A/N: I rather liked this chapter.

Ch. 16

A Thousand Words

A picture is worth a thousand words.

Danny didn't have patience enough to even sit, so he stood and paced in small circles before Mac's unoccupied desk. He was staring at the floor in thought, but glanced up periodically to look out through the windows to see if Mac was coming.

Just about every fiber of Danny's being was urging him not to do this. But Danny knew that was just stubborn pride talking. Yes, Mavin had gotten to him, Mavin had won, and he shouldn't get away with it. But there was a smaller voice whispering at the back of Danny's mind, telling him that he was doing the right thing. Danny focused on that voice and strengthened its resolve as he replayed the scene at the alley over and over.

There was no way Mavin would have missed Danny and still hit Jake. Jake had been cowering behind Danny, making himself small. The only way to have hit the man was by getting the bullet through Danny first; a through and through - potentially deadly even if the shot was only taken in the shoulder.

It made Danny sick with disbelief. Mavin was such a cold hearted SOB that it shouldn't have surprised Danny that he would be capable of shooting through someone else to get what he wanted. But it did surprise Danny. In fact, it boggled his mind. Mavin was a cop, he knew better. Jake hadn't been dangerous enough for such action. He would have bolted as soon as he moved from Mavin's sights. The guy was a coward, not a killer even if he aided killers.

Mavin had wanted to shoot something.

" Weren't you already in here?"

Danny snapped his head up in alarm. Mac walked into his office, eyeing Danny questioningly.

" You all right?" Mac asked next as he moved around his desk. " Maybe you should sit down."

Danny nodded but remained standing. The desire to leave, to dismiss what had happened in a show of refusing to let Mavin irk him, was screaming in his brain. But between the screams came the sound of ringing shots.

Danny began massaging his hand, pressing his thumb into his palm until it hurt. Mac sat down behind his desk with the chair creaking under his weight.

" I think…" Danny began, but the words were already leaving a bitter taste on his tongue.

" Danny, sit down, relax. You look ready to rip someone's throat out and I would very much like it if it wasn't me."

Danny dropped his hands to his side and went rigid. " I want a partner change, Mac."

Mac sat back in his chair and regarded Danny carefully. " What happened?"

" That's not important, Mac, I just need…"

" What happened?"

Danny turned away for a moment and ran both his hands through his hair. This was difficult enough without going into detail. It made him feel like a coward, a failure, slinking off to go hide under a rock until the bad man finally left. It made him sick with rage, so much so that his head began to throb and the desire to walk out and say forget it tore at his mind.

" Danny, what happened?"

Danny turned back and slammed both his hands onto Mac's desk. " He tried to freakin' shoot me, Mac."

Mac scowled in alarm. " What?"

Danny straightened, running one hand through his hair this time and sighing.

" He didn't try to shoot me, but he was going to Mac. Jake got up behind me, grabbed me by the collar and used me as a shield. And there was no way that Mavin was going to be able to hit him without that bullet going through me first. So I threw myself back, just as he fired. D--n it Mac I felt the freakin' thing go by me, right when I jumped back, right when I was falling. I saw where he had his gun pointed, the angle. Jake was too low to hit directly. Mavin wanted a clean shot but he had to get it through me first. He was gonna shoot me!"

Mac stood up and lifted his hands in a placating way. " Just calm down Danny. Right now it doesn't really matter. We'll put you with someone else, it's no big deal."

Danny ran his hands over his head again and resumed his short, tense pace. " It is a big deal, Mac. Mavin's gonna love this, he's gonna rub it in my face…"

" Danny, he's not out to get you. The man's a pain in the A-- to work with, that's all. The fact that you lasted this long should be considered a record."

Danny kept pacing. He couldn't stop. He felt too wired and his mind was lost in a haze of fury. He should have decked Mavin when he had the chance, back at the alley as they were getting into the car.

" You can't win every fight, Messer," Mac said. " And some fights aren't worth what it takes to win. Mavin isn't worth loosing your sanity over."

At this, Danny stopped and looked at Mac, the rage lifting enough for his brain to finally function properly. " He needs to be taken off this case. The guy's a wack-job. I swear he's losing it if he hasn't already."

" Not my call," Mac replied. " Wack-job or not, he knows this case, and we need people who know it."

" If he'd shot me, would he have been taken off then?"

Mac shrugged. " Probably."

