A/N - Hope you are all still liking this story, if you are please keep reviewing, it really makes me happy and I appreciate them all so much and the time it takes for you to write one.

Israel - Chapter Seven

The day had begun like no other; Mac had woken up to the sound of the sleeping man next to him snoring softly. He smiled, watched him for a few moments and then crept from the bed in silence, making his way to the bathroom to have a quick wash. Then he'd donned his jogging clothes and gone out for his morning run. It was before six and the streets were still relatively empty bar the few late night-early morning revellers making their way back to their homes. The air felt frosty damp and dew hung on the blades of grass in the small park near his building. He'd run for an hour, slightly longer than usual but feeling in a relatively energised mood that morning. Afterwards he'd returned to the apartment, jumped into the shower and had stood under the hot prickles of water, enjoying the heat and steam in contrast to his run. At precisely 7.05am, the same time as every other morning when they were both on a day shift, he heard the door open and feet shuffling in across the floor until the toilet seat creaked as someone sat on it. Mac finished rinsing off his hair and then turned off the water. As he swung his arm around the curtain to grab his towel he felt it placed into his hand and smiled as he hastened to wrap it round his waist.

Don.

"Morning," Mac murmured as he drew back the curtain and stepped out of the tub.

"Morning," yawned Don, still blinking the last remnants of sleep from his eyes.

"Sleep well?" Mac asked as he approached the younger man.

"Like a baby," Don grinned, tilting his head up towards Mac.

"Like usual," Mac said knowingly and then gave him a quick kiss before leaving the bathroom.

Moments later he heard the shower turn on and then the sound of soft, slightly out of tune singing filled the apartment. Mac laughed loudly as he dressed and then padded to the kitchen to make breakfast. So far things were going so well for them. They'd booked their slot at City Hall for the marriage. McTiers, still Don's preferred venue of choice, would be closing to the public for their wedding reception and invitations had just been sent out. Naturally the whole team was invited, along with Reed and Don's sister and grandma. A few of Mac's pals from the Marines and fire service were coming, along with some of the guys from Don's precinct, the YMCA and his sports club. That was pretty much it, less than thirty people and a small enough affair to keep Sinclair happy. It was perfect.

"I smell burning," Don sung as he entered the kitchen, fully clothed, and sat at the counter.

"Maybe next time you want to cook breakfast then?" Mac asked as he turned around, one eyebrow raised.

"You know I can't cook," Don moaned, smiling.

"On the contrary," Mac murmured as he started dishing out the food.

"So maybe I can," Don shrugged. "But that's for special occasions...or days off."

"Lucky me," Mac smirked as he poured out the coffee. He suddenly noticed what Don was wearing. The blue sweater he'd worn the day he'd been kidnapped by Zane Kalim a few months ago. Mac frowned to himself as he looked at it. It wasn't that he was superstitious; it was just that the item now reminded him of something bad that had happened, something that still played on his mind, something that almost made his heart stop when he considered how close he'd been to losing Don that day. Something he never wanted to be reminded of again. He'd have to ask the detective to chuck it out.

"Don..." he started.

"Oh, I'm gonna be late tonight. Hawkes, Mess, Adam and me are going out for a drink after work. That's cool right?" Don asked, interrupting Mac.

Mac blinked and stared up at the younger man. "Oh, yes. That's fine. I need to stay on late and get some work done anyway."

"Surprise, surprise," Don laughed as he gulped down his coffee. Mac wondered how he did it, there was still steam rising from it and it was surely burning his throat.

"Well gotta get going. Crime doesn't solve itself as you and I both know," laughed Don, standing up.

"What about breakfast?" Mac asked with a frown.

"What breakfast?" Don grinned as he kissed Mac and then left in the direction of the front door.

Mac glanced down at the plates. One full of food; his own, the other empty. Mac chuckled.

