Chapter 17 Run Silent Run Deep 2
The life that I knew is through,
and I'm gonna need you more than ever.
I'm alone in this crowded room...
It's like life on the moon.
Life on the Moon – David Cook
"Mac you got a second?" Danny walked into Mac's office clutching the results Anna had given him between his hands. Mac looked up from his own file from where he stood behind his desk and looked at the younger man, almost immediately seeing worry on his face,
"What is it Danny?" he asked, closing the file he held and keeping his eyes trained on Danny. Lifting the results Danny stepped towards Mac,
"Anna got back the results from the cigarette butt." He said, surprised his voice remained steady as he dropped the results onto Mac's desk and stepped back, "They came back to an internal control sample."
Mac's eyes were locked onto the results now settled on the table in front of him; a frown etched its way into his features as he slowly looked up at Danny. "The DNA on the cigarette butt is mine." Danny said as he dropped down onto the sofa, his eyes locking with Mac's for the briefest second before he had to look away shaking his head as he did.
For a few moments a tense silence fell over the office, Danny sat looking down at his clasped hands, whilst Mac held the results in front of him, not really able to take in what he was seeing. In a way he could understand Anna taking these results to Danny, but he'd have to talk to her, she took a huge risk in giving them to Danny first.
Finally Mac looked up from the paper and at Danny letting out a sigh, "You know what you say to me now is testimony." He explained.
Danny shook his head, and wearily pushed himself up from the sofa, "Mac I do not need a boss here, I need a friend alright, I'm in big trouble here, just hear me out..." his voice was gruff and in a way pleading as he leaned against the chair in front of Mac's desk.
The older Detective nodded slowly, "Tell me everything,"
"My older brother Louie is a Tanglewood boy, he's been running with Sonny Sassonne for God knows how long, but like I said before I never ran with those guys, except that one night." He started, "summer of 1991, fifteen years ago. My brother Louie calls me up and says him and a couple of Tanglewood boys are headin down AC to party and gamble or what not. Like an idiot I go, needless to say we never got to Atlantic City, we ended up in the parking lot of the Giants Stadium."
"So the Tanglewood boys at this time consisted of Sonny Sassonne, Salvator Zabo and your brother?" Mac asked, now settled in his chair. Danny remained standing, his hands on his hips and nodded quickly,
"That's it, I was just tagging along. I tried to talk Sonny out of hurting this kid, I mean he was bleeding all over the place but Louie, Louie pushed me down, ordered me to get out of there, said I was embarrassing him in front of his boys. Things between my brother and I were never the same after that one night Mac, he calls me up a couple days later though. Tells me they dropped that kid off in a bad neighbourhood and went down to AC as planned."
"He lied." Mac said simply, watching as Danny turned away. Danny ran a hand through his fair, frustration, disappointment and sadness coursed through his body as he turned back to Mac, struggling not to lash out on something.
"How could he do that to me? He always showed off in front of Sonny but my brother Mac, he's not a murderer." Whatever Louie and he were going through, no matter how far apart they'd drifted, Danny knew this for a fact.
"Well the fact is Danny; right now you're the murderer." Mac stated, watching as Danny's shoulders slumped somewhat in defeat, already seeming to accept this was not ending well for him. "Your cigarette butt was found in that hole, how'd it get there?"
"I don't know, I swear on my mother Mac I do not know." Danny answered, "My brother Louie was always bumming cigarettes from me back then but I swear to you I didn't take one step into that Stadium...never."
For a moment there was silence as Mac kept his eyes trained on Danny, "I believe you." He told him, and Danny was filled with an enormous amount of relief he had Mac on his side, all too soon though that feeling was taken away, "Unfortunately the evidence is telling us a different story. Now I'm going to help you and your gonna help me. So I have no choice, you'll be placed on modified assignment, the Duty Captain will relieve you, you'll be assigned to a desk, no gun no shield, at some point he's going to want to talk to us both. You'll be assigned to the rubber gun squad, you sit at your desk you keep your mouth shut, until the evidence cooperates your story."
