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"Come on, Mac! Don't do this to me!" Danny said. It was not a plea; it was the simple manifestation of his disbelief.

The New Yorker's thick accent became thicker when he was upset or angry. Mac couldn't decide which it was now. Maybe both.

When he had showed the list to the younger man, Mac could see the colour literally draining from Danny's tanned face. The implications had not been lost on him. Someone out there truly believed that Danny was responsible for officer Minhas'death. The fact that that someone was a killer psychopath made no difference.

Then, like someone who has just learned to be affected by a terminal disease, he had gone in to denial.

"You're basing your entire decision on one piece of paper, Mac! I mean, for all we know, this could be just a coincidence!"

Unfortunately, Mac's mantra was well known by all working with him. The words 'there are no coincidences' came to his mind in his boss's voice, mentally slapping him in to submission.

"I can still stay here," Danny offered, trying to keep the despair out of his voice. "I can help out in the lab…"

Mac, who'd been silently waiting for Danny to vent all of his frustration and anger, looked up at the troubled blue eyes.

"You know I can't allow that," he explained. "Your name's implicated in this. Your mere presence in the lab at this point could jeopardise the entire investigation."

Danny's anger got control of him once more.

"That's bullshit, and you know it!"

Mac looked outside his office, noticing the number of heads that had turned at Danny' shouting words. Then he looked at Danny. The man was red-faced, embarrassed by his outburst.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "That was out of line."

But it was too late. Mac's face had lost all signs of sympathy. The friend was gone and only the boss remained.

"I want you to go home and stay there until told other wise, is that clear?" He asked, trying not to sound like a drill sergeant. "We'll continue the investigation and keep you upraised of any significant discovery."

Danny just nodded, the will to fight all but gone from his body.

"I've given instructions for an unmarked police car to stand watch to your apartment building," Mac said. "It's for your protection only, so don't give them any reason to be chasing you all over town, ok?"

The anger was back, this time fuelled by a deep sense of betrayal. Mac would never say it, but he knew he was a suspect. He would always be a suspect. No one can escape their own history. "Sure," he whispered. "Anything else?"

Mac wanted to tell him to be careful, to do as he was being told and stay home. To not do things his way and go after the killer on his own, to not get himself killed. But he didn't. The younger man had to prove that, if anything of good had come out of the whole Minhas shooting, was that he should learn to trust others.

"No, you can go."

Danny left the lab head down, avoiding the questioning looks of each and everyone of his colleagues.

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