Flack knew Danny was right behind him so he wasn't scared. Flack knew Danny always had his back so he wasn't scared. Flack knew that Danny had never let him down so he wasn't scared. In fact Danny was the one person whom he never felt scared with, no matter what he faced, guns, knives, crazies or anything else. He was safe with Danny, even more so than with Mac who had hurt him before in the past, albeit that was on a personal level rather than to do with the job, but still...Danny was the one human being, he trusted above all others.

The moment the suspect had run Flack didn't hesitate. He charged after the crack addict, powering through the crowds knowing Danny was right there behind him. He heard the CSI calling in their position in case any officers should be nearby and might be able to help catch this guy. For a man who looked so drugged up on coke he ran quickly and Flack had to put in full power behind his speed just to keep up. He'd known this guy was going to run from the moment they'd turned up to question him. He'd been too nervy, whether it was because he knew something, or the fact he was on drugs, or simply because they were cops Flack wasn't sure but he'd got that feeling. He'd tried to inch round the suspect to cut off his option of running but the man had been quick and had taken both he and Danny by surprise. Flack saw the suspect disappear around the corner into an alley and skidded to a halt, pulling out his gun and edging around the corner to see what awaited him. Ever so slowly he proceeded up the alley. It was eerily silent as though taking just a few steps into the shadow had numbed out the sound of the street. Flack breathed deeply to calm himself and continued on. A sudden noise from up ahead made him flinch but then he caught site of two of his fellow detectives from his precinct coming down the alley from the opposite end and breathed a sigh of relief. After a few moments they met in the middle and Flack put away his gun.

"Thought you said you were chasing someone, Flack," moaned Machado sarcastically.

"I was. I dunno where he could've got to," Flack said frowning.

"Where's your partner?" sneered Valenti.

Flack turned and was surprised to see that Danny was not behind him. In fact, there was no evidence that Danny Messer had been following him at all.

"I...errr...he must have gone round to head him off," Flack said as he logically thought about the possibilities of why Danny wasn't there.

The two detectives exchanged a look that Flack didn't like.

"What were you doing here anyway?" he asked them.

"In the area," shrugged Valenti.

"Yeah, heard your call come over the radio so thought we'd help out. Was that Messer you were with?" asked Machado.

"Yeah," Flack nodded.

"No wonder he ain't here. Never trust a CSI with a cop's job..." laughed Machado.

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Flack sharply.

"Oh, nothing..." smirked Machado.

"Messer's a damn good cop and not only that he's good at the science too...makes him cleverer than any of us," Flack defended.

"You're so right," Valenti nodded sarcastically. "And that's why he's here now, doing his job, backing you up..."

Flack looked between the two detectives feeling exceptionally pissed off at both of them.

"Whatever," he muttered, shaking his head as he turned and walked away from them. He knew he better find out what had happened to Danny. He'd been sure he was right there behind him.

"Hey, Flack, hang on a second," shouted Machado.

Flack sighed irritably and then walked back to the two men. He was annoyed he'd lost his suspect, annoyed Danny seemed to have disappeared as well and to top that off these two idiots were now messing with him. Usually he got on well with these guys, had even had them round a few times and now they were pissing the hell out of him. They obviously had a problem with Danny and although Flack couldn't understand the science talk he spouted off, Danny was still his best friend and he loved him.

"What?" he asked impatiently.

Machado sighed and walked up to him, flinging an arm around his shoulders. Flack shrugged it off immediately and turned to face him.

"What do you want Machado? You got a problem with Messer, is that it?"

Machado laughed loudly and Flack heard Valenti laughing behind him too.

"No, Flack. We ain't got a problem with Messer. It's you we've got the problem with," he said coldly, his laughter dropping.

Flack was suddenly aware of the eerie silence that invaded the alley again and his throat felt dry, probably from all the running.

"What?" he coughed.

"I said, we got a problem with you."

Flack stared at him for a second, as though tempting him to make some kind of move. When he didn't Flack shook his head at the pathetic detective. All bravado but no balls.

