A/N: Nice, angsty chapter. I think you'll appreciate it. And Danny does have a brother! I knew I should have squeezed one in somewhere. And I have no idea if Mac has any clue about Danny's 'colorful family background' or not. He knew that Danny had hung out with the Tanglewood gang, but apparently that seems to be it, or why would Danny act so nervous when his name is mentioned by Sonny? Or is he nervous about Sonny getting revenge? Too much to consider. Anyways, for the sake of the story, I'm going with Mac not knowing.

Ch. 13

" I need off this case, Mac."

It was a blunt, no-argument statement delivered with such conviction that it caught Mac like a sucker-punch to the face. Number one; it was Danny saying the words, the man who never left a case unless pulled from it. Number two; the kaleidescope of emotions playing on his face was saying a lot more than his words could.

There was shame, unease, anger – Mac was seeing them all in a moment even with Danny's gaze fixed firmly on Mac's desk.

" Your reason being...?"

Danny sat up so that his spine was as perpendicular as possible to the chair. His gaze remained in the downward position.

" That's kind of the problem, Mac, I – um – I'm not sure how much I can tell you. Hell, I'm not even supposed to know."

" Know what?"

When Danny finally lifted his eyes, it was to look to the right at the wall. The hand of his good arm was death-gripping the armrest of the seat, and his other hand was clenching and unclenching as though he were trying to relieve a cramp in his fingers.

" Well, um..." he lifted his shoulder in a shrug, looked down, then looked left. " Like I said..."

Nothing spelled out 'spooked Danny' like a stiff back, fidgeting, and lack of any eye contact. Motion defined him, and when he was upset in anyway, the motion increased. It only stopped when a nerve was struck, hard.

" Are you in some kind of trouble, Danny?"

At this question, the motion stopped, and Danny went statue-still. He no longer appeared simply uneasy; now he looked scared.

" A little," was his reply. He finally looked at Mac. " Actually it has more to do with something going down with my dad. That restaurant me and Lindsay were about to scope belongs to this guy by the name of Quinn. I honestly don't think I need to ask you if that name rings a bell."

" I wouldn't be doing my job right if I said that it didn't. My third case as a CSI had one George Quinn as the suspect. But unlike the rest of his family, George was actually convicted for aiding the suspect, not for the crime itself. Still, it was a big deal, even if George was considered Al Quinn's screw-up brother. What does this have to do with your dad?"

Danny looked back at the desk and the motion resumed. " That's what I'm having a hard time with. I don't know how much I can say. I'm not supposed to even be talking about this, but... You need the reason why I can't work this Gerrard case. If it helps, I'll just say that if the Quinns are involved in Gerrard's murder, then I can't be involved with this case."

Mac shook his head. " It doesn't help, Danny. Why can't you tell me? Is it because of your dad? Did he do something? Did the Quinns? Danny, whatever the situation, you're in no position to hold anything back, even if you are trying to protect someone or prevent something from happening. I need to know the exact reason why you can't help on this case."

Danny lifted his eyes to once again look at Mac, and the motion stopped. " What if it's a legal thing? What if I've been court ordered not to talk? No, not really court ordered, but I'm pretty sure one's going to be shoved under my door any day now. I mean I haven't told anyone else, but my dad talked and he wasn't supposed to..." Danny looked away, shaking his head.

Mac leaned forward, folding his hands on top of his desk. " Danny, as your supervisor, I'm giving you an order. You don't have a choice. And since the court order you mentioned doesn't appear to exist yet, you're not under any real obligation to keep quiet."

Danny looked back at Mac, but his indecision showed no signs of slacking. If anything, he seemed even more agitated by it. Danny was at a loss, an absolute loss, and getting more lost by the minute. Mac was skeptical that Danny would just up and straight-out speak of the situation any time soon. But Mac felt he had enough to go on for a little prodding. If the Quinns were involved, then it was more than just a matter of legal pressure holding Danny back. More than likely it was someone's life at stake.

It would explain the fear Mac saw in Danny's gaze.

" So there's some legal action being taken... for or against the Quinns? And your father is somehow involved?"

That got Danny to look at Mac. He swallowed tightly. " Um, against. It's the Feds, they're going after the Quinns, trying to get enough evidence against them. They want my dad to take the stand and testify, but he won't. He knows better, you know? You don't go up against a Quinn and live..." he trailed off and averted his gaze for a moment to collect himself, then moved it back. " Mac, I really don't know what I should be telling you here. There's a legal issue involved, yeah... but there's also the Quinns... and other people I know sure as hell I can't tell you about. There's... there's too much at risk, you know? Too much that could happen. If these people found out I was talking to you..." he stopped, and closed his eyes, realizing what he had just said and what it entailed.

