Mac did not wake up until the next morning. He had to think a moment to remember where he was. Then Anita leaned over him. "Good morning," she said.

"Morning," Mac said.

"How do you feel?"

"Terrible."

Anita smiled at him and swabbed his face again. "You've had fever," she said. "I think it broke earlier this morning."

"We're still in the cabin."

"Yes." Anita touched his face. "You feel weak?"

Mac nodded. "I'm hungry."

"I guess that's a good sign."

"Yeah."

"I found some canned food in the pantry back there. I guess I can cook us some of that."

"Just make sure it's not chili."

Anita smiled. "I will."

Mac watched Anita walk to the kitchen. He tried to move a little, and his side felt like it was coming apart. He felt sick and so weak he didn't think he could move. He stared out the window. He could see a tree outside the window and the sky between the branches.

Stella was really worried about Mac now, as was everyone else. "He never showed up at the hospital," Stella said.

"Which doctor told him to take another week off?" Danny asked.

"He never told me," Sheldon said. "He just said his doctor advised him."

"So, none of us know what doctor he was seeing?"

"Not a clue."

Stella was on the phone with them. "He can't have just disappeared."

"Maybe he decided to take a vacation," Danny said.

"Without telling anyone?"

Danny and Sheldon knew Stella was wondering why Mac didn't tell 'her' where he was going, but she wouldn't just come right out and say it. Sheldon had heard Mac and Stella tell each other that they loved each other when they were in the alley. Sheldon didn't think Mac was the kind of man who would run off and not tell her where he was going either. "We'll get back to you, Stella," he said.

They hung up the phone. Sheldon looked at Danny. "You have to admit that it is strange," Sheldon said.

"We need to figure out what doctor he was seeing," Danny said. He looked toward Mac's office. "Only one way I know of."

"I just hope he doesn't show up and find us going through his desk."

"Yeah."

They went into Mac's office. Danny kept an eye on the elevator while he looked through Mac's calendar. Sheldon looked through the phone directory and the caller ID. "There's a call here from Doctor Sandra Johnson," Sheldon said. "She's the department psychiatrist."

"I've met her," Danny said. He looked at the ID. "You think Mac was seeing the department shrink?"

"He 'did' have a traumatic experience." Sheldon thought a moment. "He almost fainted at Stella's apartment when he found out she was gone. His body overreacts to things because of the trauma. If he was seeing the doctor, he wouldn't want us to know it. You know Mac."

Danny nodded. "He would never want to show weakness," he said.

"I guess I'm going to pay Doctor Johnson a visit."

"She probably won't tell you anything."

"She'll have to."

Danny folded his arms. "You know, maybe this has something to do with this case we've been working on."

Sheldon considered that. "You think that guy finally just kidnapped Mac?"

"It's possible."

"Maybe we should go to Mac's apartment and check things out, but first I want to see the doctor."

"Great. I'll get Lindsey, and she and I will go to Mac's apartment while you go see the doctor."

"Good."

They left Mac's office. Sheldon went to Doctor Johnson's office. "Good morning, Doctor Hawkes," she said.

"Morning," Sheldon replied. "I need to talk to you."

"Come right in. I don't have another appointment for an hour."

Sheldon followed Sandra into her office. "What's going on, Sheldon?" she asked.

"I need to know if Mac has been coming to see you," Sheldon said.

Sandra put her hands on her hips. "I can't let you know about that, Sheldon."

"Mac is missing, and I need to know if you told him to take a week off, and I need to know if he told you anything about going out of town. Mac's life could be in danger. Someone has been targeting women who are associated with Mac."

Sandra stared at Sheldon. "Yes, he's been coming to me, but he didn't tell me anything about going out of town."

"We're afraid the guy who's been torturing Mac may have decided to take him too."

"I'm sorry. I don't know anything."

"Thanks."

Sheldon went back to the lab. Danny and Lindsey were gone already. Sheldon called Danny and told him what he had found out. "He's not here at his apartment," Danny said. "There are no signs of a struggle here either. His badge is here, but not his weapon."

"I believe his weapon is in his office," Sheldon said.

"Double check."

Sheldon walked into Mac's office and found his weapon in his desk drawer. "It's here."

"But where is Mac?" Danny asked.

"I don't know who could know."

