Title: Brick of Sanity
Author: LizzyBennett
A/N: In this chapter, I took a little break from the story to give you a little background chapter as to how Mac and Reed met from the first time. This chapter is called intermission (Chapter nine) and it will not feature the continued story-line until chapter ten. I wanted a chapter that would be sweet and fun, devoid of the angst that is going on and will be put into heavy overdrive in the next upcoming chapters. So be prepared for extra fluff and cuteness on the behalf of a five-year old name Reed Garrett.
I wanted to thank everyone for commenting, I am glad that you all are enjoying the story, and it will resume in chapter ten. Please review this chapter. And I hope everyone had an amazing thanksgiving.
Also I am thinking about taking a break from this story for the holidays to write a christmas story. I am thinking about naming it Christmas with the Taylor's, what do you guys think. I,of course, would resume this story after the holiday, but if you don't want me too I won't.
This chapter was inspired by the song: Back to Manhattan by Norah Jones.
This chapter will be very very long..... You have been warned.
*Remember when a name appears in Bold it means a change in the chracther and thought.
Intermission
To say Mac was nervous was an understatement. He was passed the point of nervousness, and no words could or would explain how the usually stoic detective was feeling. It had been a few weeks since Mac got the phone call that would send his life into a whirlwind of change. Five weeks ago Mac received a phone call from the Chicago child protective agency about a young child that had recently lost his adoptive parents in a car accident. Mac, who was overly worked and extremely moody at that peculiar moment, quickly dismissed the caller saying that he did not wish to donate to charity. Before Mac could hang up, the caller mentioned Claire's name, and Mac's mood immediately changed. After agreeing to accept the file on the case, Mac hung up, not fully grasping the full weight and gravity of the whole situation.
In the beginning Mac had his doubts. He had always known that Claire had a child, but he, like Claire, was not sure where the child was located. Mac was sure that Claire knew the child was a boy and that she had named him Reed Conrad, but after that her knowledge of where her child went, was limited. When they had first met, Claire told him that she had had a child and that she could not care for him. Agreeing to give her child up, she begrudgingly agreed to a closed adoption because her family thought it would be best if she had no contact with the child. After they were married, Mac encouraged her to talk about the situation and he learned that Claire wanted to keep the baby, but her mother talked her into giving the child a family where he would have everything that she could not give him. He listened as the pain and hurt that filled her heart, spilled out through her mouth and eyes. Over time the topic of Reed was never discussed, but every-time his birthday came around or a holiday passed, Claire would get depressed, crying for her lost child. When she passed, Mac pushed the memory of Reed, along with any other bittersweet memories of his wife, out of his mind as he fought to pick up the pieces of his shattered world.
Mac had never seen a picture of Reed until he opened the file. Any doubts that Mac had about this being the Reed conrad his wife had given up six years ago, were dispelled by the picture he held in his hands. Reed Garrett had all the features of his mother, and Mac's late wife. Everything from their green eyes, their small little noses, and their curly soft brown hair mirrored one another. Mac's heart beat slowly as he stared down at the picture, the gravity of the situation finally crashing down on him. This small boy, was the last living and breathing connection Mac could possibility have to Claire (Other than the beach ball he had saved with her breath in it), and Mac grew frighten. Fear of being rejected by a five year old, was the biggest concern Mac faced. Though he had the final say whether or not he wanted to take Reed in, Mac had this fear that the child would not want to go with him. Mac didn't want to get his hopes up, he didn't want to get too attached to a child that might not want to be with him after all. Though his thoughts were a little premature, Mac had had enough heartbreak in his life, and he didn't want to go down that road again.
But with tomorrow looming in the distance, Mac couldn't help but feel uneasy, and his work suffered greatly. His mind was preoccupied, he was hardly paying attention when he met with Sid about a victim, wasn't his usual aggressive self when he was getting yelled at by Sinclaire, and he was pretty sure that he gave Danny a week off so that he can journey to Montana with Lindsay. Others noticed he was acting out of character, but he just brushed it off as sleep deprivation. He couldn't tell them about Reed, he didn't want them to give their opinions. The only person he told, and the only opinion he cared for, was Stella's. He had told Stella after he got the phone call, and in his state of shock, he was even more surprised to see Stella grin from ear to ear. She was overly excited, asking Mac what he was going to do, and vowing to help him come to the decision that he was most comfortable with. With Stella Mac had voiced all his fears, his concerns, his heartbreak, and the fact that Reed was apart of her. And Stella, after listening intently, wrapped her arms around Mac and assured him that everything was going to be okay.
