When the morning came, Rebecca was still asleep and Mac was on the phone with the local judge. "We returned Rebecca home, only to see there was a clear cause for concern in regards to her safety. My partner and I took her with us and the only place I could think of at 2 in the morning was my house. I want to adopt her if her parents will allow it," he informed.
"If her parents sign the documents," he assured as Mac printed off the emailed documents. He then looked in on Rebecca. "Has she woke up yet?" Mac shook his head and as the call finally ended, he glanced in on Rebecca to see her smiling before it turned to a frown and she seemed to curl in on herself. Mac lowered the blankets so he could see what she was up to and he noticed she was curling into a tight little ball. Gently shaking her he heard her moan in pain.
"Rebecca? Wake up," he quietly instructed and slowly he saw her eyes open. "Hey," he greeted softly and he tried to move her hands but she shook her head trying to keep herself curled into a ball. "What's the matter? What's hurting?"
"My stomach. Really badly," she answered as she sat up and curled into a ball. Mac secretly cursed himself for assuring he could handle the day on his own. Claire would have known what to do immediately but he did know his basics.
"Did you eat anything yesterday before we found you? Something you shouldn't have?"
"I ate everything I normally do. Only thing different was a cookie I took off a tray that was out on the table at home," she answered and Mac bit his lip not needing to be a genius. With what he smelled in the house while they dealt with Rebecca, he wouldn't have been surprised if the cookies had marijuana in them.
"Rebecca, would your parents eat a lot of those?" She looked confused and he chuckled knowing she was too focused on the pain. "Think back to the tray. The one you said you took a cookie off of. Would they have ate all of what's left?"
"No," she answered as she recalled how high the stack was. He then pulled out his phone and dialed a number. "Please don't get them in trouble."
"They need to be. It's one thing if they want to do what they are to themselves. But putting you in danger? I draw my line there," he answered before he got an answer. "Flack. Go back to the house Rebecca directed us to. Tell them we're taking a few of their cookies for testing as I have Rebecca on my couch and she's curled in a ball. Also tell Hawkes to come down here and bring something to reverse the effects of drug consumption on a child," he informed.
"What do you mean reverse the effects? Rebecca didn't look to be under the effects of anything."
"Maybe because by the time we saw her the emotional and cognitive effects were wearing off. But it seems the physical ones didn't. She woke up in pain and has not let go of her abdomen and she says that is the only thing she did different yesterday. Also don't get tricked by them. Tell them we want the exact ones that were on a tray on the table the day before."
"Understood," Flack answered and Mac hung up before calling Claire knowing she would need to understand why Hawkes was at the house. With the fact that Rebecca had more than likely consumed cannabis, he wanted to make sure that it was all out of her system.
Placing the phone on speaker he waited a moment. "Mac. What's wrong? How's Rebecca? Is she awake? Has anyone come to take her?"
"No," Mac placated before he looked at Rebecca who looked confused. "She just woke up in extreme amounts of pain so I had Flack call Hawkes. He'll be over for a while so I just wanted to make sure you didn't think something was really wrong. But I will tell you what we think has happened. Rebecca confessed to taking a cookie off the table at her home and we all think the same thing. We think she ingested an edible," he began and Claire gasped.
"I'm fine ma'am. Please don't worry," Rebecca answered before she bit her lip and her head thudded against the couch. Mac grabbed one of Rebecca's hands and gently squeezed it. "I'm fine," she answered and he chuckled at that.
"I'll believe that once a doctor has cleared you," he answered before chuckling at Claire. "Don't worry. We won't let anything happen to her. I spoke to the judge today and I'll finish that thought once I let you know what me and Rebecca talk about."
"Alright. You two be safe," she answered hanging up and Mac then looked to Rebecca who looked very confused and he smiled at that grabbing the papers and letting her look through them. He knew she would understand some concepts.
"These are transfer off custody papers. Most used in cases of domestic violence, child abuse and shortly after death of parents should a child need a home," she responded. Mac nodded and then looked for the page and showed her the page that transferred her parent's custody of her over to Mac and Claire.
"Me and Claire want to adopt you. When she heard what I saw at your house, she was horrified. I still can't believe what you've lived through and who you've become. When police see homes like that we always grow concerned that the children will fall into the wrong crowd. You? You've already grown up to be so strong. Most kids your age already would have been into the drinking and drugs that their parents are into. That or they go and get themselves into a lot of trouble. I don't want you to feel obligated but, me and Claire really want you to be a part of our family."
"I wouldn't have to go back?" Mac looked at her and realized she was actually thinking about it.
