BridgetLynn- Sounds like a fun weekend. Glad you thought the chapter was fabulous. Hope this one is too.

Jordayna- They certainly need a beatdown. You'll just have to wait and see what happens. I hope you like it.

meadow567- That was the best part? LOL The Italian seems so popular.

Emador- Well you already know how I feel about the cursing! LOL Glad you're here!

Dybdahl- Pink? You lost me on that one. Hope you enjoy this. Lots more to come.

Danny was sitting alone in the break room back at the lab. Mac had told him to go in there and calm down when they'd returned from Attica. Danny was still shaking as he tried to drink a bottle of water. He couldn't. All he could think of was the hell Aurora must be going through.

Danny reached into his wallet and took out a picture he'd started carrying the month before. It was of Aiden and Aurora in Central Park. Aurora had been taking pictures of the city to send to her brother she still talked to. Someone had been nice enough to take a picture of Aiden and Aurora sitting together on one of the park benches. When Aurora had been going through the pictures, she'd jokingly gave that one to Danny saying it was of his 'ladies'. He'd stuck it in his wallet.

Danny looked at the picture. Aurora looked so happy sitting there smiling. She didn't deserve whatever Tanglewood was putting her through.

Danny rolled his eyes again. "You know, I am starting to feel left out here. Flack getting all the action." He joked.

Aurora smiled and stood up she came over and hugged him. "Don't worry Danny. Next time I go under cover, you can be my boyfriend and I'll grind against you."

"Really? I think I could find us a case." Danny winked.

"You're so cute." She smiled.

"It's getting late. Flack is showering. You gonna change and head home…not that I mind this outfit." Danny smirked. "I wouldn't mind taking you home in that outfit."

She laughed at him.

Danny sighed and wondered if she was still alive. How much longer would Tanglewood keep her alive? And what were they doing to her in the meantime?

Flack walked in and saw Danny holding the picture of Aurora and Aiden.

"Hey Danny, you feeling better?" Don asked and sat down.

"Not really. I just can't stop thinking about what Sonny said. He admitted they have her but we don't have a shred of evidence to do a damn thing." Danny sighed.

"Hang in there. We'll find her. She's counting on us." Flack said. "That's a nice picture of Aurora and Aiden."

"She's so pretty." Danny said. "She's probably the greatest woman I've ever met and now she's gone. And it's my fault."

"Danny, it's not your fault. And Aurora wouldn't want you blaming yourself." Flack said.

"Flack's right. The important thing now is to find her before she ceases to be useful to Tanglewood." Mac said and walked in the break room.

"What did the cell phone company have to say?" Flack asked.

"They're not using their cell phones. Tony Baba and Joe Spangal have neither one made a call on their cell phone since yesterday morning." Mac said.

"They using their house phones?" Flack asked.

"I thought that too but I checked those records and nothing." Mac sighed.

"They're not stupid. They knew we'd be tracking their calls." Danny sighed.

"Flack, what did the surveillance teams report?" Mac asked.

"Tony Baba has not left his house since the detail was set up. Joe Spangal left only to make a quick grocery store trip." Flack said.

"They're not going to where she is." Mac said. "Which means she's either already dead or they've left her somewhere to die."

Danny hung his head. "I'll cooperate with them. Anything to get her back."

"No, they don't kidnap an officer and get their way out of it." Mac said. "We'll figure something out."

"But she may die…if I just give in…"

"There is no guarantee they'd let her go." Flack said. "Besides, letting her live is too big of a liability for them. If she can identify them or knows anything that can put them away, they'll kill her."

"Well what can we do? None of the investigation is working out and we're running out of time." Danny snapped.

"We'll figure something out. In the meantime you stay away from them and no more talk of giving in to them." Mac said.

Danny clenched his jaw.

(Later)

"Don, where are you?" Danny asked.

"Aurora's apartment. I am checking on her cat." Flack said.

"Aren't you allergic?" Danny asked.

"Yeah, but…you know it's for her." Flack said.

"Make sure you give him one of those snacks she keeps on top the fridge. She says she gives him those to apologize on the days she has to work late." Danny said.

"What did you need?" Flack asked.

"Just checking in to see if you had heard anything new." Danny said.

"No, nothing new. The surveillance detail says Spangal and Baba aren't going anywhere." Flack sighed. "Danny we're going to find her."

"I wish I could believe that. But I know how these boys work." Danny sighed.

"Don't give up on her. She's a fighter. If anyone can get through this it's her." Flack said.

"I'd never give up on her." Danny said and hung up.

He walked back into the lab. As many times as he read the case files, nothing was adding up. He looked around the lab hoping some inspiration or an idea would come to mind.