Putting his head down on the desk, he tried to block any thoughts of Reed,Claire, or the past couple of weeks, out of his mind. But it was too no avail, he just could not focus on any task at hand other than them too. Sighing heavily, Mac paid no attention to the sound of his door opening, and the heavy steps of a woman's heel walking towards him. He knew who it was, and his prediction was correct when she spoke:
"I cannot wait for tomorrow, because I have to meet the five year old that has managed to unravel the usual put together Mac Taylor,"Stella nudged Mac,"Little Reed Garrett has managed to wrap you around his chubby little fingers, and he doesn't even know it or you yet. A word of advice Mac, don't let him smell your fear children feed off that kind of stuff you know." Stella said playfully as she sat on the edge of Mac's desk.
Mac picked his head up from the table:
"I am not unraveled just concerned."
"Your unraveled, I saw you with Sinclaire today, and I was shocked that you just stood there staring off into space as he accused you of tampering with evidence. That, my friend, is unraveled. Mac he's only five, there is nothing to be concerned or fearful of. I'm pretty sure that he does not know how to spell both those words, you'll be fine."
"That's not want I am concerned about.."
"Right Mac." Stella interrupted.
"I don't know how to raise a child, what if I decide that I need him in my life because he is a product of Claire. What if he doesn't like me? What if I.." Mac stopped speaking, letting his voice trail off.
"Mac you don't need to be worrying about the future. We are in the present, tomorrow will be tomorrow and next week will be next week. We just need to take life one day at a time, you need to take this situation one day at a time. I cannot tell you what tomorrow holds for you, but I can tell you that you decide what it will hold for you. Yes it is going to be different if you decide that you need him in your life, but it won't be so bad. I think Reed coming into your life right now is a good thing, maybe it was Claire that sent him. You never know Mac until you open yourself up and stop worrying. Reed might be the last gift she left in the world just for you." Stella said in one big breath.
Mac thought about what Stella said:
"Your right Stella," Mac ran a hand through his hair,"All I can do is wait to see how tomorrow turns out. I thank you for helping me with this, I could have never got through without you."
"Mac you know I am and will always be here for you, and I hope to extend that service to Reed." Stella crossed her fingers.
Mac only nodded:
"Well tomorrow will be the deciding factor"
Mac and Stella arrived at the hotel where he would be meeting Reed and Reed's social worker Betty Warren. After getting the floor and room number from the clerk at the front desk, Mac and Stella made their way to their destination. Walking into the room, Mac was a little surprised to see it had a two- way mirror that could look into the other room, sorta like the interrogation rooms that were at the precinct. The room they were standing in had two chairs and a table, and the adjoining room had a conference table with toys scattered around for the event. Mac and Stella took a seat and waited for Mrs. Warren to join them; after about five minutes of waiting, the door to the conference room was opened and a woman walked in along with another younger lady holding a child's hand. Mac stood and walked over to the mirror, watching as the child ran towards the nearest toy in the room. Mac stood there in utter shock, as he stared at Reed. Reed's rosy cheeks and soft brown chestnut hair, reminded Mac so much of Claire, that he had to exhale to make sure that he was still breathing.
The boy was absolutely beautiful, and the fact that he was Claire's child, made the moment all the more bittersweet. Mac couldn't look away, he was transfixed, stuck in complete astonishment. He had lost his wife, that he knew, but now at this moment he felt like he had her back. There playing with a toy car, was the carbon copy of his wife. Mac was so lost in the moment, that he didn't see or hear Stella walk up next to him:
"Mac he's beautiful." Stella said breathlessly.
Mac didn't answer at first, he just continued to watch the scene playing out before him. Not getting an answer Stella continued:
"He looks.."
"So much like her," Mac finished her sentence,"He looks so much like Claire." Mac watched as Reed sat on the floor with the toys.
"Does that scare you Mac?"
"I don't know how it makes me feel Stella." Mac answered without looking away,"I just know I can't take my eyes off him."
Stella only nodded and looked back towards the room. The two stood like that until Mrs. Warren walked into the room, looking at both Mac and Stella she smiled at them:
"I had the same reaction."
Stella and Mac looked away, as if broken from their trance and looked over at Betty:
"Hi I'm detective Mac Taylor and this is my partner detective Stella Bonasera."
