Chapter 36

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Detective Jessica Angell along with Officers Jones and Behr went to talk to Thomas Wicks at his apartment.

"Mr. Wicks your car was seen at a bar called the 'Knotted Tree' why where you there?" Jessica asked.

"First that bar belongs to an old friend of mine, Tony Sassone, Jr. . Second I haven't driven that car for years my son uses it. Thirdly why is any of this your business?"

"Where is your son now?" Jessica asked ignoring his question.

"This time of the day you should know." Thomas said.

"I'm not sure what you mean."

"His most likely at work."

"Which is where."

Thomas let out a laugh. "What happen down there at the police station, did someone put stupid pills in the water."

"What the hell our you talking about?"

"My son works at the crime lab you stupid bitch."

Officer Jones steps forward. "There's no need to use that language, sir." He said.

Thomas Wicks looked up from his wheelchair and sneered. "Like your going to do something about it?"

"It's okay officer. We'll just have Detective Daniels come over here and talk to Mr. Wicks here."

"Send whomever you want, there's not cop that can make me talk." Thomas smiled.

"Oh, I think Logan will take that as a challenge." Jessica said a slow smile spreading across her face as the one on Thomas' face slipped away.

"Logan Daniels of course I forgot she's been assigned to the Daniel Messer case."

"Which is connected to the Ricky Miro case."

"Yeah I heard about Ricky, poor guy he didn't deserve that."

"And Danny didn't deserve to get the crap beat out of him either."

"That's one person's opinion."

"Alright that's it. Officer Behr help Officer Jones here escort Mr. Wicks down to the station. Maybe he'll feel more like talking down there."

"I want my lawyer."

"You'll get your one call later. Until then I suggest you think about the kind of questions Detective Daniels may have for you."

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Danny was trying to watch TV, but he couldn't find anything that held his interest. 'I can't believe everyone left me here all alone' he thought to himself. He finally snapped the TV off, leaned back in his bed and closed his eyes. 'I thought someone was suppose to be with me all the time. So much for loving me.' Danny heard what sounded like an army marching down the hallway. 'Why can't people learn to be quiet, this is a hospital after all.' The sound stopped right outside his door. 'What the heck is going on?' Danny barely had time to think before the door swung open and the group lead by Mac walked into his room. Danny looked from one face to another before typing on the laptop.

Hey guys what's going on?

"Do you remember when we talked before and you knew that there was something else we needed to discuss." Mac said.

Danny nodded.

"Well that's why we're all here." Mac sat down on the edge of Danny's bed on one side with Don standing behind him and his mom sat on the other side of the bed with Lindsey standing behind her, everyone else gathering around the bed.

Did something bad happened?

"No." Mac said. "I guess you can say something good has happened."

Tears began to well up in Danny's eyes. I'm scared.

"There's nothing to be scared about Danny. We're all here for you." Don said.

Mac – Please.

"Okay, Danny do you remember you said that you heard me say something about you having a new father and brother.

Again Danny nodded.

"Well." Mac turned to look at Don.

What does this have to do with Don?

"Baby boy." Nan said. "What Mac is trying to say is that the man who raised you isn't your biological father."

WHAT!!!!

"Danny you're real father is…." Nan began to tell him, but suddenly couldn't. "I'm sorry I can't do this."

Mom?

Mac?

Don?

Montana?

Mac stood up and walked off and let Don sit down.

"Dan, I-I." Don began to say, Sam walked up behind Don and put a hand on his shoulder. "Okay. Danny, hum Sam and I have the same father."

I know that tell me something I don't know.

"He's your father too." Don finally spit out.

Danny just started at Don.

"Danny?"

Danny didn't move.

"Danny?"

NO!!!!!! Danny typed angrily.

"Danny, honey." Nan began to say reaching out to her son.

Don't touch me.

"Danny." Nan said.

LEAVE ME ALONE---ALL OF YOU. LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE.

"Danny, sweetheart." Lindsey said.

I HATE …

Danny began to have trouble breathing and grabbed his head as if he had a headache.

"Everyone out." Dr. Hartney snapped. "NOW."

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Everyone but Dr. Hartney, Sheldon and Nola left the room.

Don was angry. "What now Taylor?" He yelled.

"Don don't be mad at Mac." Sam said grabbing her brother by the hands.

Don pulled away from Sam. "I have to be angry at someone."

"Then be mad at Daddy." Sam said quietly.

"This never should have happened." Stella snapped. She turned to face Nan Messer. "Why didn't you ever tell him the truth."

"You don't understand the circumstances. I couldn't say anything."

"Please let's remember where we are people." Sid jumped in trying to smooth over the situation.

Don rolled his eyes and turned to walk away.

"Sid's right we need to calm down." Mac said. "Let's go find out some place we can sit and talk quietly."

"I don't want to calm down." Don said through gritted teeth.

"Don, we're all upset right now, but we need to get through this together." Stella said trying hard to calm down.

"I want to be angry, Stel."

"But this is about Danny?" Adam said in a barely audible voice.

"What did you say Adam?" Logan asked standing next to the younger lab tech.

"This is not about us, of course we're upset and angry. This should be all about him." Adam said a little louder, pointing onto the room they just came from.

"Of course it's about Danny, Adam." Mac said. "But it's about Don and Sam also."

Don sighed. "It's about all of us, kid."

"I don't want it to be about me. I want it to be about him." Adam said with tears in his eyes. "I can take the time to deal with this, but Danny has to deal with it in the here and now."

