Disclaimer on chapter one.
AN: Ok this site is kinda making me mad. First it takes like four tries for me to upload a single chapter...then the stupid options don't work right. argh. Anyway. Finally we reach the end of this wonderful ride. I want to thank all of you that have read this tale, and especially want to thank those that took the time to review for me. Love it. Ok here you go the ending. dark rolling sea.
Chapter Fourteen: Closure
They arrived at the hospital and piled out of the car. Danny and Stella held back a step as Mac and Lindsay rushed ahead of them. The FBI team came up with Danny and Stella and the group entered the ER doors. The sheer numbers made the nurse groan as they came up to the desk. They explained why they were there and the nurse breathed a sigh of relief.
She told them how to find the room they wanted and then pointed them in the right direction. Mac and the team road up in the elevator, with Storm accompanying them. The rest of the FBI Agents waited for the second elevator. Once on the floor, Mac hurried towards the direction the nurse told them.
Storm was right behind Mac, as Lindsay clung to his side. Stella and Danny found the waiting room and slipped inside. Storm walked around Mac and hurried up to the two men sitting outside a door. They both rose when they saw him coming. Mac and Lindsay came up behind Storm.
"Agent Storm?" Hardy asked.
"Yes," Storm replied extending his hand. The two men shook then Hardy introduced Travis, while Storm introduced Mac and Lindsay.
"He's still out. Pretty torn up, but the doc thinks he'll recover," Hardy continued. Mac pushed past the two agents, while Lindsay came with him, and entered the room.
He looked at his nephew in the bed and cringed at what he saw. The body was beaten and broken. He walked closer and placed an uneasy hand on Reed's good shoulder and swallowed hard. Lindsay walked up beside him and linked her arm through Mac's other arm.
"Hang in there, Reed," he whispered softly, as he patted his hand on Reed's shoulder. Mac then turned and headed back into the hallway where he came across Hardy, Travis, and Storm.
"We came in just in time. Ripley was about to force an air bubble down the IV tube when we entered the scene," Hardy was telling Storm.
"Good work. Ripley is now in custody?" Storm replied.
"Yes. Donovan and Martin took him back to the City," Travis offered. Storm nodded.
Mac thanked the two men for what they had done and then headed towards the waiting room where the rest of his team was. Once inside he saw the rest of Storm's team talking to a man in the corner, while Stella and Danny sat in a pair of chairs observing. Mac walked up to his team with Lindsay beside him, watching the conference in the corner.
"What's going on?" Mac asked the strain and drain evident in his voice.
"That's the guy that brought your nephew in," Danny said stabbing a finger towards the man surrounded by FBI agents. Mac stared a moment and then headed in that direction. Lindsay slumped into a seat next to Stella and watched. Mac approached the group slowly watching the man in the middle the entire time. Finally Agent Pierce noticed Mac standing just outside the circle.
"Mr. Garret, this is Detective Taylor of the NYPD," Pierce said holding a hand out in Mac's direction.
"Taylor. Related to the guy down there?" Garret asked pointing towards Reed's room.
"Yes, he's my nephew. Thank you."
"Hey no problem, man. I think anyone would have done what I did," he replied with a slight shrug of his shoulders. Mac extended his hand and the two shook firmly, before Pierce resumed his questioning of Garret. Once they were satisfied Garret was free to go.
"That's all we need from you now, Mr. Garret. We'll contact you if we need more," Pierce said with a smile.
"Uh, ok. Can I see Reed before I go?" Ben asked hesitantly.
"Yes," Mac said with a nod.
Ben slowly entered the room and shook his head. He finally knew who the man that fell, quite literally, into his life was. It was a bit sickening to look at him all bruised and broken but he knew that his actions helped to save this man's life. He smiled at himself and said a silent prayer, before turning and heading out the door. He would make his mom's house by tonight after all. He left the hospital without another word, leaving the young man's care in the hands of his family.
Several hours later Mac was sitting in Reed's room watching his chest rise and fall. Reed had yet to regain consciousness and the doctor was starting to get slightly worried that there could be a worse head injury than first anticipated. He was attempting to hide his worries from Mac, but was failing miserably. Mac had sent his team home, and the FBI had vacated to get some rest, but Lindsay had refused to leave. Not that he had pushed hard for her to leave.
They were sitting alone in the room, Mac in the chair and Lindsay sitting in the window sill staring out the glass. They hadn't spoken in at least an hour, both focusing on internal conversations. Lindsay was still trying to figure out how much had changed and what it all meant. She was still harboring a slight fear that things would be awkward and Mac would want to act like nothing happened.
Mac was running his feelings through his head trying to separate what they meant. He knew that there was something strong there, and that he didn't want to lose it. He was just worried that Lindsay would suddenly realize that he was wrong for her and move on. It was a big step for him to open up, if he so chose to do so. He glanced at her and couldn't help the smile. She was staring unfocused out the window, obviously not looking at anything in particular.
