The mornings within New York were always busy and that was for anyone of any age. The children were getting to and from school, while the adults of the world were working their hardest to make sure the children had a future to live for. The Crime Lab was known for being able to find closure for families by using forensic science to find the killers for the people who were losing their family. Mac Taylor was still the head of the lab and knew how to make sure every procedure was followed. But he never knew what he and his girlfriend would get out of it based on their simplest procedures.

It was a typical afternoon and Mac was aware of a body being transported to the crime lab via his girlfriend Peyton Driscoll. "So the body that Peyton is bringing should be arriving in about 15 minutes. We do have other cases to solve, but this one being a newer one, I do want Sid to examine it." Stella nodded knowing that Mac was trying to make sure everything got solved as quickly and as accurately as possible.

"So Peyton is bringing the new body, Sid is examining it, what's Hawkes going to be up to? No offence but I know he works down with the ME office as well," Stella began. Mac was about to answer as he saw the ME vehicle, but he didn't expect to see Peyton running up. "What's going on? Has something happened down in autopsy?"

"No. A child was literally found with her head bashed in and abdominal bleeding against the ME vehicle that we had just parked," she answered rushed and Mac ran with her as it was critical they got down to the child as fast as they could. "I already called the ambulance and yes I requested Dr Hunter," she assured. As soon as they arrived, Mac looked at the kid and saw blood dripping down her face and she was finally looking to be coming conscious.

"Has she responded to anyone trying to jostle her?"

"With the amount of blood she's losing, I don't want to move her too much," she answered and Mac nodded knowing the amount of blood he was seeing was a lot so risking any extra blood loss wasn't on anyone's list of things to do.

"Mac, I just heard from Stella," Hawkes answered as he kneeled in front of the car where the girl was. He noted an identification card and showed it to Mac who quickly snapped a picture of it knowing he'd have to contact someone about what happened. Stella took the photo though and went to begin making phone calls as it was clear the kid wouldn't come fully conscious right away. "If you can hear me move your right hand," Hawkes instructed and he waited for a few seconds before the hand moved. "Alright that's good. Can you see me clearly?" She shook her head and he knew that was to be expected but he still needed to see what damage they were dealing with. He then heard sirens and sighed in relief. "Someone needs to go with her. We need Peyton with us," he began.

"I'll go as I was the second on scene. Peyton, was she just like that when you found her?" She nodded and Mac quickly kissed her knowing that they wouldn't see each other for a while before he saw Aubrey Hunter walking out of the ambulance. "We have an identification card and my one detective is going to notify her family," he informed the medic.

"Good. Now help me lay her down onto her back. We need to get her into the ambulance on a gurney," she informed. Mac nodded before watching as the girl finally seemed to rouse and try to push Aubrey away.

"Dun need," she murmured softly and Mac knew what she was saying regardless of not being able to get the entire message out of her own mouth. He grabbed her hands and brought them down to her side waiting for her to settle.

"You do need to go and see a doctor. This is serious. You've lost a lot of blood," he gently responded before shushing her. Aubrey smiled and watched as Mac gently helped lower her and she almost attacked again until Mac grabbed her hand and secured it down to her side and he noticed as they forced her hands away from her stomach the abdominal bleeding was clear. "Is that a?"

"Gunshot," he answered thoughtfully. "She was shot and then had her head bashed in. But the scenes are different," Mac answered as he called up to Payton. "Get this piece of information to the team. We have a kid fighting for her life at the moment. Gunshot wound to the abdomen and her head bashed in. Two different scenes too. She's not very tall so she couldn't have made it far from where she had her abdomen shot," he instructed.

"I will. Call me when we have more information on how the little kid is doing," she answered hanging up. As Mac helped keep the kid steady, he noticed that she was looking around and Aubrey had hooked up monitors to keep an eye on her.

"Her blood pressure is dropping. We need to keep her awake," she warned and Mac carefully stood gently tapping the girl's face and as she opened her eyes again he made sure to keep eye contact on her. He couldn't let Aubrey lose a patient in the ambulance.

"Hey. Stay with me. Don't go to sleep yet," he calmed and as he saw her eyes staying open and glancing around he noticed her eyes glancing down and he saw it. "What can you see? Talk to me."

