Title: Their Love, Her Murder

Disclaimer: Violence. Slash. Language. Character death. Angst.

POV: Danny

Chapter Eight: How We Hurt

"You didn't lose a lot of blood. You should be fine. The bullet grazed you. We stitched up the wound and, avoiding infection, it should heal up nicely," the doctor rambles. "As for the knock to the head, I recommend that you stay off your feet for a while. You have a slight concussion. I would like you to stay the night. Maybe run a few more tests."

"Why? You just said that I would be fine."

He looks over his shoulder. "Your friend says that you've been complaining about head pains. I feel that we should make sure everything is okay."

I shake my head. "No thanks. It's just headaches. Nothing more."

"Sir, please-"

"No," I say.

I get up off the hospital bed and begin to button up my shirt. The doctor leaves with a look of defeat and disgust on his face. Fuck him. I hate being in hospitals. Too bright and white. The worst thing about a hospital isn't even the food. It's the smell. The smell of cleaning supplies, food, flowers, and the sickly. Not very pleasant.

Flack walks over to me. There's blood on his suit. Probably matches the blood on my shirt.

"You should put that back on. It looks gross," he states.

I shrug. "I don't feel like walking around topless. The blood is dried anyway."

"I'm just glad that most of it isn't yours."

I make my way out of the hospital. Flack close behind. I can't even begin to count my lucky stars. Who would have guessed that a murderer was hiding at the crime scene? When I stepped backward I slipped in a pool of blood. Just at the exact moment that the perp fired their gun. Someone must have been watching over me. If only I hadn't hit my head.

"Danny."

"Hmm?" I turn to look back at Flack. He nods towards the exit. Standing by the door is Lindsay. "What is she doing here?"

"Beats me. Maybe you should ask her," Flack says.

"No," I reply shortly. Despite the medication my body still hurts. My head is still throbbing. I am not in the mood to be nice. I just want to go home and sleep in a dark room.

Lindsay doesn't move from her spot until we get closer. I ignore the stares of all the people in the emergency room. It's not every day that you see a man with a gun accompanied by a cop. Both covered in blood.

"How are you feeling, Danny?" Lindsay questions.

"Like a fucking peach. What do you want?" I know I should be nice. It's not her fault that this happened.

She looks hurt. "Mac needed someone to pick you up. I volunteered."

Why would she volunteer? We aren't even friends. "Flack is here. He can take me home."

She chews her bottom lip. "Sorry, Danny. But Mac wants you back at the lab." A look of worry crosses her face. "Flack has been asked to report back to the precinct."

We exchange glances. Over course, we need to explain to the higher-ups what happened.

"Can't Mac see me tomorrow?"

Lindsay shakes her head. "He said he wanted to see you as soon as possible. Even if it meant coming down to the hospital."

A battle I just can't win. The room is slightly spinning. Lindsay doesn't look so good. She seems upset that she came. I haven't exactly been nice. Flack hands me his sunglasses before we exist the building. Even with them on the sun is too much for me. I curse under my breath as I climb into the SUV. Flack just stands by the door as we pull away.

My wanders back to the young woman. How panicked she was that night. Just another case that I was working on. I sit in the uncomfortably stiff chair. It's hard not to sit back. I don't want to. Every time I do I feel the dried blood on the back of my shirt. I wish I had been given time to change. A glance over my shoulder shows my boss outside talking with Stella. Why haven't those two jumped each other yet? The attraction and sexual energy is obvious. Is it so wrong to answer those urges?

Stella quickly glances in my direction. There's a slight smile on her face. Why? Maybe she is just happy that I'm okay. Physically okay, anyway. Mac doesn't look happy, though, as he enters his office. I close my eyes. I know what is coming. I can hear the words and Mac hasn't even opened his mouth.

"Mac, I'm sorry. Please-"

He puts his hand up. "Just listen to me Danny." I shut my mouth. "You have seriously compromised this investigation. We may not be able to catch the perp. Now, I have talked things over with those in charge and they decided that I have the right to choose what happens to you."

