"Knock, knock"
Mac turned away from his computer to find Danny leaning into his office.
"Rumor has it you got something of mine." Danny said with a grin. "May I please have it back?"
Mac smiled. "I don't have it. The duty captain does."
"Well, then let's go gang up on him and get it back." Danny said with a tinge of impatient. He knew Mac was indulging in some light teasing, taking his time saving the report he was working on, securing his computer, sliding on his suit jacket.
They walked down the hall in silence. Conversations stopped as they went by, people stopped to look. Danny acted as if he didn't notice the glances, hear the whispers.
A half hour later they were walking out with the reinstatement paper work signed and filed and Danny's badge and gun back on their rightful home on his hip.
"You could have taken a few days off. You had the time coming."
"Louie wouldn't have wanted me to wallow. That wasn't tough." Danny said with an 'end of conversation' tone to his voice.
"Hey Danny." Lindsay smiled as they walked into the lab. "It was a beautiful service."
"Thank you for the flowers. My mother loved them."
"Danny." Sheldon nodded from his microscope.
"Hawkes."
"Danny. You're back." Stella walked in. She gave his shoulder a squeeze. "Are you okay?"
"I. Am. Fine." He said just loud enough for everyone in the lab to hear it. And Mac knew it wasn't just Danny trying to be the tough Bronx guy. He meant it. He was with family and he was going to be okay.
"Well if you need anything."
"You know what I need. I need a case. Something nice and messy."
Stella laughed. "Then you have come to the right place." She turned to Mac. "Dispatch just called. Flack and Maka are on the scene of a shootout. Looks like a couple of gang bangers went "all Wild West on each other" according to Flack. Killed each other and a third party, woman, probably a girlfriend. Plus there's a mystery blood trail without a victim."
"Now that's what I'm talking about." Danny laughed, already half way across the room to retrieve his kit.