"No. We'd go back to get their signatures, collect what things you have and then it'd be all over," he answered. She groaned in pain as her stomach got to her again but she then glanced at Mac and nodded. He smiled and gently moved her so his heart was beating directly into her ear and he smiled as she settled a little bit. "Get some sleep," he whispered and she shook her head but eventually her mind settled on getting some rest. She knew she'd need it for when the doctor showed up at Mac's house, but she knew she'd eventually have to call it home.
After a few hours, Sheldon knocked and Mac smiled gently laying Rebecca down and going to answer the door. "I heard from Flack. Where's our suspected drug consumption patient?" He pointed to the girl on the couch and it made the man smile. "She looks to be at peace finally."
"That took a reveal of mine and Claire's plan and some movies. She's in pain though. Did Flack get the cookies?"
"Yes and that's what took me so long. I was helping run the cookies. Looks like her parents don't like to just smoke drugs. They like to eat them too. One of the cookies had cannabis and another had something that was very close to crack. The others were just cannabis. But the dosage was high. So if Rebecca did eat one of these, we'll have to consider pumping it out. She probably can't digest some of it. So we have to get her to the hospital."
"But she's not in critical condition."
"That we know of. She could be lying," Hawkes answered as he shook her shoulder and she groaned in pain. "She needs to go Mac. We have to get the contents of her stomach out," Hawkes responded. Mac nodded and then lifted her and held her since it was clear Hawkes knew she'd have to leave. "I already called Sid and he's going to help. We're doing it in autopsy as it's the only place we can do it without the media having a field day. You know they all look for something."
"Always have and always will. I'm guessing you're having the equipment transported to us," Mac began and he nodded. As Hawkes saw Rebecca's eyes opening and looking confused he watched as Mac sat her in the car and looked at her. "Rebecca, it's okay. We're just going to where I work to try and get what's making you like this stop." She nodded and as they drove over, Mac looked and closed his eyes as he saw Rebecca flinch. "This better work."
"It will. Once we get all the contents of her stomach drained out, we'll start using some fluids to flush out her tube and then we can let her body do the rest," Hawkes answered. As they arrived, Mac hurried inside with Rebecca and laid her on a table that Sid had ready. "Rebecca, I'm going to numb down your throat and mouth before putting you to sleep," Hawkes warned and she nodded as he grabbed a needle and then looked at her jaw and began to inject the anesthetic agents and she all of a sudden started moving her mouth around. "Can you feel your jaw?"
"No," she drawled and he chuckled knowing it was true about her mouth being numbed down.
"Alright after this next thing that I'm going to do I'll make you answer in another way," he calmed before he began to squirt a liquid anesthetic down her throat and then held her head down as she gagged a little. "It's going to feel funny," he calmed before he then looked at her. "Blink twice if your throat is numb and blink once if it isn't," he instructed and she glared at him. "Yeah I should have done it another way. Just trust me okay?" She nodded and he grabbed the nasal tube and gently placed it in her nose. He waited until he saw her eyes falling shut and then gently helped Sid start an IV.
"She's not going to handle the pain well but we need to try and clear her stomach contents," Sid answered. Mac was waiting on the other side as he knew he couldn't be in there. But he watched as the tube was slowly inserted into her throat and then after another 20 minutes it began to drain out her stomach. He felt horrible for what Rebecca was going through but he also didn't want her in pain. Sid stepped out as Hawkes was running the machine. "You seem quieter than normal. Even from behind a viewing stance."
"She could have been much worse Sid. Much worse," Mac answered looking as Hawkes was finally able to flush out the tube they were using. "The fact that she wasn't on the ground when me and Flack found her," he began as he saw the fact that her stomach had been completely emptied.
"But she wasn't. After you two found her, did you give her anything to eat or drink?"
"Water," Mac answered honestly.
"Maybe that initial flush out saved her from some of the other dangerous effects. Water is a good agent for flushing out the body."
After Sheldon finished, he carefully removed the IV and left the nasal tube with oxygen in her nose as Mac carried her upstairs and laid her on the couch and covered her up. "When she wakes up start small. Try things that you would give a little kids for a snack. Fruit cups, pudding, applesauce. Softer things until her acid rebalances out," Hawkes advised.
"Can she eat a decent dinner tonight?"
"Yes," Hawkes answered. As the door closed, Mac looked at Rebecca and smiled softly at her as he had the results of what her little snack the day prior had contained and walked out while ordering Lindsay to stay with Rebecca.
"We going down there boss?" Flack wasn't stupid. He knew that Mac Taylor was not happy since a child had been endangered by a family. He nodded and then walked down to the car where Danny was waiting with Hawkes. "We need to consider the Max family armed. They had a gun unknown caliber last night and they have the pocket knife back that we confiscated from Rebecca on our chase," he warned the team.
