A/N – Big thanks to reviewers, if you're enjoying please continue reviewing, they make me smile and it's always a bit daunting writing something that's not quite so mainstream.

This chapter is for Kates89 for checking bits over for me and without whom I'm not sure if I would have had the courage to post this story. This is my fave chapter by far.

Also, if anyone is concerned that Mac isn't coming across too well in flashbacks we'll get to hear his side of the story later on. Let us remember, 'The course of true love never did run smooth,' – A Midsummer Night's Dream, William Shakespeare. Just think about everything D/L went through before they finally got together.

Israel - Chapter Six

Don leant back against the sofa, legs up on the coffee table as he drank deeply from the bottle of beer he held in his hand. He could feel the sweat trickling down his back, his t-shirt and shorts damp with it, hair plastered to his forehead. The heat from the day radiated through the open window doing nothing for his condition but he didn't care. He was happy. Today he had finally moved the rest of his stuff into Mac's apartment and the sale of his old place would be going through next week. Everything was finalised. He and Mac were now officially living together. It may have taken two months to orchestrate due to the fact he and Mac rarely had a day off together, but it was finally done, and he'd even managed to rope Messer into helping out.

"Oh my God!" Danny moaned as he turned over onto his back, where he lay on the floor. "Flack, I am never doing this again."

"Suck it up, Messer. I helped you paint your nursery for the second time only last week. I really thought that was a husband-wife type of thing."

"Yeah but we needed a girl's opinion and Linds thought to give you a ring..."

Don gave an audible growl in the back of his throat.

"Are you two still squabbling?" Mac asked in amusement as he came in from the kitchen and collapsed onto the sofa next to Don.

"Nah, Messer here was just moaning like a bitch," Don chuckled.

"Fuck you, Flack!" Danny said pathetically from the floor.

"Well you did have a lot of stuff to pack. It's beyond me why you didn't get it organised earlier and then we wouldn't have had to pack and move all in one day," Mac commented.

"You said it yourself, I have a lot of stuff!" Don exclaimed. "And I did sort of organise it."

"No you didn't. You couldn't be bothered," Mac said knowingly. "If it was up to you your stuff probably never would have made it here."

"Well you got me, what else you need?" Don said.

"Hmmm...well, I quite like your TV and the kettle isn't bad either..." Mac teased, smiling.

Danny gave a snort of laughter while Don looked rather grumpy.

"Another beer, Danny?" Mac asked, laughing at Don.

"Yeah but I'll get it myself, you've only just sat down and lazy here won't be getting off his ass to play host."

"Fuck you, Messer!"

Danny grinned as he got up and headed into Mac's kitchen. Mac took the opportunity to lean over and kiss Don square on the lips.

"Mmph..." Don mumbled in surprise.

"Sorry, I'm excited," Mac said, blushing slightly.

Mac rarely showed such emotion and Don was touched by it.

"I'm excited too," he said quietly. "But that doesn't mean I want to jump on a disgusting sweaty heap and try to suffocate him."

"I'd jump on you anytime," Mac whispered into his ear just as Danny came back into the room. Don blushed a bright red and had to look away. Danny paused near the couch.

"Interrupting a little something-something am I?" he grinned.

"Not at all," Mac stated blankly.

Don on the other hand still looked embarrassed and rather red.

"So what's Lindsay up to today?" Mac asked Danny conversationally.

"She's going to see a show with Luce after work, can't remember what it is, some all singing-all dancing extravaganza," Danny replied as he sat down on the floor again.

"What? And you didn't want to join them?" Don joked.

"Nah, but if it's good I'll get you a ticket for your birthday!" Danny retorted.

"Are you two ever going to grow up?" Mac said wearily.

"No!" chorused the two men, who then exchange a grin.

"But that's why you love us," Don added.

"Mmm," Mac hummed in agreement and he leant over and kissed Don again, lingering slightly longer this time.

"Oh get a room," Danny moaned as he swigged his beer.

"Got one," Don smiled. "Got a whole apartment full of them."

Danny rolled his eyes and stood up. "Here Flack, you finish this," he said, giving his bottle of beer to the younger man. "Think I'm gonna head off."

"You don't want to stay for pizza?" Mac asked.

"Nah. Think I'll give you guys a little privacy," Danny smiled.

"Hey, thanks for helping, Mess," Don nodded.