Anna had only been able to watch with Adam, Hawkes and Flack as Danny had been disarmed by the Duty Captain. Their eyes had locked for the briefest second, before Danny had broken contact. After orders from Mac the small group had scattered, all going back to their jobs, all their thoughts firmly on Danny.
Anna had headed into the office when Mac had disappeared to talk to Louie Messer, once again leaving her and Hawkes behind. So with the file propped up on her knee and a cup of tea clutched between her hands Anna was comfortably sat underneath her desk, leaning back against the steel frames.
It was an old habit, each time she found herself upset, anxious, worried, frustrated or even just feeling sick she'd end up sat underneath her desk. It was a habit that went straight back to her childhood, only now as an adult she'd grown out of hiding underneath her bed, and instead always opted for the desk or when at home, her closet. It was like her own private sanctuary, and she always found herself feeling better after an hour or two hiding beneath it.
"You're a strange lady."
Anna looked to her side, to see Flack crouched beside the desk a frown on his face as he stared at her. Anna laughed slightly and shrugged, "It's been said. What do you need?" she asked, turning over a page in the file she held.
Flack seeing no other option sighed and sat down on the floor, his back against her desk as he stared in on Anna, "Came to see your alright, Mac didn't chew you out too much did he?" Anna shook her head,
"I got a wrist slap for not taking the results straight to him, but he also said he can understand why I didn't he just doesn't want anything like this to happen again." She told him quietly. Don nodded and a comfortable silence fell between the two,
"Danny's gonna be fine you know." Flack said, eventually drawing Anna's attention back to him and breaking the silence. Anna sighed softly and nodded, needing to believe that. He'd disappeared not too long ago from the lab, and was avoiding her calls.
"I know." She whispered, "I just wish he'd talk to me or at least let me know he's okay." Closing her eyes she leaned her head back against the steel frame.
Flack watched her for a moment, before reaching out a hand and taking one of her smaller ones, squeezing it gently. "Danny will be in touch when he's ready, trust me."
Anna looked across at the blue eyed Detective and nodded, squeezing his hand in thanks. As another silence began to fall she shook her head and looked at him quizzically, "How did you know where I was?" she asked.
Don smirked, "Like I said, you're a strange lady, it's not the first time I've seen you down here and also your new partner in crime told me." Anna frowned slightly before smiling,
"Grace..." she muttered, shaking her head slightly. Don chuckled and opened his mouth to reply when his phone went off. Excusing himself he stood and answered. For a moment Anna watched him before shuffling out from underneath the desk, wincing as she stood and stretched her limbs.
As she dropped her file onto the desk and lay down her mug she paused, not missing the change in Don's demeanour. His shoulders had suddenly tensed, there was a deep frown on his face and his tone was worried, as he hung up Anna stepped closer to him, something in his eyes making her feel uneasy, "Don..."
"Somebody just did a hospital job on Louie Messer, EMS say he wasn't breathing at the scene." He told her, and Anna gasped. Her hand flew up to cover her mouth,
"Where's Danny?" they both turned hearing Mac's voice, to see the older CSI stood in the doorway of the office, his gaze fixed firmly on Don who shook his head,
"I don't know."
It was late when Anna, Flack and Mac finally turned up at the hospital and upon seeing Danny it took every ounce of willpower Anna had not to rush up to him. For the first time since they'd met, she didn't know what to do, he looked lost and sleep deprived "Danny...any word?" Mac asked as they stopped in front of him.