Up until now, Mac had been reserving judgment, and in so doing reserving reaction. Now, with what Danny had just said, in a voice lined by the same dread betrayed in his features, Mac felt it a good enough time to react.

" Danny, look at me."

Danny opened his eyes.

" Have threats been made against you?" Mac asked.

" They're always implied," Danny murmured.

Mac lined his brow in confusion. " What do you mean 'implied'?"

" If there are threats being made... they're never made out loud. Listen, Mac, it's not really like that. It's just... it's kind of precarious right now. My dad ... he's not going to talk. The Feds are pissed about it, and because they're pissed, my dad's going to jail. Talk or prison, that's their deal."

Now Mac was shocked. " Danny, that's not a deal, it's blackmail."

" It is a deal, they... know things..." He trailed off, and the expression of being at a loss returned.

It was painfully obvious to Mac that Danny wanted to talk about this, and that his desire to get it off his chest and his need to be cautious were battling it out, screwing up his concentration so that he couldn't choose his words carefully. Mac didn't know all that much about Danny's family in terms of its intricacies, and definitely not in terms of dark secrets. Danny had nothing but good things to say about his father, happy stories based on happy memories. Danny wasn't one of those caught up in the somewhat cliché, not-on-speaking-terms father/son conflicts. He and his dad got along, and Mac didn't have to see it to believe it.

" What things?"

" Things, I don't know, it doesn't matter. What matters is anything having to do with the Quinns. I can't be involved."

Mac's attention was suddenly drawn to the bruises on Danny's face, the fear he was failing miserably at trying not to show, and what he had said about 'implied threats'. It all came together to tell Mac what Danny was trying not to say.

This matter with the Quinns wasn't about legal red tape, it was about safety. If Danny's dad had something on the Quinns, they wouldn't go after him head-on to keep him quiet, they would go after Danny.

Realizing this made Mac sick, as well as furious.

" Danny, explain to me again about these 'implied threats'. You say they weren't made out loud. So, I'm guessing they might be something a little more physical?"

Danny was looking away again, sitting absolutely still, jaw clenched, and eyes narrowed. Mac had hit beyond just a single nerve. He was weaning the truth out of Danny whether he liked it or not. Danny was aware of this, but whether he would fight it by dropping the subject or just go along would soon be determined.

" It means..." he began, " if something happens, there's no one to pin it on. It's a power thing. They can get away with it. They're in control... no one else."

Danny was still holding back, saying nothing outright, yet saying what he needed to, even if it wasn't what he wanted Mac to hear.

" What about protection?"

" You mean witness protection? That doesn't work, Mac. Not with these people. You should know that."

" It might not have always been the Quinns behind those deaths."

Danny shook his head. " It doesn't Matter, Mac. My dad isn't going to talk."

There were things Danny wasn't telling Mac, but if those things were centered around his dad, then Mac would never hear about them. Curiosity, even wariness, was a nagging presence in the back of Mac's mind. He wanted to ask about Danny's dad, what he did, what Danny's family was like. He wanted to know, plain and simple, about Danny's background.

But as Danny had said, it didn't matter. Not at the immediate moment.

Danny looked back at Mac. " Listen, Mac, about this case... If the Quinns aren't the ones we're looking for, then I can help. But if they are, then I'm out."

Mac inclined his head. " I understand."

They fell into a stifling silence, Danny starting up another round of clenching and unclenching his fingers

" You should have come to me sooner," Mac said.

" I didn't want to get you involved."

" Danny, if someone is doing something to you, then that's not your decision to make."

" Yes it is."

" Danny..."

Danny shook his head, and Mac didn't like the look of finality forming in Danny's gaze. " You shouldn't be involved, Mac. It's too dangerous for you, the team, me, and my dad. There's no way to trust the situation, anything could happen, and I'm not going to put anyone at risk. It's not fair and it's not right."

" What's not fair, Danny, is that you think you have to do this alone. Your life's being threatened and your father's going to prison for that same reason. Am I correct to assume this?"

Danny didn't say anything, just cast his eyes to the floor.

" I'm taking that as a yes. So what's also not fair is that these people, these Quinns, have absolute control over both your lives. You need the help, Danny, and if I offer it to you then you should take it. And I am. I'll help any way I can."

Danny snapped his gaze back at Mac. Now he really was scared, not to mention guilt-ridden.

" Mac..."

" My decision Danny."

" But the Quinns never even leave any evidence..."

" They're human, and humans make mistakes."

Danny wanted to say something else, and was about to when Mac purposefully hardened his gaze with his own finality.