"Sure thing, Flack. Catch ya later."

Danny disappeared from the room and a moment later the two men heard the front door open and then close.

"Hmmm..." Mac hummed.

"Hmmm?" Don questioned.

"What to do now he's gone..." Mac smiled.

Don's face broke out into his usual wonky grin.

Danny smiled as he heard the door open and the sound of two rather excited voices nattering away to one another. The girls were back.

"Where's my Lucylou?" he shouted and a moment later there was a patter of feet and the little girl ran into the lounge and jumped on him.

"Oof!" Danny moaned as he was left breathless. "Hello, lump, how was it?"

"Daddy, I saw chickies and duckies!"

Danny frowned in confusion. "What, they had birds on the stage?"

Lindsay appeared in the doorway laughing to herself. "They were people dressed up."

"Oh," Danny nodded, feeling stupid. "Did you get Daddy anything?"

"Yes!" Lucy shouted as she jumped off her Daddy and ran over to her Mommy grabbing an item in a plastic bag and running back over to Danny.

"Oof!" Danny groaned for a second time as he was jumped on again. "God, you're a lump."

"I not a lumpy, Daddy!" Lucy said in offense, hiding whatever she was holding behind her back.

"Lucylumpy, what have you bought Daddy?" Danny asked, pretending to try and see behind her back.

"Not telling!" Lucy grinned.

"Well then the tickle monster might come out..." Danny teased.

"No! Daddy! No!" Lucy said worriedly and started to climb down off her father's lap but Danny held on to her.

"Tickle, tickle, tickle..." Danny laughed as he started to tickle her.

The sounds of their daughter's laughter filled the apartment and even reached Lindsay who was in the bedroom getting changed.

"Daddy, Daddy stop it. I tell you. Promise!"

"Okay then," Danny said seriously and stopped tickling her.

She shyly held out the bag to him and he took it from her. She watched him carefully as he took the item out of the plastic bag. It was a figurine, about six inches tall, of a vibrantly coloured duck dressed in a labcoat with spectacles on its beak.

"It's you, Daddy!" Lucy shouted in glee as he looked at it.

"Gee, thanks so much, Luce," Danny grinned.

"You like it, Daddy? It's a duckie!" she shouted excitedly.

"I love it," Danny smiled as he pulled his daughter against his chest and hugged her, placing a kiss on the top of her head.

"It's cos you're scientist like Quackpot."

"Quackpot?" Danny frowned as he looked over his daughter's shoulder at the duck.

"Yes, silly Daddy. Quackpot duckie."

"Oh right," Danny pretended to get it, even though he really had no idea who Quackpot duckie was.

"It's the name of the character," Lindsay laughed as she returned to the lounge and sat down next to Danny.

"What is this show you went to see with all the singing and dancing birds?" Danny asked in amusement.

"Daddy it's Birdywordys silly!" Lucy giggled from his lap she was still resting against his chest, tired from her trip.

"Birdywordys?" Danny asked in confusion.

"Birdywordys is a kid's show that helps children learn words, Danny. Lucy watches it on TV all the time," Lindsay laughed.

"Yeah, Lucy, not me!" Danny defended.

"It has ducks and chickens and they live in a town and have jobs just like humans," Lindsay explained.

"So Quackpot is the resident CSI?" Danny grinned.

Lindsay rolled her eyes and hit his arm playfully. "No. He's the doctor!"

"Oh," Danny chuckled. "I did wonder about the stethoscope," he added, glancing over the figurine.

"He's scientist like you, Daddy. And he has glasses."

"Yeah, Luce. He's just like me, thank you," Danny smiled, kissing her again.

"That's alright, Daddy," Lucy yawned.

"Bedtime I think, trouble," Danny grinned as he stood up with Lucy in his arms and took her to her bedroom.

Lucy was very sleepy and it didn't take Danny long to get her changed and put into bed. She was so tired she didn't even ask for a story which was most unusual. After kissing her goodnight Danny padded back to the lounge where Lindsay was watching a recording of her soap opera set in the country. Danny hated it.

"Anything else on?" he groaned as he sat down.

"Not for the next half hour," Lindsay replied, her eyes never leaving the screen.

"Urgh!" Danny moaned as he collapsed his head onto her shoulder dramatically.

Lindsay ignored him.