"I don't know he's still in surgery." Danny answered,
"You okay?" Anna asked her tone soft. Danny's eyes locked with hers as he answered,
"Yeah but I've had better days to tell you the truth." He laughed slightly at the end, and broke their connection making Anna frown,
"He's a tough kid your brother, Danny, he's gonna make it through alright." Flack said, gaining Danny's attention. The latter of the two just nodded, wanting to believe his friend but right now finding himself unable to. As he looked back at Anna, Mac spoke,
"Anna can you go collect all of Louie Messer's effects, get them back to the lab." Anna nodded; smiling softly at Danny as she reluctantly turned away and headed off.
Danny watched her go, his chest aching with every step she took further away from him. Turning his back to the other two he continued to look through the window, listening in as Mac told Don to stay with him, to stop Danny doing anything reckless.
Shaking his head Danny leaned forward against the window, amazed he was finding the will to stop himself from going after Sonny. There was nothing more he wanted right now then to go after the bastard that had hurt his brother, and to make him suffer.
Hearing the familiar click of heals some time later he inclined his head to the side, to see Anna heading back down the corridor. A large brown evidence bag clasped tightly to her chest as she passed Don, shooting the Detective a warm smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Before she could leave though Danny moved away from the window and went after her, waving Don off when he stood.
"Anna hold up."
Anna stopped immediately turning in time to see Danny skid to a halt in front of her, "Something wrong?" she asked worriedly as she lowered her case to the floor, placing the bag she held on top of it. Danny merely shook his head and shifted his footing.
"No I just..." he trailed off and looked at her. Anna, not needing to hear him say what he wanted, smiled softly and stepped forward. Wrapping her arms around his strong shoulders, she pulled Danny all too willingly into a comforting embrace, holding him tightly.
Danny sighed as he buried his face into the crook of her neck, his own arms locking securely around her waist, pulling her body flush against his. He'd missed her over the last couple of days, and worried that maybe learning all she had about him, about his family and his history with the TangleWood boys she'd do the sensible thing and leave. Danny was realising now, that wasn't going to happen and he'd never felt more relieved.
As Anna pulled away, he kept his hands resting on her waist, not wanting to break their connection just yet but knowing he had to. "He's gonna be alright." She whispered, conviction, the palm of her hand resting against his cheek,
"We can't know that for sure..." Danny shook his head, closing his eyes as he leaned into her touch. When he looked down at Anna again she smiled softly,
"No, but I have faith. Don't give up on him just yet Danny, he's gonna need you to stay strong" she said, leaning up she pressed her lips against his softly before reluctantly pulling away. Crouching down she picked up both her case and the bag before backing up, smiling softly at Danny again before she turned and left.
This time Danny didn't feel the ache in his chest as he watched her go, she was right, he needed to stay strong for Louie and have faith that his big brother was going to be okay. Nodding his head slightly he ran a hand over his tired face before turning and heading back inside.
Okay so it appears a lot of you were convinced Anna was pregnant...I should probably point out now that she isn't. The upset tummy was just that...an upset tummy. There are no plans for her to be pregnant just yet, all in good time my friends. All in good time.
Big thanks to Donna as usual!
Lady-Buster – Danny will be fine, Anna will make sure of that. I think she gives him the kind of support he needs as opposed to Lindsey...no offense to Lindsey :P My plot bunny has certainly come out to play in these chapters I'm writing now...bad bad bunny.
Sam – This episode happens to be one of my favourite as well. I love the TangleWood boys so it's fun to play with them. So glad you enjoyed the chapter!
Shippo – Nothing bad will happen to Anna...YET...lol so don't worry. Nah she isn't pregnant but there are plans for that in the future big big plans :D
Sch – Hey again! Nah just a squeamish stomach, she loves Sid but there's no way she's hanging down in that morgue longer than she has to. Just like in the episode I had Danny go straight to Mac, he's impulsive but he is smart and knows what he needs to do. Thanks for the review.
Exodus – As you've by now probably figured out, nope she is not pregnant lol. I think Danny would turn overbearingly protective, so looking forward to dealing with that in future chapters. You'll have to let me know when you finally put up your fic, or if you need any one to voice off to on your story, I'm here for that to :D