AN Okay I'm sorry it took me longer to put this up than I thought. Then didn't wanna work for me, which wasn't nice. Anyway here's pretty much the ending. I think I have another chapter in me. Thanks to MrsG for reading it through for me when was being mean. You rock girl! And to all of my other regular reviewers, thanks again for enjoying my writing. It's nice to know I'm not the only one who thinks along these wavelengths. sniff Okay and now that I'm all sappy I shall shut up so you can read and review of course. ;)

Disclaimer If I owned him I wouldn't spend my time writing about him believe me! As for the rest of the CSI:NY cast they of course belong to whomever they belong to, and it sure as heck ain't me. I'm just borrowing them...however all the originals are mine.

Lives Past

Danny ran a hand through his hair and sighed, "From the beginning huh? This could take awhile."

"Believe me when I say this Danny," Mac said folding his hands in front of him, "I have nothing but time for this."

"Okay, well I guess I'd better start by saying I ran with Tanglewood officially for three years when I was a kid."

"Why?"

Danny inhaled deeply, he felt a headache coming on he had just finished this whole conversation with Nix. For obvious reasons it felt different sharing it with his boss, "I was 'strongly' encouraged to do so."

"Who would strongly encourage a kid to join a gang, except maybe another gang member?"

"My father, that's who."

Mac blinked, "Your father encouraged you to join?"

"Yup," Danny nodded, "I had to know the workings of the family business." The sarcasm that dripped from those last two words was not lost on Mac.

"The family business?"

"I'm one of those twisted explanations of a black sheep in the family Mac. In fact it's more accurate to say I'm the white sheep in my particular family." Danny sighed, "It was all about loyalty when I grew up. I had a family name to uphold; my father and his father before him were a long line of deep connections."

"Deep connections?" Mac worked it through, his eyes widened, "The mob."

Danny winced, "They choose not to use that word because of negative connotations," again with sarcasm, "but yeah."

"So why Tanglewood?" Mac leaned forward in his chair, a little too interested, but also understanding a lot more about Danny's personality.

"Tanglewood boys are loyal to a fault, they will lie down and die for one of their own before ratting anyone out. It's hell getting in, unless you have the right name, and name or not it's even worse getting out."

"So you got in with the right name?" Danny nodded so Mac continued, "And you got out?"

"Yeah I got out barely. I wasn't kidding when I said it's rare to have an out date. I'm one of the few and it's a huge bone of contention with the families. Most of them, my father included, pretend I don't even exist, but the Sassone brothers can't seem to let it go."

"Sassone brothers?"

"Lou is Sonny's older brother." Danny explained, "He actually contacted me tonight, before I found out about Nix. He, um, offered to get rid of Sonny for me. He was the other voice Nix heard."

Mac was quite intrigued, "The one who stopped Sonny from raping her?"

"That would be the one and don't think it was noble of him either. Lou could care less about that sort of thing unless it affects the family name. Sonny being up for the Montenassi murder was bad enough, but this was the proverbial straw." Danny was going into a monotone as he explained. Part of him felt good about finally getting it out in the open, the other was so completely afraid of how Mac was going to react. He valued, probably too much, his boss's approval and he hadn't received a lot of it as of late.

"What did you say to Lou when he made you this offer?" Mac asked, almost afraid of the answer.

Danny looked up, "I'll admit I thought about it Mac, she's my girlfriend." He sighed, "But I know the hands they like to play, I let him do this for me, he's got me in his back pocket. I won't be that person."

Mac smiled slightly, "I admire your decision Danny."

Stunned Danny regarded his boss, "The decision made itself Mac."

"Why is this the first time you've told me this?" Mac asked.

"When would have been the proper time to come into your office and say 'oh by the way, just in case you're curious I used to be in a gang and have mob connections?'" Danny retorted.

"Good point, but it still would have been nice to know."

"Why did you hire me Mac?"

Mac thought about his answer for so long Dannyfigured he wouldn'tsay anything. Finally, "I like the passion you have for your job, even if you don't listen to the evidence all the time." Mac said, "Everybody deserves a chance and you're damn good at what you do."

"I still can't believe she thought about being evidence before going to the hospital." Danny mused, jumping subjects.

Mac followed, "She's pretty dedicated to you."

Danny rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment and looked down, "Yeah she's one of the few."

"You're a worth while investment." Mac said sternly.

Looking up at his boss Danny nodded his understanding and stood, "Is there anything else you need to know?"

"Not at the moment, but I'll keep you posted."

Danny left without another word and just needed to get out of the lab. He pulled out his phone and dialled a familiar number; he had to stop off somewhere before he did anything else. "Aiden?...You at work?...Good, mind if I stop by?...Kay I'll see you in a few."

Tegan sat back in her seat and stared at her friend expectantly, "Nix I've known you for over a year now and except for a couple of hints you rarely talk about your home or your past."

"It isn't exactly a topic that most people want to talk about, so I just don't." Phoenix explained.

Niles came into the room, "Nix!" He exclaimed, "I thought I was done visiting you like this." He walked over to her bed and kissed her forehead.

She chuckled, "At least it wasn't Stan or some idiot my mother set me up with."

"It was a connection to Danny wasn't it?" Niles asked.

Phoenix nodded, "Apparently everybody's past is coming up to slap them in the face or punch me in the face anyway."

"Umm, hi, remember me? Tegan? Waving at you here from deep in the dark." Tegan said with a sigh.

"You haven't told her yet?" Niles asked.