The nurse came in again to check Reed's vitals and neither Mac nor Lindsay took stock in the movement. It had become routine since they had arrived at the hospital. The sun was finally going down and Lindsay was feeling the tug of exhaustion as she tried to stifle the first of many yawns. Mac watched, a slight smile playing over his lips, as she was slowly losing the battle.
"Hey," he said softly to garner Lindsay's attention once the nurse was gone. He sat forward in the chair. Lindsay absently looked over at him.
"What?"
"Come over here," he said tilting his head. Lindsay gave him a curious look before sliding from the window sill and moving to stand in front of him. He reached up and she took his hand. After their fingers had interlaced, he tugged her forward, bringing her into his lap. Lindsay let out a surprised squeak as she toppled into him.
"Hi," Lindsay said once she regained her composure, offering a slight laugh along with it. Mac smiled.
"You looked tired. Thought the chair would be more comfortable," Mac replied with a smile.
"If I look tired you must look," Lindsay started.
"I know, I'm exhausted too," Mac said closing his eyes and nodding. He patted his shoulder and Lindsay readjusted next to him and brought her head down against it. His arm came up and around her holding her tightly. Lindsay breathed in deeply, closing her eyes. Mac felt the gesture and couldn't help the spark he felt deep inside.
Lindsay nipped at his neck, hesitantly at first, and then more attentively when Mac tilted his jaw up a little. He then turned his head and captured her lips with his own, as they locked into a slow passionate kiss. When they needed air, they pulled apart and looked at each other.
"What's happening?" Lindsay asked as she leaned her cheek against his neck. Mac closed his eyes.
"Things are changing."
"For the better?" Lindsay whispered. Mac could hear the edge to her question and he knew he had to reassure her that he wanted this to move forward. He tilted his head to lay it on top of hers.
"Yes, if you want it too."
"Do you?"
"Yes," Mac said feeling his eyes starting to drift close. He was fighting the sleep, but new it was fruitless, as the exhaustion began to overtake his body. He felt Lindsay snuggle in deeper and wrap her arms around him.
"So do I," she said against his neck with a light kiss. His lips curled upwards in a smile as he finally succumbed to the darkness of rest. Lindsay soon followed as the thoughts of their newfound relationship rolled around in her mind.
Lindsay slowly woke to the feeling of eyes on her. She blinked a few times trying to remember why she wasn't in her own bed. Then she felt the warmth next to her and she tilted her head up to find Mac. Everything returned. She found that they had tangled together more since falling asleep, causing a smile to expand over her lips. She looked at Mac and noticed he was still out but it still felt as if someone was watching her.
"Good to see Uncle Mac has found someone," a voice said from the bed. Lindsay sat up a little, careful not to wake Mac and looked in that direction. She saw Reed propped up slightly in the bed. Lindsay looked at Mac once more before she untangled herself and got up. Mac shifted in his sleep but didn't stir.
"I'm Lindsay," she said walking up next to the bed. Reed nodded.
"Reed Taylor, Mac's nephew."
"I know," Lindsay said with a smile. "You put him through quite the scare."
They both looked over at Mac for a moment and when Lindsay looked back at the young man, she could see the pain his eyes. Reed finally looked up at Lindsay again. Reed could feel the pain throbbing through his body and he closed his eyes, swallowing hard.
Lindsay's attention was caught by movement in the chair. She looked over to see Mac slowly blinking the sleep from his eyes, scanning the room. His sight landed on Lindsay and he smiled. Reed opened his eyes then and saw his uncle awake and offered as much as a smile as he could. Mac came to the bedside and wrapped an arm around Lindsay while standing next to Reed.
"Welcome back," Mac said with relief.
"Yeah, was a bit touch and go in the woods," Reed said wincing at the pain.
"You shouldn't talk yet," Mac replied. "You got some pretty nasty broken ribs right now. Not to mention some head injuries."
Reed slowly nodded, but even that movement seemed to cause more pain. He closed his eyes and drifted back into sleep. Mac turned to Lindsay and she saw the relief wash over him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and placed her head on his chest.
"It's all going to be ok," Lindsay said with a sigh.
"More than ok. Lindsay," Mac said gaining her attention enough for her to look up at him. She waited patiently for him to continue. "I'd like to…I mean we could…"
He closed his eyes and swore internally that he couldn't form a coherent sentence right now. His mind was running faster than he could harness it and it was making for difficultly in communication. Lindsay reached up with her hand and ran it along the side of his face. The smile on her face made Mac grin.
"We can work out details later. Right now we can just…" Lindsay said.
Mac didn't let her finish as he leaned in and kissed her. The first one turned into a second one then a third and a fourth. Once they pulled apart, he licked his lips and smiled at her. Lindsay couldn't suppress the giddy feeling she felt at the moment, the butterflies churning overtime in her stomach.
"It wasn't just the crisis, Lindsay," Mac began. "It may have brought them to the surface but they're not going away anytime soon. These…feelings…I have for you are real. I'm sure of that."
"I'm glad," Lindsay replied.
The End.