"Cop," she answered bluntly and Aubrey chuckled pointing to Mac's badge and he chuckled knowing she was at least trying to focus on something that was reflecting light back into her eyes. He had to give a small smile as they arrived and he watched as Aubrey took her away into an OR immediately. When he saw the light go on he used his FaceTime to call Payton as he was sure she was with the others. As soon as she answered he saw all of them.

"Are we not working on cases?"

"We are, but how's the kid? We heard she had it pretty rough," Flack answered looking at Mac who merely nodded knowing he was worried about her too as anyone could easily find out where the girl had collapsed and the news did not need a field day. "We looked around and luckily Hawkes was able to find the first sign of blood."

"She was shot in the alley 2 streets down from the Crime Lab. I don't know why she was there but maybe she was walking to somewhere else. Though where I can't be certain," Hawkes answered before Stella walked in and looked at Mac.

"I finally got a hold of the principal and asked for information about the girl. Her name is Rayne Drop. I wish I was kidding before you start laughing," Stella began and he nodded at that. "Anyways she's 9 and in a school 3 blocks down from the Crime Lab. From what we've gathered, we're guessing she was walking home from school. But when asked, the principal said that Rayne lives in an orphanage but they never pick her up. So nobody knows where she lives," Stella informed.

"We luckily found a card tossed under the van. We all assumed Rayne did it intentionally. That way whoever attacked her didn't go after someone else. She lives in the Sunnyshores orphanage and it's 5 blocks farther than the lab in the opposite direction of her school. So towards us. She walks 8 blocks day in and day out. We looked at cameras and it seems that's her normal route. Someone ambushed her. The cameras didn't get a clear shot on the attacker or his features, but it seems Rayne knew she was getting attacked for something. She began to run and when left with no options began to hide things. Though we noticed her coming in with a limp. I'd assume that's from the gunshot."

"Yes and her pain inhibited her."

"Well fill us in. How is the kid doing?" Sid also was curious as they all were now curious since Mac volunteered to go with her and make sure she got the medical care she so desperately needed from the hospital. Mac shrugged before glancing up and seeing the light was still on.

"Not sure. I'll call when I have something," he answered hanging up. For 3 hours he read different pieces of reports and offered his assistance where he could. By hour 5, he finally noticed the light clicked off and he stood up as Aubrey walked out. "How is she?"

"She took a major blow in the abdomen. When we got the blood off, it seems she fought back against her attacker as they put the gun to her abdomen's side," Aubrey answered and Mac looked at her as she pulled out two bullets in a dish that was sealed. "The first one was not very deep and was on her front. But right about at her side," she answered indicating an area Mac would realize about. "Was another bullet. This kid was shot once from a distance and then again up close," she informed.

"How is she?"

"We managed to get her a blood transfusion, but that girl is in for a recovery. She needs her family," Aubrey answered and Mac sighed making her look at him. "Mac, she's a child. If there's one thing children need, it's assurance their family is there."

"That would be the case, were she not an orphan," he answered. Aubrey looked at him and he nodded at her taking a breath. "I had my team look into who she was and she was walking home from her school to the Sunnyshore Orphanage."

"That place is way too far to be walking to. It's 4 blocks just from your Lab," she answered as they both glanced in on her. "Here's my question, why didn't the orphanage think about what could happen to a child? No offence some children are easier targets."

"Agreed. When she wakes up, I want to talk to her," Mac answered. Aubrey looked at him and he chuckled. "I'm on her side. I just need to see what she remembers."

"That'll be hazy. She just got major injuries and on top of that has anesthetic in her system," Aubrey answered. Mac nodded knowing he couldn't ask her while she was still coming out of her sedated state but he was one of the first there and he felt for the kid. She had been left for dead outside the Crime Lab making it his job to find her attacker and bring them to justice. He waited until her eyes opened and she looked around. "You're awake," Aubrey greeted and Mac looked at the doctor carefully. "My name's Dr Hunter. What's your's?" Mac knew he was aware but Aubrey wanted to see what she could get out.

"Rayne," she answered weakly.