Danny's eyes flitted to the baby bump she was sporting that peeked out from between her pyjamas. She was six months gone now and her bump was getting quite large and Danny had enjoyed feeling his little boy kick from time to time. He smiled to himself and placed his hands on her stomach hoping to feel him again.

"Hey baby boy, you gonna kick for Daddy?" he murmured.

"Gently," Lindsay added as she continued to watch her show.

Danny gave her a smile before looking back down at the bump.

"We're all excited to see you, including your big sister," he whispered.

He stroked his hands across his wife's belly.

"Daddy's the most excited though. He can't wait to meet you and teach you how to play baseball!"

"Not for a while," Lindsay added, glancing at her husband.

"Daddy was nearly a professional you know? Maybe you will be, I'll teach you how to pitch."

He placed an ear on Lindsay's bump and listened for any noises.

"Daddy loves you already, Fausto."

"No way," Lindsay murmured.

"Louie?"

"Nope, sorry."

"Alfonz?"

"Nuh huh."

"Clemenza?"

"Absolutely not!"

"Danny Junior?"

Lindsay burst out laughing. "What's up with all the terrible names?"

"They're all people in my family," Danny scowled. "You should know that by now."

"Danny, you have so many distant family members not even an elephant could remember them all," Lindsay smiled. "Anyway, I like Sheldon."

"What?" Danny yelped, his face serious and eyes widening as he sat up and stared at her.

"Well I get to chose right? Cos you chose Lucy's name."

"Well, yeah...but Sheldon? Like Sheldon Hawkes?"

Lindsay's face suddenly broke and Danny realised she was just joking with him.

"That wasn't funny, Montana!" he growled.

"Yes it was!" she giggled, as she leant over and kissed him.

Danny wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer, deepening the kiss.

"What about your show?" he murmured between kisses.

"It'll still be there in the morning" she replied and then kissed him again.

"Hey Roomie!" Don grinned as Mac stepped into the bedroom, hair still damp from the shower.

Mac shook his head in exasperation and smirked at the younger man. Don was sitting in bed with a book on his lap.

"What are you reading?" Mac asked as he tidied up Don's clothes from the floor.

"Hamlet," Don replied, raising the book so Mac could see.

"Hamlet?" Mac repeated in astonishment.

Don frowned. "Yep. Got a problem with that?"

Mac chuckled. "Not at all. You just continually surprise me. I'd never have put you down as one to read Shakespeare, Don."

"I like all the classics, not just Shakespeare. I read David Copperfield a few weeks ago," Don replied, flicking through the pages. "Oh, you won't tell Messer that, will you?" he added as an afterthought.

"I promise," Mac laughed, crossing his chest. "So is Hamlet your favourite Shakespeare play?" he asked as he climbed into bed.

"Well I can't say I've exactly read all of them, Mac, but so far yes. I like the ghost of King Hamlet; it's mysterious. Is he real or not, is Hamlet's madness real or not?"

"That is the question," Mac joked.

Flack rolled his eyes at him. "Maybe I'll make it my lifetime's achievement; to read the complete works."

"Good luck!" Mac snorted with laughter.

"Hey!" Don moaned in offense. He pushed Mac playfully and laughed when the older man nearly fell out of bed.

"Hmph. We'll have to buy a bigger bed I think," Mac grumped.

"Why? Cos I'm growing outwards?" Don muttered putting his book on his bedside cabinet and turning off his light.

"You're never going to let that lie, are you?" Mac said wearily.

"Nope," grinned Don as he lay down and fidgeted with the covers around him.

Mac flicked off his bedside light and lay down too. He felt Don move closer and put an arm round him, the younger man's hair tickling his chin.

"Can I ask you something?" Don asked after a while.

"Sure," Mac replied.

"When did you first realise you were in love with me?" Don asked. "I mean, I never knew, you never told me."

Mac blinked and stared up into the dark room. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Don's face lit with moonlight, blue eyes staring solemnly at him. Of course Mac knew the answer without thinking. He could pinpoint the exact moment he'd fallen in love with the young detective. It had been the same day Don himself had finally revealed he was in love with him. And yet, it was a painful memory.

"It started with an argument," he murmured.

"An argument?" Don repeated questioningly.

"Mmhm," Mac hummed in confirmation.

"Tell me," Don insisted.

Mac noticed Flack was sat on the floor, waiting for him outside his apartment as he stormed round the corner, anger biting at him.