"Hey ADD, what are you doing here?" Danny asked.

"Just seeing what you guys had found. I talked to Aiden in the hall." Aurora told him.

She looked at a few trying to figure out what they did.

"What all do we have here?" she asked.

"Wanna try a few out?" Danny winked.

Aurora laughed. "You ain't man enough to handle me, Messer."

"Is that a challenge?" Danny smiled.

"Well I would, but then I'd have to explain to Mac why you can't come into work for a day or two." she smiled at him.

"Oh, I'm sure I got a day or two of vacation I could take." Danny winked and smirked.

"If someone walked in here they'd get the wrong idea." Aurora laughed.

"Hey, if it'll make you feel better I can lock the door and we can keep talking dirty." Danny winked.

"You're so cute." she smiled.

"Hey Danny…haven't you gone home yet?" Aiden asked.

"No, I can't go home. Not with Aurora out there somewhere going through hell." Danny said.

Aiden sat down. "Mac said you went kinda crazy at Attica."

"I wanted to kill Sonny Sassone. I wanted to kill him with my bare hands." Danny gritted out.

"I can imagine. Just keep thinking positive." Aiden said.

"What's positive right now?" Danny asked.

"Just think that when this is all over and Aurora comes home…she'll drag us all to 80's night again. You and Flack can gripe about the music. She and I will dance to some favorite of ours from the 80's…..it'll be like always." Aiden said.

Mac walked into the lab. "Danny, you need to get some rest."

"I'll rest when she does." Danny said.

"Still no activity on their cell phones. They are being very smart about this." Mac said.

"So where do we go from here?" Aiden asked. "They're not making any mistakes."

"I am going to start pulling the files of anyone who has ever met the Tanglewood boys. Get some interviews going. Something, somewhere will lead us to her." Mac said.

"I'll help you." Aiden said and followed Mac back out of the lab.

(Later)

Danny was alone in the lab; it was late at night again. He was going through the files Mac had acquired about known Tanglewood associates. He looked through, not finding anything that would help. His frustration grew, but he wasn't about to give up.

"Just a few minutes." Aurora said. "I ordered you a soda, the menus are here."

"Thanks." Danny said and picked up a menu. "We gotta eat fast so we can get back to my place and we can get down to business." Danny winked. "Remember, either one of us can be called into the field anytime"

She chuckled. "Wow, that was so romantic…I'm getting all hot and bothered." she winked.

"Yeah, I just have that affect on women." Danny flexed and put an arm around her.

"I'm glad my sweet, flirting Danny is back." Aurora smiled.

"After this you wanna catch a movie, it's still kinda early." Danny said.

"That'd be great. Almost like a date." she said.

"Hey it'll be your first 'date' with me instead of Flack." Danny smiled.

"Is that cheating on him?" she joked.

Danny smiled and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. "Sei una donna bella e sorprendente."

"What's that mean?" Aurora smiled.

"It was a compliment." Danny said.

"Well it sounded so pretty, you can say things like that all the time." she giggled.

"There has to be something." Danny said to no one.

He even tried remembering from when he was in high school, was there some place they hung out that Aurora could be hidden at. Was there someone he could talk to that might know?

Danny took the water and aspirin and swallowed them. "No, no Aurora you're fine." Danny said and pulled me down beside him. "I am so sorry about last night. You were trying to help and I was a bastard."

"I was so worried about you...part of me wanted to just take your bottle and smash it but...oh I am ashamed to say it...I was afraid of you. I'd never seen you like that." Aurora said and bit my lip to keep from crying again.

Danny sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair again. "Aurora, I am so sorry. The last thing I ever want is for you to be afraid of me. I am just….I am so sorry. But I wouldn't have hurt you."

"I... I had just never seen you like that and…." she leaned over and hugged him tight. "It's okay. I was more worried about you than anything. I didn't want you to be mad at me. I care about you. I am on your side in all this."

"I know, I feel horrible about what I said last night." Danny sighed.

"Its okay...I know you didn't mean any of it…that it was just the alcohol and stress talking. I know you'd never dismiss me like that. You're too good to do that to a friend...that's why I came back this morning. I wanted to be here for you and help in any way I could." she said.

Danny smiled. "Thanks Rora."

"Hey, I know you'd do the same thing for me." I said. "Okay, you'd try to comfort me with sex." Aurora joked.

Danny smirked. "Hey you know me, anything I can do to help."

She laughed. "One of these days I am just going to agree to all your sex talk, just to see your reaction."

"Hey, I got no problem with that." Danny winked.

"So you're not mad at me anymore?" she asked.

"I was never mad at you…just the situation." Danny said.

"That's good. You mean a lot to me." Aurora smiled and hugged him again. "How's your head?"