"Yes we spoke on the phone Detective Taylor," Betty shook Mac's hand than turned to Stella,"Hi I am Betty Warren,Reeds social worker."
"Nice to meet you Mrs. Warren." Stella shook Betty's hand.
"Please call me Betty." Betty smiled.
"Alright." Stella smiled back.
"Well detective Taylor," Betty turned to Mac,"I know this is out of the blue, but the state of Chicago wanted to respect the Garrett's wishes. In their will the Garrett's made it clear that they wanted Reed returned back to his biological parents. They insured that Reed would not go to a foster home, leaving him a large sum of money, so that his parents can take care of him. Claire Conrad's name was in that will, and that's who they wanted Reed to be returned too."
"How did they know of my wife?" Mac asked.
"Well the Garrett's were extremely wealth, they had connections. Mrs. Garrett wanted to know the woman's name that gave her such an amazing gift, so they researched and pulled some strings and got her name. They did not know that she had moved out of the state, and was married to you. When they passed away, we had to do all the research. That is when I got in contact with you and learned of Mrs. Conrad-Taylor's death." Betty said sorrowfully.
Mac only shook his head and glanced back at Reed:
"Did you try to look for his father?" Mac looked back at Betty
"We tried, before we sent you the file my assistant and myself tried looking but we had no luck. The Garrett's did not know who he was, and they were under the impression that Claire did not know either. No name was on the birth certificate, and when we tried to contact her parents, they wanted nothing to do with the child."
"She never told me his name, I am pretty sure he was a one time thing.,"Mac sighed,"Claire stopped speaking to her parents after she gave up Reed, she couldn't face them and they were still angry at her for getting pregnant out of wed-lock."
"Well because we could not find the father, you were the only one that we could look too. Like I stated before, I know that this is a lot to take in. To go from childless to having a five year old is very overwhelming..."
"What happens to him if I don't take him?"
"Well,"Betty took a deep breath,"Reed will go into the foster care system until someone decides to adopt him again."
Mac turned to look back at Reed, that was something Claire absolutely did not want for her child. When she gave him up,she knew that he was going to a good home. If she knew that foster care was her child's fate, she would have never gave him up. Mac did not know what he was going to do, he was literally stuck between a rock and a hard place. He was certain that he was not ready for a child, but he loved his late wife too much to see her child suffer. Turning to face Stella, he was certain what she would say. Stella liked a challenge, and he knew that if she was in this position, she would sign the papers and take Reed home right now. But he was not that impulsive, he needed to think:
"Mrs. Warren.."
"Betty"
"Betty, can I have some time alone with him?"
"Of course you can." Betty moved to the door and motioned for her assistant to leave the room and Mac walked in.
Mac stood hesitantly by the door, stuck in one stop. He had little too no experience with children, only interacting with them when it came to his job. He knew nothing about them, chalking that up to the fact that he had given up any hope of having children. Stella wanted to tap on the window and urge Mac to interact:
"He's nervous." She turned to Betty
"I know and I think it's cute." Betty smiled.
"It is." Stella quietly said to herself.
While Mac was trying to figure out what he wanted to do, Reed had abandoned the toy car he was playing with, and looked towards the grapes on the tray that was placed in the room. Getting up, the five year old walked over towards the table and climbed unto the chair. Mac watched as Reed reached the tray and sat on the table with the tray on his lap. Taking a grape from the bag Reed ate one grape and looked up at Mac. Reed grinned, and Mac found himself smiling back:
"Eat one." Reed extended his hand to offer Mac a grape.
"No I'm alright." Mac assured taking a step towards Reed.
"Eat one now!" Reed urged again, popping another grape into his mouth.
Mac took the grape and ate it, he barely consumed the first grape before Reed was standing on the table shoving a second grape into Mac's mouth.
"So much for not ruling the roast." Stella thought to herself.
Mac's stomach, deprived of breakfast, rumbled as the second grape hit his stomach. Hearing the rumbling, Reed, who was intrigued by the sound, moved to rest his head unto Mac's stomach to listen for the sound again. Figuring that it only made the sound when Mac was given a grape, Reed feed Mac another grape and hurriedly put his head back to Mac's stomach. Mac, who had never come this close to a child before, looked back towards the mirror as if Stella could assist, but seeing that this time he was on his own, he let Reed continue doing his "experiment." The process of Reed feeding Mac the grapes continued until there was no more:
"Your belly button makes funny noises."