"Call Stella and ask her if she knows anything else that might help."

"Alright."

Sheldon called Stella and asked her if she had seen anyone else who might know anything about Mac. Stella thought a moment. "There was this woman at his door the day I was at his apartment after he came home from the hospital," Stella said. "I think he went out with her for lunch."

"You know her name? Where she lives?"

"I think she was his neighbor. I think she lives in the building across from his."

"Okay. I have to get back to Danny. Do you know her name?"

"No."

"What does she look like?"

"Blond, blue eyes, pretty. Maybe in her thirties."

"Okay. I'll get back to you."

Sheldon called Danny and told him that Mac had gone out with the woman across the way. Danny and Lindsey looked out the window of Mac's apartment. Danny folded his arms. "Old Mac has quite a view," he said.

Lindsey looked at Danny. "Mac would not be spying on his neighbors," she said.

"Well, I see someone in those three apartments, but there's no one in that one. Maybe that is where our mystery woman lives."

"It's worth a shot."

Danny chuckled. "You think Mac saw this woman in the window over there and they just got something hot going?"

"Danny."

"Come on, Montana. Mac's human like the rest of us."

"But he would not be a peeping tom."

Danny followed Lindsey over to the other building. They found the superintendent and found out that Anita Warren lived in the apartment they had been looking into. When they got inside, they found that she had struggled with someone. Danny and Lindsey looked at each other. "You think they kidnapped her and then took Mac too?" Lindsey asked.

"It's certainly possible," Danny said. "I just don't see how they got Mac without a struggle."

"Maybe they got him a different way."

"Lets go over this place."

"Mac," he heard Anita say. "Mac, wake up. I have something for you to eat."

Mac opened his eyes slowly. Anita leaned over him. "You ready to eat?" she asked.

Mac could feel his stomach growling and hurting with hunger. "Yes," he said. "I don't think I can sit up."

"I'll help you." Anita propped Mac up on his pillow so that he was as close to sitting up as much as possible. She fed him the corn and peas. "Sorry, it was all there was."

"It's good," Mac said. He looked at Anita. "I appreciate what you're doing for me."

"I'm glad to do it." Anita gave him another bite. "So, do you have a girlfriend?"

Mac looked at her. He thought about Stella. Did he call her his girlfriend? "No. I'm nowhere right now."

"I really enjoyed our lunch."

"Me too."

Anita looked into Mac's green eyes. Mac stared at her a moment. He had to admit that she was pretty. He wasn't sure about Stella yet. He wondered if he had told Stella he loved her because of the situation they were in. He couldn't believe he could do that. He felt like it had been forever since he saw her. She had been angry at him before. How could she suddenly decide she loved him? How could he say he loved her and then date someone else? Mac thought he would like to get to know Anita better. They had been through a lot together.

"When we get out of this, why don't we go out sometime?" Anita asked.

Mac nodded. "I think I'd like that," he said.

"I know I would."

"It's a date."

Mac finished his meal and then Anita helped him lie down flat again. He looked at her. "You have to go and get help," Mac said. "I'll be alright here."

"Are you sure? I don't want to leave you here alone. What if someone else came along?"

"We'll never get out of here if we don't get some help."

Anita knew he was right. "I won't leave you for long," she said. She held Mac's hand. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

"I know," Mac said.

Anita leaned over and kissed Mac. Mac was surprised. It was like kissing Claire again. Mac stared at her a moment. He wasn't sure what to say. "I guess you better get ready to go," he said.

Anita nodded. "Yeah. I'll bring some of the water over here so you can get it," she said. "That way you'll have plenty while I'm gone."

"Thanks."

Mac watched Anita get ready to go. He had never met anyone quite like her. Of course, he knew that all women were different. She brought three bottles of water over to Mac and got two for herself. "Be careful," Mac said.

"I will," Anita said. "Don't get up. I don't want you to fall."

"Okay."

Mac gave Anita the phone numbers for the lab so she could get in touch with his team to let them know what was going on. He watched her go out the door. He thought of Stella. Would she ever forgive him if he dated Anita? She had been angry at him when he kissed her and called it a 'mistake'. She would really be upset if he dated someone else. Then again, he had dated…well, almost dated, Aubrey. Mac closed his eyes. He was too weak to think about all this right now. He needed rest.