"Get out of my face," Flack growled as he pushed past Machado. Immediately, however, he felt two large hands on his chest and he was suddenly flying backwards as Machado shoved him back.

"What the fuck?" Flack managed to gasp before his arms were grabbed from behind by Valenti and held in a tight grasp leaving his torso and face unprotected.

"Get the fuck off me," shouted Flack, struggling against him.

Machado smiled at him. "In a minute. We just need to clear up one small thing first."

"And what's that?" asked Flack.

"We want to know if it's true?"

"If what's true?" asked Flack even though he had a funny feeling he knew what.

"That you're a fucking queer?"

Flack was saved from answering by a noise behind him in the alley. He managed to get a look up it as Valenti swung round to look himself. Flack breathed a sigh of relief. Detectives Kincade and Wolf were coming down the alley towards them. Flack had known Wolf since he was five, he'd been a friend of his dad's and a frequent visitor to his childhood home and to family barbeques. Kincade was one of the newer detectives in homicide and was much younger than him. Flack had taken the kid under his wing and shown him the ropes. They'd fast become good friends and after Messer, Kincade was probably his next best friend on the force.

"Kincade, Wolf, get this nutjob off me," shouted Flack as they approached.

Wolf seemed to survey the scene as he approached. "Machado, Valenti, Flack," he nodded. "What's going on here?"

"Just asking Flack here if the rumours are true," Machado defended.

Flack stared at him disbelievingly. His arms were starting to ache painfully now from the way Valenti held on to them so tightly behind his back.

"Wolf, get this idiot off me," Flack moaned. When he heard no reply he turned to stare at the older man who was studying him curiously, held tilted to one side.

"Is it true, Flack?" he whispered. "Are you sleeping with Taylor?"

When Flack didn't answer he felt his arm being twisted painfully at his back and let out a small yelp.

"I suggest you answer, Flack. You don't want to make things difficult for yourself," Wolf said quietly.

Flack gulped nervously. He was suddenly aware that none of these men were on his side. He glanced at Kincade who had a rather sickened expression on his face, as though he'd just eaten something foul.

"So what if I am?" Flack snarled. He knew these men were trying to intimidate him and he wouldn't let it work. "It's none of your fucking business anyway."

The detectives surrounding him all exchanged a look.

"After all this time...a bloody homo in our midst," Machado said shaking his head. "You hid it well, Flack. I honestly gotta say I had no idea."

"I wasn't hiding anything," Flack spat back.

"And that thing with Angell...what was that? Just a cover up? Bet you felt awful when she bit it..." Machado laughed.

Flack turned purple with rage. "Don't you dare speak about Jess like that. I loved her; I wanted to marry her..."

"But instead you're marrying Mac Taylor," Wolf interrupted before Flack could finish.

Flack turned his head to stare at the older cop. "Yes I am," he said defiantly. "End of. So I suggest you all fuck off and leave me the hell alone."

"Or what?" Kincade asked, speaking for the first time. "You'll get your big, scary boyfriend to beat us up?"

All four cops sniggered with laughter and for the first time Flack felt afraid...and alone. Very, very alone.

"You disgust me," snarled Machado and spat on Flack's face.

Flack grimaced.

"You're a fucking disgrace," Kincade added as he shook his head.

"You're father would be so ashamed of you," Wolf stated with a gleam of satisfaction in his eye.

"My father couldn't have cared less if I liked men or women. He loved me."

"So he knew you were a fag?" asked Wolf.

"He knew everything about me and loved me anyway," Flack snarled.

"Somehow I doubt that very much," Wolf stated.

Flack could feel the spittle sliding down his face and it made him feel sick. In fact the whole situation made him want to vomit violently into the dumpster they were standing next to.

"I think it's time we showed you exactly what the department thinks of your new lifestyle choices," Wolf smiled.

"Yeah, as we're here representing it," Machado added.