"My belly button?"
"Yeah" Reed laughed again as Mac's stomach made another noise.
Mac smiled at the mistake:
"Maybe my belly button is trying to say hello?"
"Hello belly button I'm Reed." Reed said to Mac's stomach.
Mac, along with Stella and the others, laughed. Mac began to relax:
"Do you think my belly button speaks?" Reed asked Mac
"I'm sure it does." Mac said nodding his head.
"I bet it says glob glob glob like yours."
"Are you sure?" Mac said playfully
"I'm positive, do you want to hear?" Reed lifted his shirt to show Mac his stomach.
Mac pretended to move his head towards Reed's belly to listen:
"Wow your belly button makes a lot of noises."
"It does?" Reed lowered his head to try to listen.
"It sure does Reed."
"I told you so" Reed giggled.
"I guess next time I am going to have to believe you."Mac looked into Reed's eyes, they were the same eyes he looked into every-time in looked into Claire's eyes.
Stella couldn't believe what was unfolding before her eyes; Mac was coming out of his harden shell, and all it took was a child. Anyone looking upon the scene of these two, would be blind not to see the love radiating from Mac. Stella was sure of what she predicted in Mac's office the day before, Reed was well on his way to having Mac wrapped around his little finger.
Reed's eyes wandered down to the shiny badge that was attached to Mac's belt:
"Cool." Reed reached for Mac's badge.
Mac unhooked the badge and handed it to Reed. Reed took the badge and examined it; Mac sat onto the chair in front of Reed:
"This is yours?"
"Yup."
"Are you a police cop?"
Mac chuckled:
"I am Reed."
"Really."
Reed said excited as he climbed down from the table, and before Mac could stop him, moved to sit on Mac's lap. Reed absolutely loved cops, and he wanted to be closer to Mac because of that:
"What does this mean?" Reed pointed to the numbers on the badge
"That's my identification number."
"What's that?"
"So people can know my cop number" Mac brushed a wayward curl behind Reed's ear.
"Can I get a cop number?"
"Someday."
"Promise?" Reed asked with a look that stole Mac's heart:
"I Promise."
Reed smiled at Mac than rested his head on Mac's chest. Mac leant down to kiss the top of Reed's head, than rested his chin. So much for not being sucked into the allure of the child, Mac was officially drowning. He had done everything he told himself not to do; Reed, in a matter of five minutes, had managed to steal Mac's heart. Like his mother, Reed, had hit a soft spot that he hardly let anyone in too touch. At this moment Mac knew what he wanted, no needed, to do. Claire, through her son, was still present, and Mac needed to be close enough to her again. Mac looked down at Reed, in a matter of a few minutes, he had fallen asleep near Mac's heart. Not wanting to wake the child, Mac motioned for Betty and the others to come into the room.
"You said that if I don't take him he will end up in foster care" Mac asked covering Reed's ears.
"Yes." Betty whispered.
"And you could not get in contact with his father?"
"Nope, and Claire's parents wanted nothing to do with him." Betty looked down at Reed.
"Alright." Mac just wanted to make sure that he had no one to contest him in court for the custody of Reed.
Stella's heart leaped in her throat:
"Mac does this mean?" Stella cracked a grin.
Mac looked at his partner and only nodded:
"Betty what do I have to do to take him home?"
Betty leaped for joy:
"Just sign these papers, and you can take him home tonight. In another day or two, a New York social worker will be at your home to make sure that all is well and that you have sufficent living quarters for Reed."
"I do have that." Mac looked at Stella, he was referring to the room Stella had decorated for Reed.
"Your welcome." Stella mouthed
Mac signed the papers and Betty leant down to hug him:
"Your making a wonderful choice detective." Betty ruffled Reed's hair.
"I know."
"Alright I have to go and get his bags, than make a few phone calls, I will be right back"
Betty left the room leaving Stella and Mac alone with Reed:
"Mac you were wonderful with him."
"I can't it explain it Stella, it just felt natural."
"I think I know what it was." Stella leant down to get a better look at the sleeping boy.
"What was it?"
"I think you know Mac," Stella looked into Mac's eyes,"He belongs to her, and a part of you knew all along that you were not going to leave this hotel without him."
