When Rebecca got up later in the day she grabbed a sandwich that Mac handed to her and she looked at him. "You're quiet. Not a good sign. Want to fill me in on what I've missed since I was out like a light?" Mac looked at her and she quickly did a mental search of what possibly could have come up. She reflected on where she had been heading to before Flack and Stella had joined Mac in the station to stop her from leaving the area. "You didn't," she began.
"Talk to your foster parents that you still talk to?" She glared at him and he chuckled hollowly. "We did. We also learned you ran away because they mentioned sending you to a psychiatrist. They realized that to do it, they shouldn't have said it near you."
"Psychiatrists treat mentally ill patients. I'm fine. Pass all my psych evaluations at work and that should be proof," she snapped. Mac had to admit that they'd have to get some proof as Rebecca currently was doing as she claimed. She was passing all her psych evaluations at work meaning her mental illness was either really well buried or non existent. "Trust me, if something was bothering me, I'd have went to someone by now." He looked at her and she chuckled. "What?"
"The picture of your father that's false on your desk. You avoid talking about him. About the Marines. Almost as if you're not willing to be open to the idea that not all marines are good people. That not all of them can be good people. Not bitter and angry all the time," he answered and she looked away. "I'm giving you one last chance to be honest. Or I will ask Flack and Hawkes to dig deeper. I can easily get a warrant to get your records from South Carolina and from New York Hospitals. One flick of the wrist and it's done."
"Nothing happened as a kid. So going after my South Carolina records would be pointless. Dad died shortly after we moved to New York so," she warned. "Oh and let's not forget that for the first few months of my time in New York, I didn't even live with my dad. I was with my foster family."
When Stella was about to say something, Rebecca got up and left the house without even thinking about saying where. Mac grabbed his badge and gun just in case and followed her only to notice she was already blending in with the crowd. "Where could she have vanished?" Stella was concerned as she checked the area and noticed nobody that could possibly be Rebecca.
Mac opened his phone and dialled Adam. "Hey can you make phone towers ping onto Rebecca's phone? We lost her and she's hiding in the crowd," Mac informed and he heard Adam's breath hitch. "Adam what's wrong? You know where she's going?"
"It doesn't take a genius. If she's annoyed, she's heading downtown. She has a few friends there and let's just say I did a background check on Flack's request as he had found her with them before. They're not good people. She's going to make a mistake and I know she's much smarter than that," he answered.
"Where are they?"
"North end of the Bronx," Adam responded and he nodded getting into his car with Stella. "Be nice to her about this. She's probably having a rough time holding her cover. A lot of her life was her friends," he warned Mac. Stella looked at Mac who also smirked knowing the obvious.
"We'll bring her back and she might be a little on edge, but she won't be hurt," Mac promised. As he hung up, Stella had to laugh. "It's obvious about the two of them isn't it? The fact they both have feelings for each other and haven't said anything."
"They're a good match. They balance each other out. Rebecca's full of passion for her work and for doing the right thing. Adam's more mellow and joking. He brings her fire down a notch and she gets his fire going when they need it."
"Let's not start talking about the two of them dating. Rebecca's on a mission right now," he answered as they arrived at the Bronx and began looking around. "Adam said she'd be here," he began before he saw Rebecca and as she locked eyes with him she ran and he went after her. He finally caught up to her and saw she was surrounded by Flack and Danny. "I see Adam contacted you two."
"Yeah we lost her until you showed up and made her backtrack," Flack answered. "Come on Rebecca. Make this easy. Go with Mac," he calmed and as she relaxed her muscles she fell to the ground. Mac helped her up and firmly took her back to his car. "Be easy on her."
"She won't need the lotion you guys came up with," he explained and Danny winced. "Look, you know you would have received the same of punishment."
"She's still a baby sister to me and Flack," Danny warned and he nodded knowing that was the truth. The boys always had joked Rebecca was the baby of the team. Adam and her both clearly had feelings and Mac wouldn't be surprised if he found out the team had bets.
When they got back to Mac's apartment Stella rushed over and hugged Rebecca. "You scared me half to death. What were you thinking slipping out without even thinking to let us get Flack started on your trail." She looked at Rebecca. "I'm waiting."
"I wasn't thinking. I just wanted to get away from the constant questions that were being thrown my way," she answered honestly and Mac winced knowing he somewhat caused her to run out but he also knew that she had to react better to that.
"Go to your room. I'll be there in a few minutes," he informed. She nodded and headed to where she was spending the mission. Stella looked at him and he sighed. "I don't know what her father's done to her, but I know if Colic is watching us, he'll expect her to be disciplined. That was not something I was expecting."
"Just talk to her first and then if he has done that, assure her you'd never abuse her trust. You know she's aware of it. But I'm with you. I wouldn't let her get away with this with just a slap on the wrist," she warned. Mac nodded and then walked into her room to see her glancing out the window.
"Want to tell me what else sent you running? You've never in your career run out on me, nor have you blended in with the crowd to avoid me. You can never do something like that again," he warned her and he turned her to face him. "Did your father ever hurt you? I need the truth because I want to make sure you don't get a memory flash."
"He believed in corporal punishment if that's what you're trying to get at." He knew she wouldn't be stupid and knew she'd click in. "You can't be serious Mac!" She looked at him appalled.