He doesn't even seem the least bit concerned about me. The beat of my heart quickens. "I'm fired, aren't I?"

His face doesn't change. It's a loss of emotions. I wonder what would happen if I groveled? Would it save my job? At least if my job was over I would have my relationship. It wouldn't be a problem anymore. I realize that Mac is staring at me. Did he say something and he's waiting for a reply?

He places a case folder in the ever-growing pile on his desk. "No, you are not fired. However, you are on probation. You have been making a few too many mistakes, Danny. Screw up again and you're out. Got it?"

"Yes, sir."

"You're excused, you may leave now." He gestures to the door with his hand. I don't move as he flips open a different case file. He looks up when he realizes that I haven't budged.

"Is there something you want, Danny?"

"What about Flack?"

He sighs. "Detective Flack is not my problem. If his boss wants to fire him, than he can do so. I have no say in the matter." The tone of his voice told me that I had better leave or risk his temper.

I quickly remove myself from his office. That wasn't so bad. At least I still had my job. But what happened to Flack? Would they actually fire him? He was a good, no, great detective. I shake my head. How did I let this all happen? Too many lives have been affected because of my stupidity.

I bump into Hawkes, literally. He's walking backwards with a gurney between him and the new CSI, Lindsay. I haven't really talked with Lindsay. I was unhappy with Aiden being fired. Evidence tampering was, and is, bad, though. It is a serious crime. How horrible it would have been to be fired just a few months after Aiden had gone.

"So, do you still have a job?" Hawkes asks.

"Yes, unless I screw up again."

Lindsay stays quiet. She probably won't ever talk to me again. Not after the way I treated her at the hospital. "Guess you better be careful. Mac will be watching you like a hawk now, Danny," Hawkes warns.

"Hey, Daniel Messer, you have a visitor in the lobby. Some guy," a brunette in a lab coat tells me.

"Uh, guess I better go see who it is."

"We should be getting this body to the morgue anyway. Remember, be careful." Hawkes and Lindsay resume wheeling the dead person off to the morgue. Better them than me. The new morgue attendant gave me the creeps.

Flack was standing in the corner of the lobby. This was highly unusual. Why did he have to get someone to fetch me? He usually just walked into the lab. I'm a little jealous when I see that he has had time to change. No more blood-covered clothes for him. Must be nice.

"Flack?"

He turns to me. "Hey, Danny-boy. We need to talk."

I notice that something is off. Something in his voice. "Let's take it outside. Too many people here."

We mutually agree and step outside. Without talking we walk to the corner. Will Mac be mad that I met with Flack? I stop. Everything about Flack's mood is disturbing.

"What's going on? Why didn't you come and get me yourself?" I ask.

He looks at me with those amazing blue eyes of his. "I couldn't. Danny, they took my badge."

"What?" I don't believe what I'm hearing.

"It's just while they reviews things. I really messed up."

"No you didn't," I protest.

"They think that I was busy tampering with evidence instead of keeping an eye on you. Until the board hearing, I don't have my badge or gun. I can't even consider myself a detective anymore." He looks upset. This is all my fault. I knew better than to let him help. But I let him. Now look where we stand.

"I'll tell them that I let you move the computer. That it was my idea. I was the one who also wondered away without checking to make sure the building was secure."

We stood in silence for a few minutes. How had life gone this way? It was just one stupid mistake. One goddamn mistake. Now Flack stands to lose his job and I, well, I don't know where I stand. My phone rings. Mac calling to tell me lord only knows what. I answer it.

"Danny, I need to see you again. There is something that needs discussing. I'll see you in my office."

The phone clicks. No hellos or good-byes. Not even a chance to say a word. Why do I feel like a dog on a leash? Flack gives me knowing look. He understands. I see the pain in his eyes. I can tell that he's trying to hide it. Maybe we can talk later. Maybe I'll stay at his place again. But for now, I have to answer Mac.

I go to bid Flack farewell. In a moment of impulse, he kisses me. Right there, on the sidewalk. Where everyone and anyone can see. Little do I know that one of the people who sees it is Lindsay.