Author's notes: WOW! Your reviews are just awesome! Thank you so much for all your kind words. I'm glad you are still enjoying the story. I really want to be able to add a new chapter each night but this might be the last update until the weekend. Hopefully I'll get the next part finished in time but I can't make any guarantees. Until now I've been at least one chapter ahead of the update but I'm only halfway through writing the next chapter since I've combined and lengthened each chapter. It was a lot easier getting chapters written last week during Spring Break. For some reason teaching is getting in the way of writing. However, I will catch up as quickly as I can will have the next chapter for you by Saturday at the latest.

Disclaimer: My dreams haven't come true so I still don't own them.

Blown Apart
Chapter 5

Danny and Mac flattened themselves against the wall as the shots bored holes through the door. They had positioned themselves on either side of the door before they knocked so the bullets missed them completely. As soon as the last shot reverberated down the hall, Mac kicked in the door. The two men exchanged looks and Mac nodded. They twisted and Mac aimed high and Danny low. When a fourth shot rang out, both men unloaded their clips in the direction the shot came from.

Easing cautiously into the apartment, they saw Grant lying in a pool of blood, gun still in his hand. Mac kicked the gun away and felt for a pulse. "He's alive; call a bus."

As Danny called for the ambulance, Mac checked the rest of the apartment to find it empty. Flack and several other officers entered the apartment, guns drawn. Flack looked around, putting his gun away as it appeared the danger had passed. "Everything okay?" He looked down at Grant. "Who is this guy?"

Mac gestured to a discarded police uniform and a table with parts that looked suspiciously like bomb parts. "The guy who attacked the lab this morning."

Flack frowned as the paramedics entered and started to treat Grant. He pulled Mac aside. "How did you two figure all this out? Why is Danny here re-enacting the shootout at the OK corral instead of at the hospital with his wife?

Mac filled Flack in on the note and Adam's description. "He's the reason why Lindsay and Adam are in the hospital right now. Of that I have no doubt." He looked over at the paramedic. "What hospital are you taking him to?"

"Mercy. We'll need an officer to ride with us. I doubt he's going to be a problem but protocol says we can't transport a prisoner with an escort."

Mac nodded. "Danny, ride with the medics. As soon as an officer can relieve you at the hospital, you'll be free to rejoin Lindsay. I'll stay here and handle IA. I'm sure they'll have a few questions."

"You got one thing right, Detective Taylor."

Mac turned to face the new arrival. He recognized her as one of the Internal Affairs officers but couldn't place her name. Her arms were folded across her chest and her expression was serious, bordering on furious. "You got here fast."

"Word spreads quickly when officers gun down a suspect. I understand we have you and Detective Messer to thank for this." Her arms unfolded to gesture at the scene much the way someone would point out a dead mouse.

Mac wasn't sure why but he felt the need to offer an explanation as to their actions. "We had a lead and we followed up on it. The suspect opened fire on us after we identified ourselves. We had no choice but to defend ourselves."

"We'll see about that. You will come back to headquarters with me and Detective Messer will ride back with Detective Jamison."

Mac didn't like the way she had countermanded his orders. "With all due respect, Detective…" He glanced at her name badge. "Sawyers, Detective Messer is needed back at the hospital. His wife was injured in the blast at the lab this morning."

"Perhaps he should have thought of that before chasing down a suspect on his own."

Mac opened his mouth to argue but the female IA detective turned to Flack. "I trust you can assign a different office to escort and guard the suspect."

Flack nodded and glanced at Danny to gauge his reaction. The Staten Island native was frowning and shaking his head. Danny had to offer his own protests. "Look, I get it that IA has to get involved with an officer related shooting but I don't get the rush job here. Let me go check on my wife and I'll come in to be questioned. What's the problem with that?"

Detective Sawyers whirled on him eyes flashing. "The problem, Detective Messer? The problem is that mere hours after an incident at the crime lab, two of its officers show up, without back-up, at the apartment of the man they believe was responsible. That man is now being rushed to the hospital in critical condition from multiple gunshot wounds. Detective Taylor then recommends that one of the officers responsible for those gunshot wounds accompany the suspect to the hospital. Sounds more like some vigilante justice than good police work. So sorry if my investigation isn't convenient for you."

Recognizing that Danny was about to lose what control he had, Flack grabbed his arm. "Danno, don't. Don't give her any more ammunition. Go with them and answer their questions. The quicker you do that the quicker you can go back to Linds. Okay? If it makes you feel better I can head over to the hospital and sit with her until you get back. I need to question her and Adam about the explosion anyway."

"Okay." Danny nodded, clearly still not happy with the situation but not willing to completely blow his top. Danny sighed. There was so much he wanted to tell Flack to tell Lindsay but didn't really want to say it in front of an audience. "Tell her I love her, man, but don't tell her about this. She doesn't need the extra worry."

Flack nodded. He was one of only two people in that room that knew just what that amount of control took from Danny and he was proud of his best friend. The last thing Flack wanted to do was lie to Lindsay but he also wouldn't go out of his way to tell her news that would upset her either.

