Nightmare

Written by: HoshiHikari

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI NY

Summary: Stella's son gets abducted. As she waits anxiously for the kidnappers' to call, she ponders how she is going to find Mac, who had gone undercover, and break the news to him. Little does she know, her husband already knows about the kidnapping as he had participated in the abduction of his own child.

Parings: Mac and Stella

Chapter 5

It was half an hour later that I found myself at Mac's desk. Unlike before when I had been frustrated with the lack of information, now I felt overwhelmed by all that I know. Suddenly everything made perfect sense yet at the same time I felt just as helpless as before if not more. The names that Mac had provided in the manilla envelop had shed an even darker light upon child abductions then I would have thought possible. For the first time I was given the opportunity to glimpse at the world that my husband had been living in the past year.

"Amber Reynolds, female, age 5, body found in dumpster with both kidneys removed after ransom fell through. Case unsolved. Lead detective at that time was Mac Taylor." I say softly to myself as I jot dot the information that I found next to the name.

"Charlie Baker, male, age 9, body found in dumpster with liver removed after ransom fell through. Case unsolved. Lead detective at the time was Mac Taylor." I write down my notes and then move on to the next name Steven Crane and finally Laura Hamilton. As I finish writing my notes on Hamilton I couldn't help but notice that the MO for all the cases were the same and that oddly enough they had all been Mac's cases or more precisely part of Mac's unsolved cases.

As I move onto the next name my heart gave a jolt. Dexter Wilson. I knew that name. In fact I knew more about him then I would probably find out about everyone else on the list. After all Dexter was the 8 year old boy who sat next to my son at school and as far as I knew he was very much alive. But then if that is so then why is his name on the list and Adrian's name not? Could this nightmare that I'm suffering from now be a case of mistaken identity?

Before I can ponder any further, I am drawn back to the present by a loud cough coming from the doorway. I looked up to see Don leaning against the doorway.

"I thought I might find you here Stella." He said closing and locking the door before sitting down opposite of me. I leaned back on Mac's chair as his eyes traveled across the case files that I had laid on the table. I

"Can I help you with something?" I asked when it was clear that Don seemed more interested in what I had been doing then stating his reasons for seeking me out. Everyone else understood the importance of devoting their entire effort into locating Adrian and that dealing with personal matters even in regards to the case was off limits.

"Must I have news to deliver in order to check on the well being of my in everything but blood sister?"

"No of course not." I paused. "I'm fine Don."

"Fine would not be how I would describe a person in your situation."

"Oh? How would you describe it then?" I snapped back. "My world's been turned upside down and inside out. How do you think I feel?"

"I would..."

"Don't even try to answer that Flack." I cut him off. "You have no idea what I'm going through..."

"until I become a father and my child gets kidnapped? Believe me Stella, I wasn't even going to try to give you the bullshit the police give to the families. However that doesn't me I don't care nor does it mean I don't worry. You're still my friend, sister even, and from one friend to another, one sibling to another, its my responsibility to look after you, to make sure you're really fine. Mac would have..."

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" Again I cut him off. "Everybody's busy trying to bring Adrian home. If you really want to help then go do your job."

"I am doing my job. Sinclair's fending off the public and the media. Your teams working non stop. My partner's taken care of patrol. Danny's the lead on the case so that frees me to take care of you."

"I'm the lead. That is my son out there..."

"Have to agree with the Chief on this one. You're too close to the case. It is Adrian that has been kidnapped. We can't afford to mess up. We can't afford to have your emotions blind you from..."

"Out Flack! Out! Not you too. First Sinclair and then Mac and now you. I'm not a fragile, emotionally driven soul. I can handle sensitive information without breaking. I can do my job and do my job well even if its my son that's been kidnapped and my husband who is is one of the men behind this." I ground out, not realizing my slip until it was too late. I hope Don didn't catch my slip but looking at his shocked face, I knew he did.

"What did you just say about Mac?" Don finally managed to say.

"That he still thinks that I'm a sensitive and emotionally driven soul." I repeat.

"No after that. That Mac is..."

"How Mac thinks of me or how I think of him is personal." I interrupt, abruptly gathering the papers I had been working on before standing up. "Look I don't have time to discuss this with you. I need to find my son. Go make yourself useful Flack."

"Not until you tell me what the hell is going on.." Don stands. "What's this about Mac being involved..."

"That's none of your..." Before I could react, he yanks the papers out of my hands.

"What the hell is this Stella? Where did you get this from?" He demands, his eyes not leaving the papers.

"Cold case files." I say, trying to snatch the papers back in vain. "I need to keep busy."