After everything was done at the hotel, and Reed awoke to say his goodbyes to Betty and her assistant. Mac and Stella took Reed to the nearby park so he can run around, and Mac and Stella could discuss what he wanted to do now that he had Reed. After that, they went out to dinner. Stella looked on lovingly as Mac tended to Reed's every need, being so attentive and not letting Reed out of his site:
"So begins the overprotecting"
Stella thought to herself as she listened to Mac order Reed's food:
"Make sure that the meat is cut into pieces that are not too small, but not too big. I want it so that he can eat them without choking."
After dinner they left the diner and headed home. The car ride was quiet, until Stella noticed that Reed has fallen asleep again:
"He's out."
Mac looked at Reed passed out in the back seat:
"That was easy." Mac grinned to himself.
"You got lucky, it's not always going to be that easy Mac."
"Stella can I just have my moment?" Mac looked over at Stella.
"Do you want your moment of silence now? Because for the next 13 years it's going to be chaos?" Stella laughed.
"I don't think it is going to be complete chaos, I have you to help me out. You can babysit when I need a little alone time, or when I go out on a date.."
"So your thinking about dating now?" Stella interrupted?
"Of course, chicks eat up that whole single dad stuff."
"So your going to use Reed to get women."
"No Stella," Mac laughed,"I'm just yanking your chain."
"Did you just say yanking your chain?"
"I heard someone in the lab say it."
"It sounds like something Adam would say; but I knew you were joking, or you would have had to stop this car so that I can beat you up." Stella said rather seriously.
"Oh really now?" Mac took his eyes off the road to look at Stella.
"Mac pay attention, you have precious cargo in the back."
"Your always looking out for my best interest."
"Of course I am Mac, what kind of partner and friend would I be if I didn't?"
Mac thought for a moment:
"You'd be a flack." That was another word Mac was pretty sure he got from Adam.
Stella looked at Mac in surprise, he was using terms and words that Stella was pretty sure Mac did not use on a daily biases:
"We'll I certainly don't want to let you down now that you have Prince Reed to look after,"Stella smirked,"You know the new ruler of the Taylor household."
"If he is the prince than does that make me king?"
"I don't think so."
Stella laughed, she was loving this rarely seen side of Mac. They chatted lightly about cases, and Reed's care until they arrived at the apartment. Mac carried Reed as they walked to Stella's car; before Stella left she looked up at Mac holding Reed:
"You look.." Stella couldn't finish the sentence the moment was too surreal.
"Huh.."
"Nothing, goodnight Mac," Stella leaned in and kissed Reed,"Goodnight Prince Garrett."
"I hope you don't intend on calling him that for the rest of his life."
"No, but give it a week and I bet he'll be acting like a prince. The first child is always the spoiled one."
"Wow and here I was thinking it was the last child that got spoiled the most." Mac responded.
"Well there you go,Reed is going to be spoiled galore being that I don't see you ever having kids of your own Mac."
"I see your point; well," Mac started looking down at the sleeping Reed,"I guess your right Stella."
"About what?"
"This little guy does have me wrapped around his fingers for now, but I think I put up a good fight."
"He had you after he shoved the second grape into your mouth."
"Alright well I plan on rebounding for round two." Mac eyes gleamed with a mixture of pride and love.
"My money is still on Reed."
Mac smiled and looked down at his watch:
"Well let me get the prince into bed goodnight Stella."
"Good night Mac."
Stella watched as Mac turned and walked towards the door that lead up into the building from the garage. Once they were gone Stella got into the car and rested her head unto the steering wheel. She had to stop herself from telling Mac that he looked like a caring father holding his child, a look she had also envisioned him to be with her. Though she teased Mac about him being wrapped around Reed's finger, she too was bit by the bug. Reed wrapped her around his fingers, from the first moment she laid eyes on him. And she wanted nothing more than to be with Mac, tucking Reed in. Starting her engine, she thought about the day. This day was a day of first for Stella; she had seen Mac smile for the first time in months, she had seen Mac come out of his shell so much so that he took custody of a five year old. And most importantly, this was the day Stella realized she was in love with Mac Taylor.
A/N: Thank you all for bearing with me long enough to get to this point of the chapter. It took me forever to realize how I wanted to end it. So what did you think of the intermission? Wasn't this a cute chapter? I thought it was, so you have the background as to how Reed came into Mac's life. There will be another chapter like this to show you how Mac adjusted the first night and how the team met Reed. I wanted to show a different side of Mac and how Reed began to help Mac heal.
P.S: I want to see something, before you comment I want you to write Captain Jack Sparrow. I want to see if you read my Authors Notes.