"My head is fine. The headache is from the hangover." Danny said.

Aurora took his hand. "I know this is rough...but we're all on your side. And I'm here for anything you need...day or night. Please don't turn to getting drunk again for comfort."

Danny nodded. "Alright Rora, I won't I promise." He said. He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Thanks for everything…I mean that."

Danny looked outside, it was getting daylight again. All night and still no answers. He knew her time was running out.

"Danny, you're still here? You need to go home sometime." Mac said.

"I need to be here. Aurora needs me." Danny said.

Mac sighed. "Go home and get some sleep. You're no good to us half-awake."

"I am not leaving here until we know something about her. I can't….I have to find her." Danny said.

Mac looked at Danny, starting to realize why Danny was taking this so hard. It was more than Tanglewood being involved and more than concern for a fellow officer.

"I know how worried about her you are." Mac said.

Danny shook his head. "I keep thinking about her, and the things we've done together. She doesn't deserve this Mac. She's the sweetest most caring, gentle and good hearted……and to think what they might be doing to her."

Mac nodded. "Aurora is a great woman. I am worried about her too."

"Mac, its more than that." Danny said. "I keep thinking back to high school and the girls…..Sonny could be so charming when he wanted to be. Tony and Joe could too. They certainly dated a variety of girls. But I'll never forget those quiet, shy, smart girls. The ones that were pretty and didn't date much...they'd turn on the charm and those girls always fell for it. And then a few days later those girls would all have the same look on their faces…scared, shocked, confused. I could never do that to a girl. That was one of my big problems with Sonny, Joe and Tony."

"Danny, you got away from that. And you can't blame yourself for this. And I am worried about her too." Mac said.

"I have to get her back. I can't lose her." Danny said.

"But you can't give your all on the job with no sleep. Go home, get some sleep and come back in a few hours." Mac insisted.

"Mac…I'll sleep on the couch in the break room so I can be close if something happens. But promise me you'll wake me if you find out anything." Danny said.

Mac nodded, knowing how Danny felt. Mac watched as Danny walked out of the lab and towards the break room.

Mac looked around at all the files Danny had been going through and had to smile despite himself.

"Hey Mac, still nothing new from the surveillance team." Flack said as he walked into the lab. "Where is Danny?"

"In the break room. He agreed to get some sleep." Mac said. "He really cares about her."

"You have no idea. Tanglewood couldn't have done anything worse to him." Flack said.

"Isn't Danny the one that always said he'd never fall in love?" Mac smirked.

"Danny never thought he'd meet someone like Aurora. She's turned his whole world upside down." Flack said. "I hope we find her alive……I don't want to think how Danny react to losing her."

"We're not giving up on her. She needs us to stay optimistic." Mac said.

"But they're not going to her. How long can she live without water in this summer heat?" Flack asked.

Mac sighed and tried not to think about it.

(Break Room)

Flack walked into the break room. Danny was lying on the couch but his eyes were open.

"Did you hear something?" Danny asked.

"No, nothing yet. But I brought you some doughnuts. Thought you'd like to eat something." Flack said.

Danny sat up and Flack sat down beside him.

Danny sighed. "All these years and Tanglewood is still haunting me….and I know how these guys are. I don't want to think what they're putting her through."

"She'll be okay. She's a strong person." Flack said.

"I hope so." Danny said.

"When we get her back you should tell her how you feel about her." Flack said.

Danny looked up at him. "Come on Don…."

"Danny……it's pretty damn obvious that you're crazy about her. You should tell her that." Flack said.

"I…" Danny muttered.

"Do you love her?" Flack asked.

"Don…"

"I love her. She's my little sweetheart. She's cute, and funny and I love her. But I'm not in love with her." Flack raised an eyebrow.

"I don't want to lose her. What if I say something and she doesn't feel the same way?" Danny asked.

"Talk to her. I think you should." Flack said.

Danny sighed. Don's cell phone rang. "Flack……we're on our way."

"What is it?" Danny asked.

"That was NYPD dispatch….a call about Aurora just came in." Flack said.

"Get Mac." Danny said as he was already running out the door.

Mac and Aiden made their way to the dispatch office where Flack and Danny were waiting.

"What's going on?" Mac asked.

"A call just came in." Flack said. "It involves Aurora."

"Let's hear it." Mac said.

The dispatcher started the tape as all calls that come in to the dispatch are recorded.

"This is Detective Aurora Denton, Homicide. I need to speak with Detective Danny Messer, Crime Scene Unit……" was all that was on the tape.

Mac, Aiden, Flack and Danny looked at each other.

"That's her voice." Danny said. "That's Aurora."

To Be Continued...