"Case files that just all happen to be unsolved kidnappings with similar M.O. as the current case at hand, not to mention all of them being part of Mac's old cases?"

"Don..."

"Stella, tell me the truth. What the hell is going on. I'm not stupid and can easily make inferences from these on my own. Now what's this about Mac being one of the men behind this? What is it that you know that we don't?"

"I can fix this mess myself. It's personal Don, lets just leave it at that."

"Yes or no Stella. Did Mac kidnapped his own son? I'm not going to make judgments, I just need to know the truth so that we can get Adrian back alive."

"Mac's going to bring him home. He promised. Mac swore on his life." I say, my voice finally breaking. "Mac promised. He never broke a promise before. He'll bring my baby boy home and everything will be alright. They'll come home and everything will be like before. This little incident isn't going to ruin anything."

"Oh Stella," he says, taking me into his arms and holding me close. "Come here. This is mess up. You shouldn't have to deal with this Stella. When I see Taylor I'll..."

"Don..."

"Wait here Stella. I'll put out a notice on him and then..." He releases me but I immediately grab his wrist again.

"No! You don't understand Don. You can't..."

"There is nothing to understand and I can send the police after him."

"You don't even know where he is."

"Sinclair does. He did send Taylor undercover. He would..."

"No Don."

"Why are you protecting Taylor? Your son's been abducted and he's the one that is responsible."

"My husband is not a criminal. You have no evidence..."

"He's the one who kidnapped your son and you didn't deny it."

"You don't understand."

"Then explain! Damn it Stella. Explain it so I can understand how one of the top police officers in the city suddenly turns into a criminal.. Explain it so that I can understand how you can still defend him when it is your own son's life that hangs on the line." He paused. "Is Adrian even in danger? Maybe he isn't because if he really was then your motherly instincts would have..."

"How dare you Flack! How dare you suggest..."

"Then explain! Tell me why I shouldn't march out of here and..."

"Mac's working undercover with people suspected of kidnapping children and then selling their organs in the black market. I don't know what happened but somehow Adrian became their latest victim. I just came back from secretly meeting Mac and he gave me the names and the promise that he'll bring our son home alive. I might not understand why he can't just take Adrian and leave or am I saying that I don't hate him for his actions. However I must trust him. I have to believe in him because that's all I have left. The only way that they can both come home safely is if I let him do his job. I can't lose either or them Don. I can't afford to mess up."

"You'll lose both of them if the police doesn't get involved. You're in this profession, you know this better then anyone else."

"I will die for my husband. You know that Don."

"Even under these special circumstances?"

"I will die for both my boys."

"Stella."

"Now if you will excuse me Don, I have a person to arrest."

"Thought you said Mac was off limits."

"Drake Cyrus Ridely. The name sound familiar?"

"Yeah, he's the surgeon that was brought to trial last year after after a few patients died under his knife. There was not enough evidence to convict him of malpractice. Why? Is he involved?

"Yes. His name's one of the three that are circled on the list that of names that Mac gave me. Except for Dexter, the ones that aren't circled are dead so I'm assuming the others are alive or important in some way. I was going to go after him after I finished taking notes that is if you hadn't interrupted."

"And the other two names that aren't circled?

"No idea. But Ridely is a good place to start." I hesitate and then make the offer. "You coming Don?"

"Are you kidding me Stella? I'm not letting you out of my sight."

"Hey Mac! Where the hell have you been?" Evan greets me just as I step through the door.

"Told you I went to get Chinese take-out. Why is there something wrong?"

"We finalized the plan. Going to give you the run down and then we're going to set it in motion."

"I doubt she has the money already. How about we make the call and then have her drop off the money in two hours or so. That will give her some time to prepare and for the two of you to give me the run down.."

"The boy was kidnapped yesterday. I'm sure she has the money by now." Pete interrupted. "If your child was kidnapped, I bet you'll have the money in two hours."

This is my child. I think bitterly to myself. And I'll bring him home alive without paying a single penny.

"Perhaps." I reply. "Nevertheless we should still inform her of where to drop off the money in two hours. This way there will be enough time to inform me of the plans and give her plenty of time to get the money to the location. Who knows, she might be in Jersey or she might get stuck in lunch time traffic if we demand that she arrives at said location in a half hour."

"Very well. You make the call Mac."

"Where's the location?" I ask.

"The Rabbit Hole." Evan replied. "Tell her to follow the white rabbit. She'll know where to go."

Finally another chapter done. So Sorry for the wait. The white rabbit's been running late as always. Stick around to see where this rabbit hole leads. Remember to Review!