Flack was aware that they were slowly closing in around him.

"Look, guys...please? We're friends. How long have we all known each other?" Flack tried.

"I'm getting tired of your fucking mouth," shouted Machado, clenching his fists.

Flack looked panic-stricken between the three men facing him. He focused on the one he was closet to.

"Kincade?" he pleaded.

"Shut the fuck up you dirty little queer," spat Kincade and Flack felt the younger man's fist connect with his jaw.

As his head whipped backwards another fist crashed into his cheek while another connected with his ribs. Fists pummelled into his chest, abdomen and face from all angles and he yelled in pain as he felt his nose crunch under one particularly hard punch. The pain in his sides told him his ribs were cracking from the force of the attack and then he was thrown to the ground. Feet connected with his sides, legs, face, all over his body. He heard laughter above him as someone stamped on his back. Then blackness. Nothing but blackness.

Mac leant back against the hard plastic seat, pain shooting through his spine from being hunched over for so long, and stared at the blank wall in front of him. Not even a noticeboard or a shelf of flyers to interest him for all of two seconds. Just plain white. Blank. Nothing. Mac glanced up and down the corridor but it was vacant of other people, just himself there. So surprising for a hospital. He'd known something like this was going to happen. It was bound to happen at some point. He'd just been so wrapped up in happiness, excitement, plans for the future that he'd slipped and let himself forget about the present. And now the present was a reality and the reality was that Don had been beaten to within an inch of his life and the most likely culprits were those he'd considered to be his friends. Mac grimaced and suddenly felt the need to hit something hard. Those bastards. What they had done...to one of their own as well. Don was still the same man, still the same detective, nothing had changed. Mac rubbed his face tiredly with his hands and looked back down the empty corridor. Were they doing the right thing? Was this how life was going to be from now on? Don getting hurt, taking all the abuse for their relationship? Maybe they should just call it off, who were they kidding that this could ever work out? Maybe...

Mac groaned and held his head as a solitary tear formed in his left eye and dribbled down his cheek. This was just like before. The day he'd made the biggest mistake of his life. The day he'd let Don go. He had to stop these thoughts from destroying their happiness together.

"Mac!" the young, dark-haired man smiled as he saw Mac enter his hospital room.

"All alone?" Mac asked in surprise.

Don nodded eagerly. "I sent them away. Told them that I needed some rest...they've been bothering me for days now."

Mac nodded and sat down at Don's side. The detective had been in the hospital for just over three weeks now and was coming on leaps and bounds. Unfortunately, the entirety of the Flack clan had descended on the hospital after they'd heard the news, even Don's wayward sister, Samantha. Mac had found himself being brushed to the side, almost blamed for the fact that Don had nearly died, despite saving his life. Don's father had been the only one to thank him properly, telling him his son was his pride and joy, that he wouldn't know what to do if he lost little Donny. Then he went on to explain how he had high hopes for Don. That the other two were a lost cause but Don was the one he knew would be successful, meet a nice girl, settle down, give him the grandkids he hoped for, take care of him in his old age. Mac had blanched at that. Afterwards he'd started avoiding the hospital and Don more and more. Every time he went some member of Don's family was there and he couldn't get a moment alone with the young man. They'd made all the arrangements for Don to stay with his parents whilst he recovered, that they'd take care of him and Mac found it all rather suffocating. On the occasions that he had been caught by a family member he'd been told how they all knew Donny would do alright, how all the girls loved him, how he'd make a nice girl very happy one day. It made Mac sick to his stomach.

He'd started doubting then. Don's family had all these plans for him, no doubt Don had had them too before he'd met him. Who was he to take them away? And then of course there was work. So far they'd just been very casual and non-committed about what they were doing. But just before the explosion it had suddenly become a lot more serious. Don had admitted his love to him and Mac had even thought he was in love with Don. But no. This couldn't happen. They'd never be allowed to. Don was his subordinate, not to mention a man and if he didn't suffer himself then Don surely would. It could ruin his career, his family would hate him and his future and any hope of children and normality would be destroyed. No, Mac knew what he had to do.

