Danny walked sheepishly into Mac's office with a soft knock on the door frame, Mac looked up from his computer seeing Danny in the frame.

'What's up?' He said cautiously as Danny slowly entered.

'Ah, I... Can I talk to you for a sec?' He asked as his hands danced around his midsection, unaware of what to do with them.

'Yeah, have a seat.' Noticing immediately that something was wrong, as he leaned back in his chair.

'OK, yeah... sure.' He said awkwardly as he sat down in the seat across from his boss. 'The reason I'm here... well what I want to talk about is... well OK-' He babbled.

'Danny?' Mac stopped him, as Danny looked up at him. 'Take a breath.' He said with a friendly smile, noticing his awkwardness. Taking a deep breath he closed his eyes, and continued.

'I came back too early.' He said plainly as he opened his eyes and looked at his superior.

'I know.' Mac said as he rested his hands on the desk in front of him.

'You know?' Danny said with confusion.

'Course, I know.' Mac smiled.

'Then why did you let me come back?' He asked with a kink in his brow.

'You're a grown up Danny; I can't make decisions for you. Besides you were cleared for duty, on paper there was nothing I could do to stop you.' He said plainly. 'If you aren't ready I can give you two more weeks or you can stay and work in the lab, it's up to you.'

'Yeah, I guess... I mean-' He stopped and looked up at Mac. 'What if I'm never going to be ready?'

'You will be.' Mac gave him a reassuring nod.

'Yeah.' Danny looked down at lap, embarrassed and ashamed.

'Look, Danny, I can't even begin to understand what you are going through, but I do know this; You are a good cop.' He stood up from his desk and walked around to in front of where he sat. 'I don't hire idiots!' He said with a smile. Danny laughed through his shame.

'Thanks Mac.' He said looking up at his boss. In reply, Mac gave him a smile and a nod.

'When you decide what you want to do, let me know.' Mac said give him a light tap on the shoulder.

'I will.' He said as he got up from his chair, returning to his unfinished paper work in his office. 'I know I already said it, but... thanks.' He said before leaving his office.


Lindsay waited patiently in their office, wondering what Mac would say to Danny. Knowing what he had been through, she knew Mac wouldn't be hard on him. The whole team had felt the effects of Danny's attack from the first bullet; they all loved and helped him through it. From sitting at the hospital for the three weeks he was unconscious to just spending their free time with him while he lay awake in pain. Just being there for him didn't feel like enough, they felt as if they needed to do more. Guilt does that to a team, especially when they are more like a family.

Hearing the door knob turn she turned in her chair to see Danny entering their shared office, he looked broken, once again.

'What did he say?' She asked instantly.

'I can choose.' He said as he dropped into his chair roughly.

'Choose what?' She said as she got up from her chair and walked around, sitting on his desk in front of him as he brought his hands to his face and rubbed the stress from his temples.

'I can go home, or just do lab work for the next two weeks.' He said finally dropping his hands and looking up at her.

'What do you want to do?' She asked calmly, watching his neck relax against the back of his chair.

'What?' Danny said with a chuckle.

'What's so funny?' She crossed her arms as she asked.

'No, I just thought you would have been putting my coat on and kicking me out the door.' Danny said with a smile.

'Well, I want to, but you said that you wanted to fix this yourself. I figured I owed you that much. Besides if your in the lab, I can watch you.' She smiled.

'Lindsay my Savior!' He smiled as he leaned forward, running his hands up the outsides of her thighs. Lindsay smiled at their immediate closeness as she reached down and placed her hands above his.

'Someones got to do it.' She said as she kissed his forehead, bringing her hands to his cheeks. Danny closed his eyes feeling her breath on his head as he brought his hands up to her waist and held her.

'Thank you.' He said in a low, almost whispered voice as he pulled back looking her in the eye. 'Seriously Linds, thank you.'

Lindsay smiled, and brushed his hair out of his face. 'Any time. Anything. Anywhere.' She said, as Danny saw a sparkle in her eye.

'Ahem.' They heard from the door way, letting go of each other pretending nothing happened, looking to the door they found Stella smirking as they shifted uncomfortably. 'Sorry, was I interrupting?' She smiled.

'Ha, no... what's up Stel?' Danny smiled sheepishly as he stood up, walking over towards her as Lindsay found her spot in Danny's chair.

'I found possible matches for the finger prints we found on the door way.' Stella explained noticing the gloss from Lindsay's lipstick on Danny's forehead as she leaned closer and wiped it with her thumb, in a loving way. Danny blushed as she did so, taking the papers from her hands and looking over them.

'Too many partials?' Danny asked looking up at Stella.

'Yeah, looks like there isn't enough to get a match. Either we'll have to do this manually or find more evidence.' She said looking back and forth between Danny and Lindsay.

'I can go back to the scene and see if I can find more prints?' Danny asked as Lindsay sat forward in her seat.

'-but Danny?' She asked, with fear in her tone.

'I know, it's OK. I have until the end of the day to decide, so I might as well work until I figure out my route.' He said turning back to her.

'I don't think that's a good idea, I'll go.' She said standing up.

'Am I missing something?' Stella asked confused.

'It's nothing, don't worry about it. I'll get my kit.' Danny said walking back towards his desk.

'Alright, let me know.' Stella finished as she left the room.

'I thought you said you'd take it easy?' Lindsay said in a concerned tone.

'It's just finger prints Linds... it's not like I'm chasing suspects.' He said plainly as he picked up his kit.

'Fine, then I am coming with you.' She said sternly as she picked up her own kit.

'Good, I'd love the company.' He smiled as she walked past. 'But I'm driving!' He said as they left the office.