Story Title: Revenge

Chapter Title: Trapped

Author: BlondeNeko (fanfiction) / Weisy (Livejournal)

Disclaimer: Same as usual.

A/N: Back by popular demand. And no, next chapter will not take this long.

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Mac was a patient man. He knew when to take his time, knew when to stand back and not get involved in something that he would soon regret but of course, there was one small thing that Mac Taylor didn't know.

He didn't know when to let his emotions show.

Yes, of course he's cried but not in public. He's yelled (many times in public as Danny would say) but besides that, Mac was your typical-boss-like-I'm-not-showing-emotions kind of a guy. Maybe it had to do with Claire's death. Or maybe it had to deal with the child life he grew up in but as he constantly was reminded by Stella, a real man cries. A real man breaks down and admits that his world is shattered.

And as Mac sat in his office, his back turned to the door, he began to wonder what kind of a man he'd become. He remembered the look in Flack's eyes, saw the devastation and fear lingering in the man's piercing blue eyes and Mac tried to mirror that image, tried to show Flack he felt the same pain about Aiden, but somehow he couldn't.

He saw Danny in the locker room, his head hitting his locker door multiple times and instead of something comforting leaving his mouth, Mac said, "Danny, you're damaging your brain cells. I think you better not do that." There was no, "Danny, it's okay. We'll find her. Don't worry about it."

There was a small knock on the door and he heard it slowly creak open before a familiar voice brought him back. "Mac?" Stella asked, her voice dripping with concern. "It's twelve-thirty."

Mac's eyes moved to his watch and he suddenly wondered when he stopped caring about time. Usually Mac was a man that always knew what time it was. Always wanted to know he was always on top of things. Had things all together. "I know." Said Mac. "I'm just going to stay here for a little bit."

Even though he couldn't see her, he sensed his partner move closer in the room before she was right besides him. He couldn't help but enjoy her presence, couldn't help but feel like he was stronger when she was around. A woman he's known for more than ten years, longer than his wife, promised him that she'd never leave. Promised that she'd always be there for him when he needed her. She was his light, his savior, his Statue of Liberty and now that she was here, her arms crossed across her chest, her gaze rested on him, didn't make him feel uncomfortable at all.

In fact, it felt right.

"Something up?" Stella asked as her fingers gently rested on his shoulder in an act of comfort.

"Just thinking."

"About?" She asked, her fingers gently running along his arm. Usually, Mac would have found this gesture quite awkward but he couldn't find an excuse to admit so.

"Aiden." Mac said desolately.

Stella found herself frowning as she closed her eyes as if hiding her vision from the world would make everything so much easier. "We all think about her Mac. We're all mess, all of us and don't think that you're alone. I've found Flack a couple of times sleeping in the locker room with Danny right besides him because both men can't sleep. I constantly have my radio on just incase something comes in but that doesn't mean it should stop our lives. IfAiden needs anyone right now, it's you."

And Mac wondered why he was their Supervisor when Stella did such a better God damn job than he did.

Stella continued. "She needs you because you're her boss. She needs you because the rest of us have no fucking idea what the hell we're doing. You know if any of us head out there to find her we'd go fucking insane. Mostly Flack so come on Mac, pull yourself together and get some sleep. In order to find Aiden we all need to be well rested and ready to concentrate. We can't have our brains running on cheap coffee."

And as Stella finished and her eyes reopened and rested on him, Mac would have said something to her last statement but he couldn't find anything to say. She nailed it.

"How about now?" Danny asked eagerly as he eyed Stella in the break room early the next morning. Even though Danny was told to go home and get some sleep, he instead found himself walking the streets of New York before falling asleep in the locker room once he got back in. He was caught a couple times by Flack and Hawkes but they promised not to say anything.

Stella took a long sip from her coffee before sighing and tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear. "Danny, we're trying as best as we can to find her."

"Stella, Aid's out there all by herself and you're here drinking coffee?" Asked Danny, his voice rising.

"Danny-"

"-This is bullshit Stella and you know it! I bet you probably don't even know what it feels like." He reached over and grabbed a bottle of water before turning sharply on his heel. "And you know what?" Danny asked as he turned around to face Stella who didn't even bother to ask why. "I bet you, if Mac was missing, you'd be a mess." And with that, Danny turned his back to her once more and left.

If Stella could, if she had enough energy, she would have thrown her coffee cup down and pound Danny to hell. But all she could do was glare at his back hoping that karma would come back and kick him hard in the ass.

But it wasn't karma that came, it was Hawkes, and he was wearing the biggest smile Stella had ever scene. "Stella!" Hawkes called as he ran up to her, Mac closely behind. "We know where she is!"

Stella felt her heart skip a couple beats as she stared at Hawkes and Mac, both that looked breathless and full of adrenaline. "What?"

"Aiden," said Mac, "a neighbor spotted her. They saw her picture on the news and today they spotted her and a man leaving an apartment building in Brooklyn. But we have to move quickly, she's alive but she may not be for long."

TBC.