Wilson. We're from New York City. 118th street. I don't know if he has insurance or not."
"Ok," the nurse replied as she typed the information into the computer. "And your name?"
"Kevin. Kevin Wilson. Our dads are brothers," Patrick replied with a nod.
"And a number we can reach you at?"
Patrick made up a number and then asked if he could see his cousin. The nurse explained he was still in surgery but that he could wait for his cousin on the seventh floor. She also told him the Good Samaritan that brought his cousin in was still waiting upstairs. Patrick put on a fake smile as he nodded but inside his gut shifted. It might prove more difficult to conclude his task if the other man was hanging around.
Patrick hurried to the elevator and made his way up to the seventh floor. He came across the waiting room and saw the other man sitting in a chair staring at the wall. Patrick stepped in and put on a haggard look as he took a seat near the door.
Ben sat in the waiting room staring at a magazine. No one had come back to tell him about the unconscious man. He knew a surgery like this could take hours so he flipped through the pages listlessly. The television continued to hum in the background, but Ben paid no heed to it. It was more or less a drone in the room.
He soon grew tired of the magazine and tossed it on the stack of others. He picked at his jeans for a while before that too lost his attention. He glanced around the room wondering why he was still hanging around for a man he didn't even know. Maybe it was the simple fact that if he wasn't there, who would be.
Or maybe he just wanted an excuse to not have to go to his mother's. He didn't know and right now it really didn't matter he figured. The fact was he was still sitting here waiting. He stood and paced the room a couple times to stretch his legs. They felt crampy from sitting for so long. Once he felt them stretch a little, and the blood begin to flow again he slumped back into the chair to wait.
It was another half an hour before someone came towards him. He had expected Sandy, but it was another nurse this time. She was short, had shoulder length brown hair and she walked like she was tired. Ben stood as she came into the room and met her half way.
"You're here with the John Doe?" she asked.
"Yeah, I brought him in," Ben replied with a weak smile.
"He's still in surgery, but they are progressing along. His shoulder has been repaired and they are now fixing his orbital bones. Shouldn't be much longer." She said plainly.
Ben nodded and then the nurse turned and left. He debated whether he should stick around or not. He made up his mind to stay. He'd seen it through this far, he might as well see it through to the end. He plopped back down into the chair and sighed as his attention drifted up to the television. It was playing some soap opera he had never seen before and shortly his attention waned.
He was staring a hole into the wall when he noticed movement by the door again. At first he thought it was the nurse back, but when he looked up he saw a tired and worried looking man. The man came in and slumped into the chair closest to the door. Ben got up and walked up to him.
TBC…