"What are you doing here, Flack?" he asked angrily.

"Come to talk some sense into you," Flack stated as he stood up, stretching out his aching limbs. He'd obviously been there a very long time.

"What do you mean?" Mac snarled.

"I mean DJ Pratt. You're getting too obsessed with him," Flack said severely.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Mac tried to deny.

"Don't try that with me, Mac, cos it won't work. Stella told me they'd found new evidence... that he's back on the circuit. She said you said you'd look into it when she told you. That was weeks ago."

"So what?!" snapped Mac.

"So you've been distant and grumpy for weeks. Everything I seem to do is wrong and I'm getting sick of it. Then I find out you've been investigating DJ Pratt in secret the entire time and everything suddenly falls into place."

"It hasn't been that long," Mac dismissed as he searched his pockets for his key.

"Since the day we had that missing organ case. I remember it well cos I got kicked in the face...twice just in case you forgot."

Mac didn't reply but carried on searching for his key.

"So what, you're keeping secrets from me now?" Flack asked.

"Look, Flack, this has nothing to do with you, stay out of it," Mac growled.

"Of course it has to do with me. Aiden's my friend, Mac, and I know you feel you let her down which is why you're going crazy trying to get Pratt now!" Flack shouted, losing his temper.

"You don't understand," Mac spat as he finally found his key and pushed past Flack to slot it into the lock.

Flack stared at him open-mouthed. Clearly unable to believe what Mac had just said to him.

"Aiden is one of best friends and she lost her job because of this guy. Of course I fucking understand," Flack said in disbelief and then he turned and stormed down the hallway, away from Mac.

Mac finally got his door open and slammed it shut behind him.

"I remember that argument," Don murmured quietly.

"I'm sorry, Don," Mac said, instinctively pulling him closer.

"It wasn't your fault, Mac. We were all angry about Pratt."

"Aiden's death is one of the things I regret most in my life, it always has been," Mac said quietly. "We should have been able to prevent it."

Hawkes had been the first to leave, closely followed by Stella and Lindsay who were becoming friendlier day by day. It was another few hours before Danny eventually stumbled up from his seat and muttered goodbye before going out the door. That left just Mac and Flack sitting round the table in the bar, drinking to Aiden's memory. There was an empty seat between them and Mac had hoped Flack might've moved up after Stella left but he'd remained where he was. Despite the sad occasion he looked good; he'd removed his tie and undone the top button of his shirt. Mac could see his white tee underneath which only teased him as Mac knew what lay behind it.

"I think I'm gonna check he gets home okay, he was pretty wasted," Flack said gruffly as stood and picked up his jacket that hung over the back of his chair.

It was now or never.

"Stay," Mac said quietly. He wasn't going to beg. That wasn't his style, but he hoped beyond hope that Flack would obey his wish.

"Why?" Flack sighed.

"Because I asked?" Mac said hopefully.

Flack sighed again and sat back down, although he didn't remove his jacket.

"What do you want, Mac?" he asked tiredly.

"I want to apologise. I'm sorry about what I said the other night...that you didn't understand. Of course I know Aiden was one of your best friends and that if anyone should understand it'd be you."

He once more looked hopefully at Flack, wondering if the young man was going to forgive him.

"It wasn't just that," Flack finally said, breaking the silence. "You shut me out, Mac. You pushed me away and kept stuff from me that was bothering you. That was hurting you. I could have helped. I wanted to help and it hurt that you wouldn't let me. I mean, isn't that what we were doing together? Leaning on each other, supporting each other?"

Mac stared silently at Flack. "No," he said. "No it wasn't. It was more than that."

Flack sighed and Mac watched as he fiddled with his hands nervously.

"I'm sorry, Don," he said quietly.

Flack looked up at him solemnly.

"I know you are. I'm sorry for storming off."

"You don't need to apologise. It was me who was in the wrong. I should never have pushed you away. I need you, Don. You know I do...the past week has been...well, it's been..."

"I know," Flack agreed, nodding his head. "It's been hard."

"It's been lonely," Mac said.

"You wanna get out of here?" Flack asked and Mac nodded.

The two men stood and left the bar together. They walked side by side down the street and Mac looked for a free cab that could take them home, since they'd both been drinking.

"Hey, Mac?" Flack said.

