-1She gazed at this vulnerable boy, sharing the secrets from his shady past. There we many times where she would ask about this boy's past, and there were many times where the boy would run and hide underneath that bed. He knew she was the only one who could break through this strange barrier, slowly but surely.

"Michael was my cousin, though he felt more like a brother. He took care of me when Louise was with them, he made sure to keep me away from them.

He kept me away from them as much as he could. He gave me work, he gave me a place to stay. Mom and Dad threw us out when we both started following them, it didn't end well. Michael made sure my head was screwed on straight, one of the few reasons why I became a cop was because of him.

It hurts, and I'm scared"

We sat across from each other on the floor, in our own little world.

"I'm not scared." Lindsay protests.

"Look, you've seen what they did with the end zone victim. You've seen what they've done with Michael. I don't want that happening to anyone else in my family, including you."

"Danny…I've seen what they've done, yes. I'm here 90 hours a week surrounded by cops, I'll be fine. Don't forget, I used to be in a uniform."

"We have to tell him. It's the only way to keep you safe, we have to assume they know. They will come for me through you, after they're done with my family."
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"No Mac, I need to work. I need to fix this"

Mac had called me in after Lindsay and I finished our little conversation, after giving me some time to absorb what was happening to me. He had yet to make a decision on what to do with me. He had 25 case files on his desk alone, and yet this took obvious priority.

I guess I was ignorant about the fact that, when Sonny was put in Rikers that all my problems would disappear.

"This is a serious problem, obviously we didn't take into play about the unresolved issue about your previous affiliation. Thus we do need to put your immediate family into protective custody. I'll arrange for them to be moved into safe houses out of state. We're going to do this as quick as we can. As for you, I know you will refuse and I can't make you go. You are though, valuable in that you've dealt with them long than I. There's no use for me to be one man down. I'll make sure to ask the Director to allow you to stay."

Mac then breathed a sigh of uneasiness, putting head into his hands.

It was unlike him reacting this way. I remember seeing this Mac Taylor a few years back, when he was at Claire's bedside.

"Do we need to put anybody else under watch?"

I paused to think whether this would be the time to tell Mac.

"You need to call Lindsay in."

Mac's eyes furrowed, followed by his intuitive all-knowing stare.

He picks up the phone. "Lindsay, could you please join me and Danny in my office."

Moments later I see Lindsay through the glass walls, making her way to the office. She meet's my gaze, she knows.

Opening the door but not walking through, she asks. "What's up?"

"Come in"

Mac turns on the privacy glass, and is quiet for a bit.

"There must be a reason, as to why Danny has requested that you come by to tell me something."

Lindsay looks back at me, after hearing this statement. I lean in, whispering into her ear. "We have to tell him….now"

She nods, her eyes speaking volumes of eventual relief of not hiding our relationship from everybody anymore. Even I was tired, tired of the game that we played. The stolen stares, underneath the table contact, the deliberate late nites at the lab.

I then take hold of her hand in my own, 'perfect fit' from the start.

Mac's demeanor didn't change at all, looking at our hands together. I was a bit surprised by his cold non-answer. He was intuitive, observant, and I expected a bit of a reaction from him.

"You're telling me now that Tanglewood is coming after two of my CSI's?"