He waited until Mac and Danny had reluctantly and grouchily left with the IA officers before making sure his officers had the scene under control. Feeling confident he wasn't needed, he left the apartment and headed to the hospital.

It didn't take him long once he arrived to learn that Adam had been discharged and to get Lindsay's room number. He took the elevator to the correct floor and quietly knocked on the door. Getting no answer, he eased the door open and stepped inside. He smiled at what he saw.

Adam may have been released but he hadn't left. Instead he was asleep in a chair near the left side of the bed. He was slouched in his chair with his feet propped on the bottom rail of Lindsay's bed. His arms were folded across his chest and his head was bowed so that his chin rested on his chest. Stepping closer, Flack could get a better look at his injuries. Apart from a gauze bandage on his temple and a few bruises he didn't look any worse for wear. Having not seen either Adam or Lindsay at the scene, he hadn't known what to expect. He'd gotten a report from Jo when she came to help him question the other lab techs but seeing for himself was more reassuring.

Next Flack looked at the bed where Lindsay was also asleep. Her wounds seemed to stand out more which he guessed made sense since he'd been told she'd actually been inside the lab that exploded while Adam had been right outside. Her left arm was encased in a sling and a similar gauze bandage rested on her right temple. A viscous dark bruise had already formed on her right cheek and her face looked swollen. But she was alive; the steady rise and fall of her chest beneath the blanket assured him of that.

Deciding the two had definitely earned the sleep, Flack pulled up a chair on the right side of the bed to wait. He didn't have to wait long. Lindsay shifted in the bed and groaned as the movement caused pain. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked around disoriented and confused. "Danny?"

Flack leaned forward and gripped her uninjured hand in a reassuring squeeze. "Easy, Lindsay. You're safe in the hospital."

Her eyes fully opened and settled on him. She tried to sit up but yelped in pain. Flack helped her raise the bed to a more comfortable position. He smiled at her. "I'd ask how you felt but it seems like a stupid question."

"Don, where's Danny? I know he was here earlier or at least I seem to remember he was. I think I'm still a little drugged." Another wave of pain had her biting back moans.

Flack frowned. "Apparently not drugged enough if you're still in pain. Want me to get a nurse in here? I know what it's like nearly getting blown up. It ain't that fun but the drugs afterward weren't so bad."

"Not yet. Where's Danny? Why isn't he here?"

Sensing she was about to get upset if he kept avoiding her question, Flack returned to squeezing her hand. "He's fine, Linds. He and Mac are following up a lead on who hurt you. You know Danny; he ain't so good with the sitting and waiting - not when some nut job is out there who hurt his family. He'll be here as soon as he can but he sends his love in the meantime."

Lindsay nodded and relaxed against the pillow. She saw Adam in the chair on the other side of the bed still sound asleep. "Poor guy was exhausted before any of this happened. He okay?"

"The hospital didn't keep him so I assume so. What about you; what are your injuries?"

Blinking sleepily, Lindsay shook her head. "I'm not sure. Everything's real fuzzy after I opened the box. Bits and pieces really. I hurt just about everywhere though."

Flack nodded. He could find out specifics from the doctor later. He didn't want to do the what he was about to do but felt it was his duty as an officer. "You feel up to answering a couple of questions? If not, no problem; it can wait. Especially if you'd prefer for me to get the nurse in here with more pain meds; cause I can do that."

Despite her pain Lindsay couldn't help but smile. "You seem to be in an awful hurry to get her in here. Either you want to see me drugged up or you want to flirt with my nurse. Which is it?"

Flack laughed, pleased to see her humor was intact. Leaning forward he dropped a kiss on her forehead next to the bandage. "Neither; I just can't stand to see a friend in unnecessary pain. Although now that you mention it, the other two would be good perks. Seriously, do you need me to do anything for you? Is someone watching Lucy for you?" He realized he had effectively bypassed his own attempt to question her but wasn't really that upset about it.

"Nah, we just leave her locked in the apartment with a giant sippy cup of juice and a box of Cheerios in reach and the Disney channel on TV to keep her company. She can last for hours that way."

"Now you're just being a smartass. Seriously I know her preschool has pick up times. Do I need to call Danny's mom?"

Lindsay scrunched up her nose as she tried to think. "I have a vague memory of Danny calling her earlier but as fuzzy as my memory is, maybe you should. Then maybe you could call my husband and hurry him up. I get that he hates sitting around the waiting room but I'm not too fond of being kept waiting either."

The hospital door opened and an elderly nurse with a kind grandmotherly face stepped in. Remembering her earlier comment about Flack flirting with the nurse made Lindsay laugh but the chuckle turned to a grimace when the movement hurt her ribs. The nurse clucked her tongue in sympathy. "I had a feeling someone might be getting a little ready for some more pain medication."

Flack excused himself to go make his calls. He only hoped that maybe the pain medication would have lulled her back to sleep by the time he returned. If not, then he'd better be able to give Lindsay a good explanation for Danny's continued absence.