"Hmmm?" Mac hummed as he looked up and down the street.

"I love you."

Mac froze and his eyes widened. He turned slowly and gazed into the frightened blue eyes of Don Flack.

"Don..." he murmured.

"It's alright, Mac. I know you're not there yet. I was expecting it to take you longer, cos of Claire...it's more difficult for you. But I do. I love you. And I want you to know that."

"How long for?" Mac asked.

Flack thought for a moment. "Since that 'water gun wars' case. We spent a lot of time together that day and I just remember walking into your office and you already knew what I was gonna say and it made me chuckle. Then we had pizza in your office together with Stell and Hawkes while Messer and Lindsay ate the bugs and I just felt really happy and relaxed...content. I knew I loved you..."

Mac softly brushed his hand against Flack's. They were still outside the cop bar at that point and Mac knew he couldn't embrace Flack the way he wanted to.

"Let's go home," Mac smiled.

They hitched a cab home and Mac remembered that night being one of the best of his life. Flack was on fire; obviously the confession of his heart had done wonders for him, either that or the loneliness of the past week, maybe both. Either way Mac remembered it as the best sex of his life at the time and afterwards as he lay in bed, watching Flack sleep he thought about the younger man's words. Flack loved him. Flack had fallen in love with him. Mac pondered that. Did he love Flack back? He'd loved Claire so much; he'd never thought he'd ever feel that same way again. After she died he'd thought that was it for him, that life was over until that grey day in September, almost four years ago when an enthusiastic, gangly youth had entered his office. He looked down at Flack, his lips slightly parted in sleep, quiet wheezing noises coming from them. He was really very beautiful and Mac knew he was lucky to have him, to have found love for a second time in his life. For it was love, he realised that now. He loved Don with all his heart and he couldn't wait to tell him that. He smiled to himself as he snuggled down under the covers and moved closer to Don, throwing an arm over him and pulling him closer. Don whimpered in his sleep and Mac chuckled. Yes, he loved Don. He'd tell him in the morning.

Unfortunately fate had other plans for them.

Mac was awakened to the sound of Don's sleepy voice mumbling into his phone and then he shut it off, sighing loudly. He turned back to Mac as he heard the bedsheets rustle.

"Did I wake you?"

"No," Mac lied.

Don smiled at him and then eyed the alarm clock. "Should be illegal to get up this early on a Sunday," he moaned.

"It's 9am, Don," Mac frowned at him.

Don grinned. "Yeah, but it's a Sunday!"

"Aren't you a Catholic?" Mac asked. "Wouldn't you have had church on a Sunday?"

Don laughed loudly at Mac for some time before he managed to speak. Mac looked at him in amusement. "Mac, does it look like I'm a Catholic to you? Don asked sarcastically.

Mac chuckled as he realised that Don was right. And if he'd needed a clue to figure that one out he only need look at the fact that Don was in bed with another man and that they were both stark naked. That and the fact that Don had spent last night having his brains fucked out by him. Suddenly Mac's phone buzzed and he grabbed at it and answered. Don disappeared off in the direction of the bathroom and returned when Mac had finished his call.

"What you got?" asked Don as he pulled on his pants.

"DB at a brokerage firm. First responders got an ID off him as Darwin Judge?"

"Snap," Don replied and raised his eyebrows at Mac.

"Guess I'll see you there then," Mac replied as he stood and stretched out his back.

"See you later," Don called as he finished dressing while Mac headed into the shower, already planning on how to tell Don he loved him that evening, completely unaware that that would never happen.

"Don?" Mac murmured worriedly as he finished his tale.

"All that time ago?" Don whispered.

"Does that surprise you?" Mac asked.

"I had no idea." Don moved slowly under the covers until he was leant up on one arm, looking into Mac's face. "You were planning to tell me?"

Mac nodded.

"Do you think if... if I hadn't almost died that day things would have been different?" the younger man asked sincerely.

Mac stroked a hand softly down Don's face. "Don't think about that, Don. You can't change the past. Everything happens for a reason."

Don nodded and then leant his head into Mac's hand and kissed it. "I love you."

Mac looked at him for a moment in silence. "I love you too. Always."

A/N - Flashbacks are from 2x22, and end of 2x23 leading to the start of 2x24.

Also, Birdywordys - completely my own invention, if there does happen to be a similar show I know not of it and no copyright intended.