" Maybe I should've let him."

Mac grinned. " I don't think it would have been worth it, Danny. Listen, I'll get you assigned with another detective, or maybe just put you with Flack and Aiden. In the meantime - to change the subject - what's the plan for Jake? Interrogation?"

Danny shook his head. " Naw. The guy kept asking for a lawyer the entire ride back. Mavin didn't want to deal with it so he's leaving it for tomorrow. Thinks that Jacob might be more out-going if he spends a night in jail."

" Whatever you do, I want Farrone listening in. Let her ask some questions too."

Danny nodded, removing his glasses and digging the heel of his hand into one eye. " Might not be a smart move to have me, Mavin, and Jake in the same room."

Mac grinned again. " We'll keep watch. We'll also worry about it tomorrow. For now you need to go home and turn in early. No offense, Danny, but you're starting to look like the walking dead."

Danny placed his glasses back on. " Funny, I feel like the walking dead. I'll see you tomorrow then."

" Rested, I hope."

Danny left Mac's office, not in any sort of a better mood, but far less angry than before. He was too tired to care much about anything at the moment. In fact he felt as though everything that had happened the past few days had now accumulated and was trying to beat him down to nothing. He ached everywhere, and the throbbing in his head had escalated into a skull-cracking pound.

He went into the locker room, grabbed his stuff, threw on his coat, and began heading toward the door when Aiden approached going the other way.

" Wow, is that Danny Messer who's leaving before midnight? I guess that means hell's finally frozen over."

Danny grinned. Aiden turned on her heels and began walking alongside him. " What, no smart comeback, Messer? Wow, you must be really out of it."

Danny tilted his aching head back. " Lay off, Burn. I'm so tired I might end up sleep-driving home."

Aiden patted his back. " Aw, pobre Danny. Just don't kill anyone along the way."

Both Danny and Aiden stepped through the doors into the cold night air. Danny shivered and removed his glasses that had begun to fog up.

" You, know," Aiden said as they casually made their way down the steps, " We've been riding this case non-stop and all we got to show for it is a bunch of crap you can find at any garage sale, plus a growing pile of bodies. There's really no point in staying over time."

" Then why're you still here?"

Aiden shrugged. " Guess you're rubbing off on me, Messer. I can't seem to get myself to stop looking for something."

Danny smiled. " You calling me a workaholic, Burn?"

" No, I'm calling you obsessive, which wouldn't be the first time."

When Danny didn't respond, Aiden leaned forward slightly to get a better look at his face.

" Dang, Danny, you look like crap. You okay?"

Danny dropped his head with a frustrated sigh. " People need to stop asking me that."

" Stop looking like crap and we will."

Danny chuckled, and Aiden smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow, Messer, hopefully in better condition." She stopped on the last step and turned to head back inside, only to pause.

" Uh-oh. Danny, whatever you do, don't turn around, just keep walking."

" Hey Messer!"

The sound of Mavin's voice ripped through Danny's nerves like a thousand needles. He knew he should just keep walking, but he didn't. He gave in to the defensive side of himself, too worn out to fight it any more. Aiden glared at him, shaking her head in a silent but firm no.

" What?" Danny snapped.

" What'd you say?" Mavin replied. He was standing before the doors, hands hanging loosely at his sides.

" To who?"

" To Taylor, Messer. What did you tell him?"

Danny rubbed both his eyes with one hand. " I think you already know the answer to that, Mavin. But I wouldn't worry about it." Danny looked up at Mavin, glaring. " Not like there's any proof. It's not like you're gonna get fired for it."

When Mavin didn't reply, Danny turned to head off.

" Messer. Hey Messer! Don't go walkin' off just yet. Turn around, I got something to say."

Again, Danny knew he shouldn't, but since he wouldn't have to be working with the detective anymore he thought there would be no harm in it.

" What Mavin! You got something to say then spit it."

Mavin's lips curled in a sneer of pure contempt. " If what you told Mac somehow ends up getting me fired after all, I swear I'll break that skinny neck of yours. You got that? I ain't going down just 'cause you're so freakin' paranoid all the time." Mavin shook his head in disgust and mumbled under his breath, " Gang-banger piece of crap."

The last thread of self-control Danny had fought so hard to maintain finally broke.

