Title: Macadamian Nutshells: Blink
Author: Ginny
Fandom: CSI:NY
Disclaimer: Not mine
100Moods Prompt 039: Exhausted
Spoilers: Blink
Series: Macadamian Nutshells
Summary: Additional scenes during Blink, what happened afterwards?
Author's Notes: Thanks to Alex for the title to this series. Two in one day is enough, right? And I finally remembered to look to see if this fit a Moods prompt before I sent it out.

"You couldn't convince Mac to join us?" Don asked when Danny arrived at the basketball court.

Danny frowned at him. "He's at the church."

"Wh– oh," Don trailed off, realizing what day it was. "Should we be there?"

Danny shook his head. "He said no and I don't think it's our place to intrude."

"Yet."

"Yet," Danny agreed.

They played until their game got cut short when Don was called to a crime scene.

"Stella's worried about Mac," Danny sighed, slipping into the chair next to Don's desk. He was tired, serial cases meant little to no sleep until the bastard was caught.

"Stella's always worried about Mac," Don pointed out.

"She's more worried than usual. He's taking this so personally." Danny pushed his glasses up and rubbed at his eyes. He needed coffee. And Mac home where he and Don could both fuck him threw the mattress until he remembered that he was loved.

"I know." Don frowned. "He keeps calling me Detective Flack."

"He's isolating himself. Dammit," Danny sighed.

"Any ideas what to do?"

"Not at the moment," Danny admitted reluctantly. "You?"

"Nope. Just solve this case as quickly as possible."

Danny rolled his eyes. "Then I guess we'd better interrogate what's-his-face."

"Mr. Silo. He owns the house," Don informed him.

"I know."

"Just wait for my signal, okay?"

"Don't I always?"

"No."

"I will this time," Danny promised with a grin. The look Don gave him proved that he wasn't he believed him, but he headed into the interrogation room anyway.

Danny trudged back into the lab carrying two large cups of coffee. He spotted Stella and held one out to her, which she took gratefully. "You get any sleep?"

"An hour or two, maybe," she shrugged, inhaling the aroma. "You?"

"The same." He stared off down the hallway, in the general direction of Mac's office. "You think Mac left at all?"

She snorted. "Not likely."

"Yeah. That's what I figured." Maybe they'd solve the case today and then they could all go home. It was a nice thought. Downing down another large sip of coffee, he asked, "Back to work?"

"Back to work," she confirmed. It was time to catch the bastard.

Mac leaned against the fence, staring into the deep hole that used to be two buildings. He was so tired. All he wanted to do was sleep, but he couldn't. He'd dream of Claire. He'd dream of his inability to help her. He'd dream of his uselessness.

He straightened when he heard a rock skid. Turning, he spotted two people standing in the shadows, watching him. He tensed until he realized who they were.

Knowing that they'd been spotted, Don and Danny walked over to him, standing on either side of him, but not touching him.

"How did you know I was here?"

Danny smiled at him fondly. "We know you."

He smiled at the two of them before letting his head rest against the fence again. "Her birthday was two days ago," Mac informed them. Neither man said anything, but both placed a hand on his shoulders, squeezing gently. "Do you think she would have approved?"

Both were silent for a long moment as they considered the question. Danny finally spoke. "I think she would have wanted you happy Mac."

"Maybe," Mac said, not sure if Danny was saying yes or no.

"Not maybe. She used to always say you didn't smile enough. I think that, if we make you happy, even a little bit, she would have approved," Danny said, feeling a bit nervous.

Mac was silent for several moments as he considered what Danny had said. "You make me happy," he finally said.

"Then there's your answer," Don pointed out.

"Yeah," Mac breathed. "I'm tired."

"We know. Let's go home," Danny instructed, pulling gently at Mac's arm. He wanted to encourage Mac, not force him, to leave.

"Who's home?"

"Yours," Don answered, but Mac shook his head.

"Nightmares."

"No nightmares," Don disagreed as they walked toward a cab. "We'll be there," he promised.

"Okay," Mac agreed, sliding into the cab. He let his head drop back and rest against the seat, his eyes closing. "No nightmares."

End.