Thank you for all the positive feedback. I have to say it's the first time someone has ever put me on their story alert list. I'm very flattered. Since y'all seem to like angst so much I'll give you some more.Obviously I do not own these characters.

The past few weeks had been tough on Danny. All he could think about was the shooting. Mac's words haunted him. People had tried to convince Mac not to hire Danny, butMac hadn't listened to them. He had been willing to give Danny a chance when no one else would-and Danny had made him look like a fool. No wonder he had given such a cold reply when Danny asked if the two of them were good. Since that exchange, it was getting harder and harder to look Mac in the eyes. Danny couldn't stand to see the disapointment there. He felt as if everyone were watching him, waiting for him to mess up again. He knew if he did, he could kiss his job goodbye.

Danny hadn't spoken to Nick in quite sometime. Work had kind of taken over and the most they could manage was the occasional e-mail. But lately Nick hadn't been replying to those either. Danny wondered what was wrong. Finally Danny decided to call Nick. The phone rang a few times, then a woman's voice answered, "Hello?"

Had Danny interupted a date? He didn't think so, the woman sounded a bit too old for that. "Um, is Nick there?"

"Who is this?" asked the woman, sounding suspicious.

"Daniel" (for some reason Danny felt as if he should use his proper name) "Daniel Messer."

"Oh, yes. Nick told us about you. I'm his mother, Jillian."

"Nice to meet you." said Danny. "Is Nick there?"

There was such a long pause Danny wondered if the line had been disconected. "You still there?"

"Yes, yes I'm here. I'm sorry. I thought you knew..."

"Knew what?" asked Danny, fear rising in his chest.

"Nick was kidnapped. His captor burried him alive."

Danny felt as if the floor had dropped out beneath him. It couldn't be true, not Nick. It had to be a mistake. "Is he-I mean, will he-"

"Yes, his friends got to him in time. He was just released from the hospital yesterday."

Danny gave a sigh of relief. "Can I talk to him?"

"I'm sorry," said Jillian, and Danny could tell she meant it. "But I don't think that would be a good idea."

"Will-" Danny's voice broke. Tears burned like acid in his eyes. "Will you tell him I called?" he managed, his voice no higher than a whisper.

"Of course I will. Thank you Danny."

"Goodbye." whispered Danny. His hands were shaking so bad it took two tries to hang up the phone. Danny rarely cried. He had grown up in an eviroment where tears were considered a sign of weakness. But now his body shook with sobs as tears flowed down his face.The thought of being burried alive was too horrible for Danny to imagine. How could anybody come out of thatokay? "Please Nick," Danny prayed. "Please be all right."