" Mavin, you stupid son of a…!" he advanced, but before he could even set foot on the first step Aiden blocked his way, placing her hands on his shoulders to push him back.

" Danny, no!"

Danny threw up his arms, trying to move forward but being shoved back. " What the hell's your problem, man!"

" Aw, come on Messer, lighten up. It was just a joke…"

" You're a freakin' psycho, Mavin! You got something against me then you come do something about it and stop jerkin' me around…!"

" You're the one with the problem, Messer…"

" Why you always up in my face…?"

" 'Cause you deserve it! You're nothin' but a punk kid who doesn't know crap…!"

" You wanna come down here and say that…!"

Their shouting match was drawing a crowd of cops and CSIs. Danny kept trying to maneuver around Aiden, but Aiden moved fast and was soon aided by a uniformed cop in holding Danny back. Another detective placed a hand on Mavin's shoulder to restrain him from taking a step. Their shouts increased until the words could no longer be understood, and Aiden had to scream to be heard.

" Danny! Back off, he isn't worth getting your butt fired over!"

Aiden and the uniform practically dragged Danny away, and the detective and two CSIs began pulling Mavin toward the building. Finally, Mavin stopped his string of swears, jerked free of the restraining hands, and twitched his shoulders to straighten his coat. He pasted on his infuriating smirk of self-grandiose, and the rage it caused in Danny made his blood boil.

" I'm shocked you still work here, Messer," Mavin spat. " You shouldn't have even been allowed to walk through these doors to begin with."

Danny tried once more to dart at Mavin, but both Aiden and the cop prevented it, so he settled on flipping Mavin the bird instead. Mavin laughed.

" Real mature, kid."

" Go to hell!"

Mavin kept up his caustic laughter until he was finally escorted into the building. Aiden and the uniform kept pushing Danny back until he stepped away from them without trying to get around them.

" Crap, Danny!" Aiden said breathlessly. She shoved Danny in the chest. " What the hell is your problem? You wanna get fired! 'Cause that's what's gonna happen if Mac finds out about this."

Panting, his skull feeling as though it was ready to explode, Danny wiped his mouth and began walking away. Aiden grabbed him by the sleeve of his coat, forcing him to turn around.

" I think you need to go back in there and ask Mac to get you reassigned to a new partner."

" I already did."

Aiden tossed her hair back sharply. " Then go home! You're exhausted, you're not thinking straight. Leave before you shoot someone."

Still panting, Danny finally turned and walked away, clenching his hands to stop them from shaking, and wishing Mavin were in front of him so he could cave the guy's face in.

CSINY

The argument had given Danny the adrenaline he needed to get home without causing a car wreck, but the moment he walked through his door it all drained away. His body felt heavy, but his head light as though he was walking through a dream. He tossed his keys onto the kitchen counter, wincing at the sound, then pulled off his coat and draped it over the back of his couch.

Way too tired to cook, he pulled out a clear glass bowl from the top middle cupboard and a box of cereal from a bottom cupboard. He then pulled the milk from the fridge, slamming it closed, and poured both milk and cereal into the bowl. He did not even sit as he ate and downed his dinner fast before he fell asleep on his feet. Once done he dumped the bowl in the sink, popped two aspirin, then pulled his wallet from his pocket and set it down beside his keys as he headed for the bathroom.

Leaning with both hands on the sink, Danny took a good look at himself for the first time that day. Aiden was right, he looked like crap. His eyes were bloodshot and shadowed, and his face pale. He was shaking, but knew that it wasn't because of weariness. Anger had a way of dissipating slowly from his system, and tended to leave lingering traces behind that reignited at the slightest hassle. Being tired made it slip away even slower.

Danny let out a breath. " Bedtime, Messer," he said to himself, straightening and lightly the slapping the mirror as he did so as though trying to chase the image away. Being a chilled night, he dressed in sweatpants and a long-sleeved gray shirt. He went around the house making sure all the windows were shut, ending at his room. He removed his glasses and set them on the nightstand by the bed, shut off the light, and slipped heavily beneath the covers, falling back against his pillow.

It was an indescribable pleasure at being able to lie down, melting into something soft and relieving his bones and muscles of having to support him. The aches in his body and head drifted away, and soon he did not feel anything. Coherent thought was replaced by dreams that came and went quickly.

He saw Mavin on the steps to the lab, pointing a gun at him, smirking that stupid smile of his.

