I don't own them. I do own Jenna, however.
Stella calls in the big guns to deal with Mac.
Danny lowered the phone from his ear and sighed. He meant it, he did miss Stella, Aiden, and Flack, and the painful twinge when he thought of Mac refused to go away. But he couldn't go back and try not to notice when Mac refused to catch his eye, and look at him like he'd turn criminal any moment. He had been part of the Tanglewoods, but he had never really committed a crime with them. He'd witnessed one which made his mind up for the academy.
He sighed, and went back to work.
----------
Aiden and Mac were sitting in a corner of the lab, discussing a case when Stella swept by, practically dragging a young woman with her. They exchanged worried glances. Stella was on the warpath again. Ever since Danny had left, Stella had been dogging Mac's heels about it. The sight of Stella and Mac arguing over a case was familiar, yet this was made worse by the fact that most of the people in the lab genuinely liked Danny, despite his family and association with Tanglewood.
"Hey" the young woman turned, wary dark blue eyes locking onto them before relaxing "You here about a crime?" Aiden asked, leaning forward as she approached. She looked familiar, but neither of them could place her. She was medium height, of a wiry build with shoulder-length, loose dark blonde hair. Her eyes had the look of somebody who had seen too much and been pushed too often, which made her most familiar.
"No, about Danny Messer" She hesitated "I'm Jenna Whitman"
"Wait" Flack snapped his fingers, remembering "Jenna? As in little sister Messer? Danny mentioned you once or twice"
She gave a soft smile "That'll be me. Detective Bonasera called me in about my brother"
"You're not involved in the...family business?"
"No. Danny and me...we're the only two that got away. I got married and left the city, Danny became a cop." Another smile "Madre would have been proud."
"Madre?"
"Mother. We're part Italian through our mother, didn't Danny tell you?"
"Well, it explains why he can speak it" Aiden mused "He talks to himself in Italian when he's stresses over a case"
Jenna chuckled "He still does that, eh?" She turned as Stella called for her, then smiled at them "I hope I'll see you later"
She disappeared around the corner, and Aiden smacked Flack on the arm when she noticed his eyes lingering "Hands off"
----------
"Mac"
"Stella, I-" He paused when he noticed the young woman with him "Mac Taylor"
She gave him a clipped smile, and spoke with a faint New York accent "Jenna Whitman, née Messer"
"She's here about Danny's involvement with the Tanglewoods. You're going through the case reports, right?"
He glared at her, knowing she wasn't interested in the reports "Take a seat"
"Danny" Jenna began "Never committed a crime with the Tanglewoods. He was part of them," She held up a hand for silence when Mac started to speak "but he never actually had an induction rite. He was adopted into them because of our father"
Mac frowned "So if he was never really involved, why didn't he just say so?"
"The way my brother's mind works is a mystery to me, but...I don't think he would have ever have been allowed to complete his sentence if he mentioned the Tanglewoods. They'd have had Danny put away like that" She snapped her fingers for emphasis "I think he was going to say, but something happened"
"What?" Stella knew, but she wanted it said.
"As cliché as it may sound, he fell in love, and I don't think he could bear to see 'the look' on his face as well" At their expressions, she added "You must have seen the expressions of people's faces when he said he was Danny Messer. That's 'the look'" She sighed "Papa Messer sure did a number on him"
"Who?"
Jenna frowned at Mac "I think you know perfectly well who he fell in love with, Detective Taylor" She stood, her dice earrings tinkling softly "Please," She said quietly "It's hurting you, and it's hurting my brother so it's hurting me. Do something, before Danny does something stupid. Even stupider" She corrected.
"Thank you" Mac leant his head on his hands.
"No problem" The quirky grin yet again displayed similarities with Danny "I'll see you later, Stella"
"Sure. Thanks, Jenna" She called after the blonde's retreating back.
Mac watched them "Do I want to know?"
"No. So" Stella folded her arms, eyes narrowed "What are you going to do? Danny was cut up enough before the shooting, and then you turned your back on him as well. He felt like everybody involved with the NYPD hated him"
"I told him..." Mac despaired.
"Maybe." Stella gave a frustrated sigh "Honestly Mac, not only do you hold his heart in your hand do you have to crush it as well?"
"Danny's tough" Mac objected.
"Only for so long, and you know it."
"When did this become your business, Stella?"
"You're my boss, Mac. And God help me I care about you and Danny more than I'd like to admit. Do something, or I will" With that last threat, Stella strode from the office.
----------
Danny searched for a match, blinked, and then checked again. Same thing. He growled in frustration and an edge of pain, and then let it out with a sigh. He printed the results and walked down the corridor to the office nearby.
"Horatio?" The red-head looked up instantly at the tone in Danny's voice "We've got us a match, and a linked case" He offered the file, and finished with a taut smile "In New York"