- CSI: NY - CSI: NY - CSI: NY - CSI:NY -

Danny Messer sat in the interrogation room mentally reminding himself that it would do no good for his career if he planted his fist in Detective Jamison's face. It would improve his mood but not his career. He understood the man had a job to do. He really did. Cops like Truby proved that IA had a place in the police department. He just didn't want that place to be sitting opposite him asking the same questions over and over again. Especially not when he wanted to be back at the hospital checking on Lindsay. It was one thing to leave while the doctors were running tests and he couldn't be with her but enough time had passed that he would have been allowed back in and that's where he wanted to be.

"Detective Messer, explain to me again how you and Detective Taylor decided that Steve Grant was responsible for the explosion at the lab this morning."

Danny slowly counted to ten before answering. He knew from first hand experience the danger of saying the wrong thing in an IA investigation. Since Mac was also being investigated, he couldn't have him present to help him keep a cool head. He'd have to do it on his own. "Mac pieced it together; from what he told me it had to do with something he learned from Adam Ross. I don't know what it was."

"So on Detective Taylor's word alone you decided to go seek revenge on the man who injured your wife?"

"Revenge?" Danny shook his head with a frown. "Who said anything about revenge? We were going to bring him in for questioning."

"Hard to question him with two clips of bullets in him." Detective Jamison offered.

"We were only returning fire. He shot at us first."

"So you said."

Danny stood abruptly causing his chair to topple over. His fists clenched tightly, he began to pace back and forth. "So I said? So the evidence says. You did see the bullet holes in the door at the apartment, didn't you? The trajectory leaving the apartment not entering it? I know you wouldn't have let our team do it, but you did get a CSI team to process the scene, didn't you? I didn't want this guy dead. I wanted him to tell me why he did it."

Detective Jamison seemed unfazed by his outburst. "Sit down, Detective Messer. Getting upset won't get us anywhere. Why didn't you wait for back-up?"

Danny set the chair back upright and sat down. He had to admit that Jamison was right about that, getting upset would do no good. Casting Jamison in the role of villain wouldn't either. The IA officer was simply doing his job. A similar job of investigating that Danny himself had participated in on many occasions. Sitting on this side of the table, he could see why asking intentionally upsetting questions was such an effective interrogation tactic. He thought about the question. He had basically asked Mac the same question before they even went into the apartment but he wasn't going to throw Mac under the bus.

"We didn't want Grant to get away. Besides we are both detectives capable of bringin' in a suspect. We didn't do anything wrong."

Jamison tapped his pen against his pad of paper. Danny thought it was an annoying sound but then also remembered having drummed his fingers on the table while questioning suspects himself. Jamison looked him square in the eyes. "Look at it from our point of view. Both you and Detective Taylor are personally involved in this case; you more so since it was your wife who was injured. Now the suspect in that case is in critical condition after being shot by the two of you. If you were sitting on this side of the table, wouldn't that seem suspicious to you?"

Danny covered his face with his hands. Just then his cell phone rang. He reached for it and saw it was Flack calling. His heart hammered in his chest. When Jamison started to protest him answering his phone, Danny cut him off with a growl. "My wife is in the hospital. This call is from the person I sent to check on her so I could have this little tea party with you. Don't tell me not to answer." He flipped the phone open. "Flack, what's wrong? How's Lindsay?"

"Asking for you. I told her you were following a lead but that won't hold her for long." Flack decided it would do no good to mention the pain Lindsay seemed to be in. He could only imagine the constraint Danny was having to display. Upsetting him about Lindsay would only make it harder for him to keep it together.

Danny ran his hand through his short hair. "Why do I get the feeling there's something you're not telling me? She really okay? They get her shoulder back in place? Did she have to have surgery?"

"She was a little fuzzy on the details of her injuries but she was wearing a sling so I guess they got it back in place but I don't know the details of how. She seemed to think that maybe you had talked to your mom about picking up Lucy at preschool but wasn't absolutely sure. Do you need me to call her and let her know what's going on?"

Danny frowned. "Lindsay didn't remember me calling Ma in the emergency room? When I told Ma what had happened she even made me put Linds on the line so she could hear for herself that she was gonna be okay. Then I had to convince her not to come rushing down to the hospital. She's gonna pick her up and then keep her tonight as well. Seriously, Lindsay didn't remember any of that? Maybe we need to talk to the doctor about the severity of the concussion."

"I think her memory lapses might have a little more to do with the drugs they gave her than the concussion. There are still fuzzy moments in my memory of my time in the hospital. But if the doctor comes by I'll get a complete catalogue of all her injuries for you. Got any idea how much longer you'll be?"

"No clue. Their game of twenty questions seems to be caught in a perpetual loop. Keep an eye on her and I'll get there as soon as I can. Thanks, Flack." He hung up and looked back at Jamison, who still looked annoyed to be kept waiting.

"Finished with your conversation? Good, let's start again."