Title: Siúil A Rún

Disclaimer: Slash. Violence. Angst. Language.

POV: Danny

Chapter Eleven: What You See Is…

Flack stirs in the hospital bed. The thought of his waking up brings me out of my own slumber; if you can call what I experienced as slumber. Ten hours of sitting in an uncomfortable hospital chair doesn't make for good sleeping. Outside the night holds strong. I know that Mac is at home; hopefully with Stella. Hawkes is most likely reading a book on some thing he actually doesn't know a thing about. According to my cell phone Lindsay has been trying to reach me.

"Danny," Flack whispers into the dark. "Danny…"

I take his hand and give it a gentle squeeze. "I'm right here. There's nowhere else I want to be."

He turns to look in my direction. Those beautiful blue eyes fill me with a warmth that only they can give. I give him a smile. He looks around the room, taking in all the machines and the sterile-ness of the place.

"Oh god…" he mumbles. He turns his blue eyes back to me. "Am I…"

"You're fine. You take a bullet better than anyone I know," I joke. I lift up my shirt to show off the bandage. "Must you share everything with me, though?"

Flack laughs as best he can. "You mean to tell me…"

"Yep," I interrupt. Listening to his raspy voice bothers me. I know that his throat must be dry so I pour him a glass of water. "The bullet went right through you and into me. I know that couples are supposed to share things but did you have to share getting shot with me?"

My smile is returned by his. I hand him the cool glass of water. He takes it and drinks it down. The water almost seems to revive him. The sparkle returns to his ocean blue eyes. The hope returns to my heart.

"Sorry, Danny-boy. I'm sorry…"

"Hush." I perch on the side of the bed. "We need to talk, Flack, do you think you can?"

"Shouldn't this be handled by a detective or someone else?" He nearly whispers.

I shake my head. "No, not that kind of talking. I'm sure Mac will seek that information when the sun comes up. For now, we have things to talk about. Just between us."

He turns his gaze to the ceiling. "Why do I feel that a bomb is about to be dropped? Sonny was right…"

The sound of Sonny's name nearly stops my heart. What is he talking about? "Do you mind elaborating?"

"When he showed up at my door he said that he wanted to talk about you. I recognized him but I couldn't remember who he was," he explains. "When I wouldn't let him in he threatened to tell Mac what he'd originally come to tell me. It scared me. I had to know what was there. So I let him in."

"Go on," I urge.

"I didn't want to believe what he told me. I still don't," he shakes his head. "My back was to him when I remembered who he was. By then it was too late. He attacked me. I made sure to leave evidence for you. I knew that Mac would take the case." He pauses for a moment before continuing. "Then I was at the lab. That's all I can remember."

I rub my thumb in circular motions on the back of his hand. I'm not sure if it's because I'm nervous or because I'm worried. "What did he tell you?" A feeling of fear begins to creep its way into my heart.

"About you and him…"

I let his hand slide from my grip. My discomfort drives me from my perch on the bed. I can't stop myself from pacing the room. "We were young, Flack. It was nothing. What happened in my past shouldn't affect my future."

"The past paves the way for the future," Flack muses. "Does Mac know?"

"No," I shake my head.

"You actually lied to Mac about something?"

I turn back toward him. "Lied? I didn't lie to him. He asked me if I was involved with the Tanglewood Boys. He wanted to know if I was part of a gang, Flack. Not if I had been…"

His eyes lock on mine. "So you never thought it was important that you had slept with Sonny?"

"That was years ago," I remark, pointing a finger at Flack. My anger is struggling to be let loose.

He half-heartedly waves his hand to chase away the question. "It started years ago, Danny."

"What are you talking about?" I cross my arms over my chest. A method of defense.

"He told me about that night. The one where you ended up at my house. Then to the hospital…" he trails off.

I can feel myself shaking. I can't believe that Flack knows about that night. All the details of a night I wish to forget. The images come back to me in full force. I can feel the metal of the gun barrel on my skin. I can smell Sonny's cologne. Hear his voice. Feel his hands. I fall to my knees with my eyes closed. The tears break from my eyes like flood waters breaking down a dam. I shake my head.

"He forced me. You have to believe me, Flack. I love you. The thing with Sonny ended years ago," I plead.

He reaches out to me but I don't move from the floor. "I know that, Danny," he says softly. "Why couldn't you tell me?"

"You knew and you still wanted to be with me?"

"Of course. Though I was hurt that you felt you couldn't trust me. Don't you dare apologize. I don't want to hear it. There's no need for you to say it. Just come here and tell me what's going to happen to Sonny. Please tell me that Mac is sending his ass to jail."

I stand from my spot on the floor and return to the bed. He takes my hand firmly in his. Now I have to tell him that Sonny is dead, or dying. I haven't been to see him so I don't know if he's actually gone yet. The warmth of his hand chases away the tears of my pain.

"Sonny is out of our lives for good," I whisper. "Hawkes shot him. Last I heard from Mac he was on his death bed."

Flack doesn't even try to hide his smile. "Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. Did he at least confess to something?"

"Everything."

"Everything?" His voice is getting raspy again.

I scoot closer to him. Now it's time to tell him the whole story. "Remember back to that breaking and entering we worked together?" He nods. "The man accused of the incident was Sonny's younger brother. Lindsay has since tied him to the murder of that woman. Anyway. Sonny's brother must have told him about the way we were acting. Guess it pissed him off because he…he…" Just say it, damn it.

"Aiden." Flack says her name for me. He knows that I can't. It's still too much to deal with. Does the pain ever go away?

I nod. "He wanted to make me suffer. He's a sick bastard who gets a thrill from seeing people in pain. That's why I ran from him when I was younger. He scared me. He made me hate myself."

"From the sounds of it you don't have to worry about him anymore. Now it's just the two of us."

I lean in to kiss him. The kiss is full of hope and love. The dark cloud has cleared away and the sun is finally shining. I feel my hopes getting up. Maybe things will get back to being good. Yes, Aiden is gone but Flack is still here; and I have supportive friends. Tomorrow can only bring good things.

Fin