"You're quiet."

Mac looked up to find Don watching him carefully.

"Busy day."

"I thought so. Not seen you here much."

Mac was well aware of the sadness that tinged Don's voice.

"It has been difficult," Mac excused.

"My family can be kinda overwhelming," Don said understandingly.

"I've been thinking a lot about us, Don," Mac said. There was no point in putting off the inevitable.

Don eyed him cautiously.

"I have something I need to tell you."

Don smiled slightly and Mac hated himself for what he was about to do. Last time they'd properly spoken about what they were doing was when Don told him he loved him. The young man now probably assumed that he was going to say the same thing back now.

"Look, Don," Mac said in all seriousness. "Whatever this is between us...it needs to stop. It's not good for us. It's not healthy."

Don stared at him, clearly in shock at what had just been said. Mac looked at him worriedly after he didn't speak for a few minutes.

"Don, did you hear me?"

"Oh I heard you alright," Don choked. "You're leaving me."

"Don, I..."

"I tell you I love you and then you leave me. Is that it?"

"No, of course not. It has nothing to do with that. It's just I've had time to think. Your family, work..."

"I don't give a fuck about what my family think! I'll tell them right now if you don't believe me!" Don shouted, a tear rolling down his cheek.

"And what about work, Don? It wouldn't be allowed, one of us would be sacked and it..."

"It would be me. There's no contest between the head of the Crime Lab and a lowly homicide detective. I see."

"You're so young, Don. You don't want to be tied down to someone like me. I can't offer you anything. I can't give you all the things you want in life."

"And how the hell would you even know what I want from life?"

"I'm only doing this for you."

"You know what, Mac? Just don't. Don't try to excuse this. I'm in a fucking hospital! I nearly died! It's gonna be months before I can get back to normal. And you come in here and break up with me. You know, you're a real piece of work."

"Don, I'm sorry. But it's for the best, just think about it logically."

"Oh I am, Mac. You're scared. Scared of loving a man. Scared of having an invalid boyfriend for six months. Scared of all the stereotyping and jibes you'll get if this ever got out. Well fine. I don't fucking need you anyway. Just do me one favour, don't pretend you're doing this for anyone other than yourself. It has nothing to do with work or my family. It's you. Only you!" Don shouted, tears flowing down his face.

"Don, that's not true. I..."

"Get out."

"Don, please..."

"Get out!"

Mac sighed and left the room. He took one last look at Don, breaking down in his hospital bed before he was gone. He waited until he'd left the hospital and was sitting in his car before he let his own tears come.

"Mr. Taylor?"

Mac shook his head and looked up at the doctor standing next to him.

"Sorry..." he mumbled.

"You can see Mr. Flack now if you wish," she smiled.

"Is he okay?" Mac asked, standing up from the seat and feeling all his joints click in protest.

"He's suffered a minor concussion and fractured four ribs. Multiple abrasions and severe bruising to the face, torso, arms and legs. He was very lucky to be found so quickly before any more serious damage was caused. A few weeks of rest to heal and he'll be fine."

"Thank you," Mac replied. "Where is he?"

"They've taken him up to the third floor, room 392."

Mac nodded and then left the doctor, walking down to the elevators and waiting for one to arrive so he could begin his ascent. He wasn't sure what to say. What could he say? Ultimately this was his fault. He was the reason they'd beaten Don. He was the reason Don was lying in a hospital bed now. Mac pressed the button for three and then breathed deeply. He couldn't let the emotion get the better of him. Don would need him to be strong. Don would need him. Just as he needed Don. The doors slid open and Mac found his way down to room 392 pausing with his hand on the door handle before entering the small room.

A/N - Flashback is from about 3 and a half weeks after 2x24.

I'd like to add that the views expressed in this chapter are not mine.