Mac knew he could interrogate but it was clear she was slightly coherent. "Rayne, is there someone we can contact to come to you and we can figure out what happened and how to proceed?"

"Don't know," she answered. Mac looked confused and waited it out. "No number for owner of home," she answered. Mac frowned as he remembered they said she tossed a card under the van. If that wasn't a card with a phone number what was on it? He was about to say more when he got a phone call and answered it quickly as he left the room.

"What does that card have? Rayne has no numbers to contact the home to say she wound up in hospital," Mac warned calmly.

"That would be because the owner doesn't want kids knowing he's running an illegal operation. Rayne's file exists, but the orphanage was shut down by public health about 2 years ago. Rayne wouldn't be aware of that. She has a card she has to swipe to get into the place. Meaning he's aware he shouldn't have her," Lindsay responded.

"Then what do we do? We can't send Rayne back to him," Mac answered and he heard snickering. "All of you cut it out right now," he warned them and the laughter died off. "I'm being serious. There's a kid here who shouldn't be with this man."

"Flack and I could go and arrest him and find out how many kids are still there," Danny offered and Mac made a small noise. "We're on it. If we find Rayne's papers, what would you want me to do?"

"Grab them. Also give me Payton," he answered. Danny made a sound of confusion and he chuckled at the police partner he had within the Crime Lab. "Trust me. Just give the phone to Peyton for a few minutes," he answered.

"Mac?" He had to smile as he heard her concerned voice. "What's going on? How's Rayne? All I know is she was sent into surgery about 5 hours ago," she responded and Mac chuckled at that. "Well? She was found out against the van I was in."

"She's in recovery. Dr Hunter says it'll be a long one for her. I haven't heard the entire extent yet though. But I wanted to have a reason to and also because I think it'd be something we both would want in a near future. How would you feel if I got a judge to agree to let us adopt Rayne?"

"Mac," she breathed in shock. She then thought about it and realized one problem. "We both work here and we barely have time to find a date night."

"We could make time. I'm a supervisor of the lab. I can easily do some of the work from home, should I have a reason to. You work as a Medical Examiner and Sid does too. We can divide the work," Mac answered and then he said something he knew he wanted to get out of his system. "I know you want to keep working and don't want to take maternity leave and I wouldn't want to take paternity leave. Think of this as an opportunity."

"I want to hear Rayne say she wants us. That's my condition," Peyton responded. Mac chuckled at that and she smiled on the other end. "I'll come see you two shortly," she assured. As Mac hung up, he looked in and saw Rayne glancing around. Carefully stepping in he sat on her bed and she looked at him.

"How you feeling?"

"Foggy head," she answered and Mac chuckled at that knowing it was probably true although it also was the best time to get some answers as it was clear that she wouldn't be able to remember if she wasn't supposed to say something.

"Rayne, why don't you have a number to contact in emergencies?"

"He said nobody can know. What did he mean?" she answered sleepily. He smirked as he had recorded the last two sentences they had together and then tucked it away. As he was about to talk more she saw Aubrey walk in and that made him chuckle as she smiled.

"How you feeling Rayne?"

"Tired," she answered. Mac smiled knowing that Aubrey was administering another pain killer. Children typically lied about their pain to doctors as they didn't like anything they couldn't tell what it was. He watched the machine beep to life again and Rayne's eyes were getting droopy and slowly she fell asleep.

"I don't want her to feel like she needs to be awake when she's in pain. Children I deal with often lie and say tired. It's only enough to put her to sleep for another hour. I heard you and Peyton talking. You're considering adopting Rayne?"

"She deserves hope. Also she's illegal where she is right now. Me and Peyton talked about it and Peyton wants to hear it from Rayne herself though which I don't blame. I wouldn't force this life on a child," he answered before he watched as Peyton and Stella walked in. "Hey," he greeted.

"She looks much better," Peyton sighed in relief.

"Well I'll be blunt. She has a really long road ahead. She'll need physiotherapy. We found two wounds. One on the front from a distance and one close up on the side. The one from her side, we had to extract. She won't be able to walk on her own again right away, but with physiotherapy she will."

"If she wants to be adopted by us, we'll make sure she's protected," Mac answered.