It worked. Danny slumped back into his chair. Mac was sorry to see that he looked worn out, defeated, uncertain whether to be grateful or worried. Danny had just been looking out for Mac and the team, but like with Mac, if the rest of the team wanted to do something – considering if something could be done – then they had the right to choose as well.

When Mac was certain of his hard-earned victory, he relaxed, softening his expression. " You're off the Gerrard case, Danny. But I won't send you home, not yet. When you're ready to, I'll have Flack take you. There's other cases – light ones – that need some attention if you're up to it. If not then you can take some personal leave. Whatever you decide, it would be best that where ever you went you didn't go alone."

Mac wasn't sure if Danny was listening until he nodded.

" I think I'd rather go home now," he said. " They... they know when... I get off work. That's when... but, you know, not always... when they like to do things. Not all the time though, like I said."

" Yeah, sure Danny."

" I need to tell Lindsey."

" You find her. I'll contact Flack. I'll need to talk with him first."

Danny nodded then rose stiffly from the chair. When he walked out of the room, it was with a slower gait than normal. Once out the door, Mac pulled out his cell and dialed Flack's number.

The detective was heading to the building and said would be there in five minutes.

With that taken care of, Mac was about to put his cell back into his pocket, then paused. He stared at his phone for a moment before dialing another number.

Frustrating as it was, Danny had every right to refuse the details of the situation. His fears were legitimate, so Mac understood his need for caution. There were other ways of finding out the unsaid portions of the conversation – such as who those were leading the investigation and prosecution against the Quinns.

A pleasant female voice sounded on the receiving end of Mac's call.

" District Attorney's office..."

CSINY

When Danny turned the corner away from Mac's office, he leaned against the wall. A dull, thudding ache was pulsating in his head and felt as though it were trying to expand to break from his skull. It had began its existence this morning at the base, small enough to be alleviated temporarily by rolling his neck until the muscles stretched and the vertebrae popped. Then came the restaurant, and his remembrance of it ignited the annoying little pain into a full-blown ache.

How many times did pop drag me to Cassio's because he had to meet people there? And in all that time I never memorized the freakin' street? Of course, at the time, he'd been too busy brooding to pay attention to anything else.

Danny closed his eyes. His body felt as though gravity were focusing all its efforts on him. Needless to say, he was tired. The shock of seeing Cassio's and having to talk to Mac about everything had actually worn him out.

That can't be good. He'd been feeling tired a little too much lately. Adding to that was an increase of aches in his joints, especially on his right side.

That really can't be good.

He admitted that he was scared, not about the obvious protesting of his body to all this stress, but to the cause of his stress continuing to escalate. However, he couldn't quite decide if what had just occurred – coming to the restaurant then being forced to talk to Mac – was a good development or bad. If the Quinns, or a Quinn, were involved in Gerrard's death, that could be the black mark needed to put a few of them away. Maybe even enough to put them all away without Calvin's testimony and evidence.

However, Jack was going to be pissed once CSIs began poking around his pop's restaurant, and the one he was going to be be pissed at was Danny. That, in itself, heralded a bad development.

Nothing I'm not already used to, though. Still, since Jack was already pushing the limit, he might decide to push a little more. Self-control had never been a virtue with Jack. The man was good at hiding his bad deeds and abuse, but barely whenever he nearly crossed the line.

Then there was Mac and the team. Danny couldn't say in exactness how since he wasn't sure how Mac and the others could help - but it was very likely that their involvement, if it got deep enough, could land them in some very hot water, either in terms of their careers or even with the Quinns. Danny was pretty certain that the Quinns weren't too shy about killing a cop or two if the need arose.

But Danny wasn't going make the mistake – again – of not trusting Mac. Mac wasn't stupid. He knew what he was getting into, so Danny trusted that he knew how it should be handled.

It didn't stop the fear of possible negative consequences, though. As Danny had told Mac, there was no trusting the situation.

Danny sighed and shuddered, then winced when a door was shut and the throb felt more like an explosion.

Man I don't feel good. He wanted to go home, even if it wasn't entirely the safest place to be right now. He could stay at work, but didn't want to be hassled by redundant questions about why he was crashing on the break-room couch and whether or not he felt all right. He pushed himself off the wall and forced his body to move in search of Lindsey. He passed Stella, of all people, and did another wince when she noticed him in return and began to slow.

" Danny?"

" Can't talk right now, Stell," he said quickly as he kept walking, trying to sound both casual but rushed, while inwardly cringing. He couldn't think straight enough to talk to Stella. Now still wasn't the time.

I already did enough talking today, he thought miserably.

CSINY

A/N: So, happy now? Danny finally, reluctantly, told, and Mac knows. But will it help... or hinder? (suspenseful music ensues, loud and annoying.)