"Adam, listen." Lindsey stepped up beside Adam. "We understand your feelings. We care about Danny and we all have to learn to deal with this news, but…"

"No, buts." Adam said troubled. "Danny has just learned that his best friend is his brother and that the man who used and abused him growing up isn't his father. And to top it off he has just learned the man who is his boss, who not only didn't want him for a CSI, also didn't want him for a son."

"Adam we're not sure if Chief Flack even knew Danny could be his son." Mac said turning to look at Nan. "Did he know?"

"I would rather discuss this in private." Nan said.

"Fine, let's go back to the room we used before." Mac snapped.

Mac and Nan began to walk off, but everyone else just stood there watching.

"This includes all of you too." He said looking at his co-workers and friends. "Come on Don, Samantha."

Don just shook his head.

"Why don't the rest of you go ahead." Logan said now walking over to Don and taking his hand. "Let me talk to Don and we'll join you in a few minutes."

"You know I sure could use some coffee and a little fresh air, myself." Sid said. "Why don't we all just take about fifteen minutes for ourselves and then meet in the room that Mac suggested."

"That sounds like a good idea. I need a break myself." Sam said looking between Don and Logan.

"Alright we'll meet back in the private waiting room in fifteen minutes." Mac stated.

Everyone agreed and began to walk off in different directions. Adam started to walk off but then returned to the door of Danny's room.

"Come on kid let's take a walk." Sid called out to Adam.

"Yeah, sure." Adam said finally joining Sid as the two men walked off.

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"I'm glad you and the kids agreed to come stay with me for awhile." Tony said.

"I couldn't go back to that house." Penny cried.

"I know sis, but I hope you know you can stay here as long as you need."

"I know that. We'll see how it goes."

"Damn it Penny we grew up in this house."

"We share everything don't we."

"Yeah we do."

"You and the kids can move in here permanently if you like."

Penny looked up from her cup of tea and smiled. "You mean it."

"Yes, this is as much your home as it is mine." Tony smiled back.

"Tony can I ask you a question."

"Sure, sis."

"With Ricky gone now, if anything happened to me would you take care of the kids?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because nothings going to happen to you. You're a Sassone after all."

"Tony be serious. Something could happen and then were would your niece and nephew be?"

"Okay Penny, if anything ever happens to you I take care of the kids. They're almost grown after all."

"I know it's hard to believe that Ethan is fifteen already and Katie is thirteen."

"They grow up so fast. I still can't believe my kids are in college." Tony sighed. "I promise that if anything helps to you, Bernie and I will take care of our kids. We'll make sure they get a college education and they grow up the way you and Ricky wanted."

"Thank you Tony." Penny sighed knowing the no matter what happens in the future her kids had a family.

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After dropping off Tony and Penny at his house. Steve went back to his apartment.

"Did you get the text I sent?" He asked the person on the other end of the phone.

"I haven't had a chance to look at it yet, but yeah I got it thanks."

"Glad I could help, boss."

"Listen, we're very close on this. So be careful."

"I am."

"Keep me updated."

"You got it. Talk to you later, bye."

"Bye."

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The team was coming into the room one or two at a time. When Don walked in by himself to find almost everyone else was there.

"Where's Logan?" Mac asked.

"She got a text."

"Should we wait for her?" Sid asked.

"No she's not part of this." Nan said.

Don's head snapped around to look at her as he said. "Yes she is a part of this."

"No she's not part of the this family."

"Not yet." Don said walking over and looking out the window leaving his back to all the others, who were exchanging glances.

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Jessica had made it back to the police station were she watched Officer's Jones and Behr help Thomas Wicks from the back of the patrol car and into his wheelchair. At that moment her cell phone chirped, indicating text message received. "Take Mr. Wicks inside, give him something to drink and let him get comfortable. I'll be right in."

"What about my lawyer?"

"Yeah and let him call his lawyer." Jessica said glancing up from checking her phone.

"Sure thing Detective Angell." Both officers answered at the same time.

"Jinx." Officer Jones said playfully slapping Behr on the shoulder. "You owe me a soda, rookie."

"Oh joy, grown-ups who play silly kid's games." Thomas groaned.

"Maybe if more grown-ups where willing to play a few more non-violent silly kid's games the world wouldn't be so messed up." Officer Behr said smiling.

"Jeez, you guys make me sick." Wicks said as Officer Jones pushed his wheelchair up the ramp towards the door. "You cops just have to face it, there will always be someone out there looking to make money anyway they can."

"Yeah and as long as the bad guys are around, the good guys will be around to keep innocent people safe, from guilty guys like you." Jones growled. "Some day we will win the fight."

"Nah, you may win a battle or two, but the good guys will never, ever win the war."

"As long as there's people like Danny Messer around, we will win one day." Officer Jones said leaning over Thomas' shoulder. "You should know after all, with what the Messer's did to the Tanglewood Boys."

Thomas Wicks winced at those words.

"Yeah I thought that would shut you up." Jones said smiling broadly turning around to look at where Detective Angell was now talking on her phone.

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Logan walked into the waiting room while talking on her phone. "Keep me updated….. Bye." Hanging up her phone she glanced around the room noticing everyone staring at her. "Ah, I get the feeling I'm not welcome here?"

"I want her to stay." Don said rushing to her side.

"I don't want her here, Donnie." Nan snapped. "She's not family."

"It's okay Donnie." Logan said dryly all the while smiling up at him.

"I want you to stay." He whispered his lips lightly brushing her forehead.

Logan stood on her tiptoes and kissed Don lightly on the cheek. "All right, I'll stay." She whispered back. "Besides." She said out loud. "This has to do with Danny's case and since I've been assigned that case, I'm staying."

"Now that, that's settled let's talk." Mac said indicating for everyone to grab a seat.

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