" Just turn away Danny," Mac said, heading down the stairs past Mavin.

" He'll shoot me," Danny said, strangely calm.

He was pulled back by Aiden. " Danny, just ignore him and go already."

" Aiden, he'll kill me."

" Just go!"

So Danny turned, cringing, waiting for the searing pain of a bullet tearing through flesh and bone. Then he heard a scream and turned back. He was in a room that was dark say for a single light shining on a body hanging from a nylon rope. Acting almost instinctually, he moved toward the body to gather the evidence, but had forgotten his kit. He heard someone talking. Maybe it was Mac, or Stella, Flack or Aiden. He said something back but did not know what he said. He knelt, looking up at the down-turned face and the vacant eyes of Jessi, and went cold.

Danny jolted awake, lifting his head, trying to will the rest of his body to move so he did not have to look at the dead eyes that were supposed to be alive. He blinked bleary eyes and the dream-fog gradually cleared from his brain. He dropped his head back onto the pillow with a quiet groan. He lifted his hands to his face, kept them there for a moment, took a deep breath, then dropped his hands back onto the bed. It was going to be another one of those nights.

Strangely, the cold he had felt in the dream still lingered. Then he realized it wasn't a dream. A cold gust of air brushed against the side of his face, and he slowly sat up. The window on the right was open, and a light, frigid breeze was making the blinds twitch.

Danny stared at the window in dazed confusion. He could have sworn he closed them all. At least he thought he had.

He pulled himself from the warmth of the blankets and stumbled to the window, leaning on it to push it closed. It was the window next to the fire escape. It made him uneasy that of all the windows to forget to close it had to be this one. Having a window next to a fire escape had always troubled him. He had seen too many crimes where the perp had managed to break into an upper level apartment thanks to a fire escape.

Danny locked the window then stumbled back to his bed and dropped into it. The cold air was already vanishing, and his mind began to slip back into dreams. With any luck he wouldn't wake up until morning. But luck had yet to ever prove reliable.

CSINY

Danny walked into headquarters ache free. Thanks be to sheer exhaustion he had only woken up that one time last night and slept like a rock the rest of the evening. He would have been in a good mood had the prospect of having to see Mavin again not been sitting like an iron weight on his mind. But after this interview with Jake, hopefully, he would never have to see the man again let alone here him, and that was something to be content about.

He walked into the locker room and headed to his locker. He stopped short on seeing Aiden standing in front of it, staring at an envelope sticking out of the bottom of the locker. Suddenly, whatever high spirits Danny had shattered.

" Please tell me that's not what I think it is," he said, hurrying forward. Aiden, her arms folded in front of her chest, shrugged.

" I was waiting until you arrived before I found out." She then unfolded her arms and handed Danny a latex glove. " The honor's yours."

Danny took the glove and pulled it on. He carefully pulled the letter from the locker and read it over. The return address was the same as before; the law firm office where Jessi had almost died.

Danny stiffened. He and Aiden exchanged troubled looks.

" I think we should bring Mac in on this," Aiden said.

Danny nodded stiffly, swallowing back rising bilge. He turned the letter over and found it to be unsealed. " Let's just make sure we've got the time first. If that's what it is."

Opening it, Danny found no letter but a Polaroid picture. He pulled it out and stared at it. What he saw did not register to him, not at first, because his brain refused to let it, and for a moment he thought he was still lost in dreams.

" Who - who brought this in, Aiden?" he asked, and terror expanded in his chest, closing off his throat. The truth of it was pounding into his reality. His hand began to shake, and his breath stopped.

" What?" Aiden asked, trying to see it. She grabbed Danny's wrist to move his hand so she could look at the picture, then froze as her jaw slowly fell open.

" What the hell?" she breathed, wide eyed. " Danny?"

Danny wanted to vomit, to scream, to tear the picture into thousands of pieces. He was staring at a picture of himself; deep in peaceful sleep, with his head turned to one side. He could almost make out the faint blue vein running like a river along his neck. And pressed lightly against that vein, tilted slightly so it could be identified by the ones who saw it, was a butcher knife gripped in a black-gloved fist, ready to cut.

NOTE

Sneak Preview - Now here's a twist…

For those of you who want to know and do not, pobre means poor. It is a term of endearment started by my brother - pobre sita mihija (poor baby or something like that. I'm not sure if I got the spelling right.)