"I was getting to that."

"Well get there faster," Tegan sighed, "I'm so very beyond confused."

"You tell her about Stan, I'll explain the Sonny stuff."

"Okay," Niles agreed, "To start Stan is my uncle and Nix's father…"

"He doesn't deserve the title so I don't call him that." Phoenix interjected.

Niles raised his eyebrows, "The peanut gallery wasn't going to talk for this part."

"Right, I'm shutting up." Phoenix nodded.

"Anyway," Niles continued, "To make a long story short Nix used to sneak over to my house whenever Stan got drunk so she could escape the beatings."

"You're serious?" Tegan was incredulous.

Niles nodded, "Hell ya, I tried to get her to come with me when I came to New York for college but then Stan died so she stayed longer."

"Out of some dumb ass guilt complex that my mom heaped on me," Phoenix explained then pretended to zip her lips when Niles glared at her.

"Then she got set up on the date from hell and I wouldn't take no for an answer and flew down to get her." Niles finished.

Phoenix smiled and patted his arm, "My big brother." She said affectionately.

"Oh Danny how come things like this always happen to you?" Aiden asked with a sigh.

"I don't know Aid, but it could stop any time now. I have no idea what I'm supposed to do."

"What do you mean?"

He sighed, "She's a complete mystery and it's driving me crazy. I usually bail well before this point. I don't get why I still want her around."

"Maybe you really are falling…"

"Don't Aiden, just, not yet."

"Oh you're so already there! You're just too chicken shit to admit it."

"I'm not anywhere Aiden I'm just barely getting to know this girl! It seems every time I talk to her I'm learning new things about her life."

"Yeah well, welcome to relationship Danny. I'm pretty sure she's feeling the same way, but I doubt she wants to go anywhere."

"This is just new all right."

"Maybe it's time for a change of pace from just keeping platonic friends around and then the occasional fuck buddy."

"That was vulgar Aiden." He said with a laugh.

"Tell me I'm wrong." She challenged him with a smile.

He shook his head, "I'm not going to get into a debate with you about my past relationships."

"Okay don't then, but the fact still remains that all the long term women in your life are women you've never slept with."

"Your point?"

She leaned forward and flicked him in the forehead, "Go back to the hospital and be with her ya dumb ass."

He rubbed the spot and laughed, "Ow! All right, no need to resort to violence."

"Aww suck it up Messer."

"I take it the date from hell hit you too?" Tegan asked.

"And rape," Phoenix said matter of factly, "That town was drowning me slowly, this city saved me. All of you," She looked over at the door, "Saved me."

Tegan and Niles turned, "You are a quiet bugger aren't you?" Tegan asked.

Danny smiled and nodded, "It's a gift. Hey Niles."

"Danny," The man nodded, "I have to admit I didn't expect to visit my cousin in the hospital again."

"Niles!" Phoenix exclaimed.

Danny held out a hand to stop her and looked at his friend, "Sonny's in custody, your brilliant cousin gave us enough evidence to drown him and I certainly hope you never have to visit her here again because of me."

Niles nodded his assent even as Phoenix protested, "How many times do I have to tell you people it's not Danny's fault!" She exclaimed then lay her head on the pillow, "If I had just brought my gun I could have shot the guy."

"Trust me on this; you do not want the repercussions of shooting someone on your conscience." Danny said as a nurse walked in.

"I'm sorry but I'm going to have to ask you all to leave except for you," The older woman smiled at Danny,""your cot is right outside."

He smiled at her, "Thanks Doris."

"Wa? He can stay?" Tegan asked.

Phoenix was slightly stunned herself, "Apparently."

"She needs her rest and so do I. I sure as hell am not gonna get any rest back home if she's here, so this is the perfect solution," Danny explained.

Niles nodded at Danny, his respect skyrocketing for the man. Hekissed Phoenix on the cheek, "Call me when you get home, Clara was really worried."

"Tell her I'm fine and kiss Connor for me." Phoenix said then smiled at Tegan, "Thanks for hunting me down Teeg."

"Anytime," The girl returned the smile, "It's what friends are for isn't it? Hey Messer, that friend of yours on or off duty?"

"Flack?" Danny laughed, "I think he's off duty, watching sportscentre if I'm not mistaken."

"Perfect, see you all later. Hey Niles wanna drop me off somewhere?" She asked as the two left the room.

The nurse gave Phoenix a shot for the pain as Danny set the cot up. She smiled at him again before she left. Phoenix grinned, "You charmed that old nurse didn't you?"

He shrugged off his jacket and smirked at her, "I did no such thing."

"You're hot when you're defiant." She said with a yawn, "Oh forget it you're hot when you do anything."

He came over and sat in the chair by the bed. He gently moved a piece of hair behind her ear and smiled at her, "You're beat up and on pain meds and you're still hitting on me."

"Can't help it," She settled into the pillow, the sedative in the drug taking affect, "You didn't want to come back did you?"

"Hey now, no trying to read my mind while you're doped up," He chuckled.

"It's the truth." She whispered, already half asleep.

He stood and gently kissed her forehead, "The truth is I'm exactly where I want to be."

AN Okay so I personally don't see Danny spouting a lot of romantic mumbo jumbo to girls. Other's have written him that way and it works for them, but for me I can't do it. YET at the same time this scene kinda called for him to be a bit mushy, so I figured if Nix is practically passing out from meds that he'd probably say something soft like that. I'm sure that line didn't need all this explanation, but you got it anyway. :)