"So Rebecca's not able to be of any help?" Danny didn't know about what had happened to her yet.
"She just had her stomach pumped and was still unconscious when we left," Mac warned. Danny looked at him concerned and Mac nodded at that. "Rebecca Max woke in pain and so when we got Hawkes to look at her, he decided the best choice would be to pump her stomach out. We learned she potentially ate an edible," he informed before they arrived and grabbed their guns. "Now we don't want to shoot them down. We just want to get them detained."
As they walked to the door Mac knocked on the door. "NYPD! We want to have a little-," he began before he slammed himself against the wall as he heard a gunshot. "Looks like they knew we'd be coming back," he mused before he heard a gunshot again from inside and he rushed in. When he looked he saw Rebecca with a gun and had it aimed at her father. "Drop the guns. Both of you! Now!"
Hawkes and Flack both looked at Rebecca shocked. "How did you get up? That procedure should have left you weak. Also isn't Lindsay watching you?"
"I fooled her. I knew what would happen if you came after him," she explained before she looked at her father. "I'll drop mine if you drop your's. We can end this easily," she answered. Mac knew he'd have to write it up but he also wasn't stupid. Rebecca was a child and she was clearly affected by what her father did.
"Where'd you get the gun?"
"Shed out back," she answered. "I approached from Main street knowing you'd be in the front. He's not a man of his word," she answered looking at Mac. "I wanted to make sure he kept his word this time. About everything."
"About what?"
"Lindsay told me where you were and what you planned to do. So I knew it would go south. I begged her to bring me here to intervene before it got bad. I heard you guys out front so I knew I still had time. I snuck into the yard and into the shed to grab the gun and then walked in. She was dead," she began cocking her head towards her mother. Mac looked to see 4 bullets in her. "When I heard gunfire I didn't hesitate and ran in. I knew if he had a target, he wouldn't focus on you," she responded.
"What will make you shut up you bitch?" Mac wanted to shoot at him for that. He was about to demand the weapons again before Rebecca took aim again. "I taught you to shoot. So I know my aim is quicker and better," he began.
"Before that, Rebecca someone wants to talk to you. He works with Mac and I," Flack informed putting a phone on speaker. "She can hear you," he promised.
"Rebecca?" She never turned her head from her father and had rage in her eyes. "Rebecca, I need you to acknowledge me. Can you hear me?"
"Yeah. Who are you?" Mac noted Adam was not hesitating. He clearly knew something about what Rebecca was going through and wanted to talk the kid down before she did something that would seriously hurt herself or others.
"My name's Adam Ross. I'm a Crime Scene Investigator and work with Mac. I hear you're facing him with a gun," he began and she made a small sound. "Look up," he instructed and she glanced to see the camera in the corner. "Your dad isn't good with video security. I found videos. Lots of them. Ones where he hurts you. Hurts your mother. He's a bit of a bully isn't he?"
"He won't stop," she answered firmly. She then took a breath. "I know what Mac was coming here to do. But he won't listen. My mother's dead and if I don't stand against him now," she began shakily and Mac noted the gun was starting to shake in her hand.
"I know what it's like to have a bully for a father. My father? He was a bully too. Didn't love me or my mother unless he was allowed to slap us around. But I got away. I lived a better life. Don't think that I wasn't scared of him. That I didn't want to make him pay. I did. But I chose the better road. I forgave him." She cocked her head to the side confused.
"How could you forgive him?"
Adam chuckled humorlessly. "I forgave him because he didn't know who he had in his life. Your dad? He's no different. He doesn't realize that he had a daughter that loved him so unconditionally that she didn't tell the Detective that arrested her about the guns. About the drugs. About the abuse. They had to learn on their own that you had so many inner demons. It was hard wasn't it? Lying to everyone? Saying you were okay? Holding the reputation you have at school? I have your file up. You look to be their little superstar."
"It's a mask," she answered as a tear slipped down her face. "It's the only time I feel real," she answered and Mac noted the gun was shaking even more. "I wanted it all to stop. Detective Taylor said he wanted to get my custody transferred."
"How'd you feel?" Hawkes was confused about why Adam was asking but he didn't stop him as it was making Rebecca struggle with her intention to shoot her father down. "Rebecca? Answer the question. How did you feel when Mac said he wanted to gain custody of you."
"Hope," she answered and then Flack watched it. Her hands steadied, but her death grip on the gun loosened.
"Then let's keep that hope. Put the gun down and slide it towards Flack," he instructed and Flack kneeled and held his hand on the ground for the gun. Mac watched as her hand lowered the gun to the ground and she slid it directly towards Flack who grabbed it and concealed it. As Rebecca stood and faced her dad though to talk a gunshot rang out. "NO!"