"You damn well knew better. Now did he do it until you were black and blue?" She closed her eyes and shook her head with tears down her eyes. "Listen to me," he answered tilting her chin so her eyes met his and she couldn't look away. "I would never hurt you. It will sting but that's it," he warned and she nodded and he gently pulled her over his knee and she whimpered knowing she was in trouble. "I don't do this to be unfair or to abuse my power over you. I want you to learn your lesson and be one of the better CSIs of our building," he explained and he began. He held her hands on the small of her back and after 25 swats to her derriere and sit spots he held her to his chest and as she cried a little he shushed her before noticing she fell asleep.
"She'll be okay," Stella reminded. Mac nodded and as he left her on her stomach and covered up, he joined her out in the kitchen. "I already pulled her records from New York. Flack and Hawkes are getting her South Carolina records as they were archived."
"What do we have?" Mac looked to see diagnostic images and some physical reports. "Are these broken bones?" Stella nodded and then revealed am x-ray of her front when she was just about 8. Which was when the towers collapsed. "Her clavicle collapsed."
"Every note here suspects abuse. Though she heavily denied it. How'd she respond to you?"
"Mentioning her dad using spanking on her? Didn't go well. She denied him doing it until she was black and blue, but I'm not stupid. She has her own psychological problems. She's passing psych evaluation so I can't say she's not sane. But I'm wondering how."
"She has someone covering it up," Sheldon answered looking at him as he walked in. "I looked into the psychiatric homes that her foster parents were thinking of and here's her records," he added handing them over and then Mac read them. "She has someone helping her keep her mental illness quiet."
"We need to find them. Also don't be surprised if she gives you a cold shoulder. I exposed we know she's covering something up." Hawkes nodded knowing that they had to get to the bottom of it quickly. Before Colic hurt her.
When 3:00 came around, Mac shook her awake and she winced as she leaned on her back end. "Do I still have to go?" He nodded and she sighed sitting up and grabbing her purse and getting in the car. Stella couldn't help but notice she was fidgeting though she couldn't blame.
Colic once again took Rebecca inside and Mac walked down to the office where Flack was waiting. "What's he talking to her about?"
"Today it's her relationship with you and Stella," he informed handing them headphones.
"So your father and stepmother," he began and she scoffed. "I see you don't have some nice things to say about the two of them," he continued looking at her. "Is it that they are hard on you? Sick of how you behave? It's alright to tell me."
"My dad ditched me. I'm never going to forgive him for that. He only took me on so then the world didn't hear about how he left his kid alone," she snapped. Mac looked in her eyes and saw something he didn't expect. Flack had given her a new wire type. It allowed them to see what she saw but it also could turn so it faced Rebecca. She looked angered and hurt.
"I don't like the words he's using but we have nothing yet," Flack answered. Mac growled and left the room knowing he'd never be able to look at Rebecca straight that day if he had all the anger in his system. When he heard her father was angry and bitter, he vouched to never get angry at her. He couldn't let whatever hurt her as a child hurt her again.
When he and Flack went to receive her at the door she looked mentally drained. She was about to get into the car before she stopped and began shaking. "Rebecca," Flack rushed to her and tried to hold her still. "Becca it's me. It's Donnie. Come on little sis. Snap out of it," he calmed and finally her eyes snapped back open and she gasped for breath. "I'm here," he calmed and after a few minutes she slowly got to her feet. "Get in." After a moment, Flack watched as she shakily got into the car. "She's got something eating at her."
"I know. I'm looking at her medical records and I think I know exactly what is eating at Rebecca," he answered as they were going to their seats. "I want Adam to keep away from Rebecca. At least until she admits to it," he answered.
"Why would Adam being near her do bad?"
"Because I think she's under the impression that if Adam knows about what's going on, that she won't ever get noticed by him." Flack snickered and then full blown laughed at that. "What? What's so funny about that?" Flack took a breath before relaxing.
"Sheldon and Adam both wouldn't look at her any different. If anything they'd view her as one hell of a fighter," he answered and Mac nodded at that but then looked at Flack. "Come off it Mac. She looks at Sheldon with something more than just friendship."
When they returned, Rebecca stepped out and glared at Flack. "Sheldon's like a brother. No," she answered and Flack clicked in on time to realize what she was saying without directly saying it. When she walked in, she looked at the time.
"Dinner's ready," Stella called out as the door closed. Mac nodded at her and she agreed silently. After dinner though, Rebecca knew she had to go to bed. She wasn't feeling the greatest. As they all were eating in complete silence, Stella noted Rebecca's eyes were looking anywhere but at Mac or her. "How was the session this time?"
"A bit more depressing than normal, but not even a snag to charge him with malpractice," she responded annoyed. Mac didn't ask about the depressing comment knowing Rebecca. If she wanted to talk about what she meant, she'd elaborate soon.
After they ate, Rebecca and Stella stood. "Before you go off to do your own thing, can you do dishes with Stella please?" Mac knew he needed to keep a parental attitude towards her for the story they had. She nodded and went over to help Stella immediately.
When Rebecca finished washing the dishes, Stella was about to say something to her before she was already gone. "Something is very wrong," Stella noted and Mac nodded as well. He knew that was the truth as Rebecca usually was more talkative. He at first chalked it up to being tired until her shaking episode in public and then her lack of emotion and conversation at dinner.
"I'm going to sleep on the couch tonight. I have a feeling something is happening in Rebecca's mind and she's burying it so then we don't see it. But in her sleep? Her mind won't distinguish between who sees and who does not," he informed.
"I hope you're wrong Mac," Stella began.
"As do I Stella. As do I," he responded looking in on Rebecca who already fell asleep.