By NamanKAL
See header and warnings from part 1. Thank you all for your great reviews. I'm happy that people like my first CSI NY fanfic, hope you like this part too.
Mac was afraid that Danny was on his way to his apartment by himself. He needed to find him fast, New York streets weren't a place for a five-year-old to be on his own. Mac called Stella to get his team helping him find his wayward charge.
He didn't need to ask his team twice to help him; they hurried out of the door of CSI to start a search party, hoping that they soon would find the boy safe and sound.
Mac stayed at the hospital searching every inch of the hospital along with the hospital's security staff. It was a big hospital so it took hours to search it. All the staff was informed to look out for a five-year-old on the run. Mac's team phoned him once in awhile but they couldn't give him any good news yet. Lindsey stayed at Danny's apartment if the boy should turn up there.
Mac was at the moment more worried about Danny's safety than he was angry at him, which could wait till he got the boy back, then he would have a talk with him about his disobedience. Mac suddenly thought about one place they hadn't looked and he had a feeling he would be there, he hurried to get there as soon as possible.
Mac looked into the room through the window and noticed that a Tanglewood boy was standing by the patient's bedside and was about to pick something up, no, it was someone on the patient's bed. Mac's heart skipped a beat. He hurried inside and restrained the gang member before he hurt his kid.
"Hey you bastard! Let me go!" the gang member said while trying to get out of the cop's grip but to no avail.
Mac ignored him and dragged him out of the hospital room, while he looked back at his kid and was relieved that the boy was still sound asleep in his brother's arms.
Mac got a security staff to throw the gang member out of the hospital. "If you've touched one single hair of the kid you'll be very sorry!" Mac said.
"I didn't know that Louie got a kid. We could sure use his offspring in our gang! We'll teach him not to turn against us like the other Messers," the gang member mugged for him.
Mac was so tempted to punch the guy, but he had to keep a cool head for Danny's sake. He wouldn't be able to take care of him in jail.
"By the way the kid isn't Louie's. He isn't a Messer."
"Then why was he at his bedside?"
"He just got lost. Now get out of here and don't come back!" Mac said sternly.
oOo
Mac hurried inside Louie's room, just to make sure Danny was alright, he checked for a pulse and he was relieved to feel it was steady and so was his breathing.
Mac picked the sleeping child carefully up into his arms and carried him back to his room. He got the pediatrician to check him out to make sure that the gang member really hadn't harmed him.
He was happy when the doctor said that Danny was alright and that he was just sleeping.
"Doc. I just found out that the boy is my nephew Danny Taylor. I've talked to my brother he wants me to be his guardian for the time being and I just received all the papers and I got them with me. I don't know what my brother was thinking the way he got the boy into my custody. My brother has always been a sick joker, not thinking things trough first," Mac said. He hated that he had to lie to the doctor.
"I guess you've never seen your nephew before, have you?" The doctor said skeptically, like he wasn't quite believing him.
"No, I haven't, and I haven't seen my brother for years. He'd never send a picture of my nephew." Mac showed the doctor the papers.
The papers looked very real so the pediatrician couldn't argue with it and had to release the boy into the detective's custody.
"I've never had a kid so I'm new to this, is there anything I should think about, medically I mean, vaccinations or other things the boy may need?"
"Did your brother send you the boy's vaccination papers?"
"No, sadly not."
"Then you better call him."
Mac gave the doctor a fake smile and nodded. He didn't know what to do, the only thing he could think of was to ask Danny if he knows if he got any vaccinations when he was at that age and which ones he got and ask Hawkes for advice.
"I'm going to take the boy home today as soon as he's awake."
"Good. I'll get the release papers ready and I'll give you a list of what kind of vitamins you should give the boy."
"Thanks, Doc."
When the doctor left, Mac called his team and let them know that he'd found Danny safe and sound. They were shocked when he told them where he'd found him and that a Tanglewood boy almost kidnapped him.
After the phone call he sat beside Danny while holding his small hand.
"What am I going to do with you, kid? How should I discipline you? I know what my father would have done, but have I really the right to discipline you like that? I'm not your father, I wish I were. I promise you, if we can't find a way to turn you back to an adult, I'll adopt you, and then I'll be your real father."
oOo
When Danny woke up he was surprised to see Mac instead of his brother. He didn't like the expression Mac had on his face, at first he was confused to why Mac looked so angry but then he remembered. He didn't want to face Mac's anger so he hurried out of bed and to the door hoping that this time he would be faster than Mac, but sadly he wasn't.
Mac picked him up and put him back on his bed.
"I've about had enough of your behavior Daniel! We're going to have some serious talk when we get home to my apartment."
"Your apartment?" Danny said while forgetting that he didn't want to speak to his stupid boss again.
"Yes, my apartment. I'm the one that is going to take care of you so that's why you are going to live with me."
"Thanks for the offer Mac, but I want to live on my own like I'm used to. I can take care of myself, Mac so no need to worry."
"It's wasn't an offer Danny and I'm not asking you either. You are going to live with me no matter if you want to or not, well at least it's either that or going to a home."
"No way am I ever going to live in a home again, not even for a single hour," Danny said, pouting.
"Okay then. You are going home with me. By the way, you're my nephew Danny Taylor, son of my brother who asked me to be your guardian and I said yes."
Danny looked surprised at Mac. "WOW, you really thought it through. So you found a back story for me. Danny Taylor…hmm…I'll have to get used to that. Well I like the name Taylor," Danny said and deep down he was proud that he was allowed to use Mac's last name, but he didn't want to admit that to Mac just yet because he was still angry at him. He'd for some time now wished that Mac was his father and not that SOB; his so called father. Then Danny suddenly got sad, why did Mac not pretend that he was his son instead of pretending that he was his brother's son? Didn't he want him as his son?
Danny's eyes started to water. Mac noticed the tears that fell down Danny's cheeks. Mac hurried to get Danny on his lap.
"Hey kid why are you crying?"
"Why don't you want me to be your son? Am I only good enough to be your nephew?"
"I'm so sorry Danny. I should have come up with that story, but I didn't. It's not that I don't want you as my son. I'd be a very proud father if you were my son, Danny and I mean it. When you were asleep I promised you that I'll adopt you if we weren't able to turn you back to an adult."
Danny looked up at Mac, tears were still falling down his rosy cheeks. "You did? Do you really mean it?"
"Yes I mean it. I'll adopt you in a heartbeat. I love you as if you were my own son and I have for some time now. Ever since that day Louie got admitted to the hospital."
"You do? Funny ever since that day I wished that you were my father."
Mac smiled and hugged Danny in a bear hug.
They just sat there for a long while and enjoyed each other's company.
oOo
"Danny, do you know if you got any vaccinations when you were five the first time around?"
"I didn't get any. My parents didn't believe in them, not even a tetanus. Why?"
"Because so the doctors know what kind of vaccinations to give you."
Danny looked frightened at Mac. "You mean you want the doctor to give me shots?"
"Yes, Danny. You need to get all the vaccinations the doctor recommends."
"No way Mac! I won't allow it! I hate needles!"
"Sorry, Danny. I don't have to ask you since I'm your guardian. I want to make sure you're well protected."
Mac got Danny back to bed. "Stay here. I'll go tell the doc about the vaccinations. And don't you think about getting out of bed again or there will be consequences!" Mac said firmly.
Danny crossed his arms and stuck out his tongue at Mac who was on his way out of the room. "I saw that!"
"How could you have seen it? You got your back turned to me"
"The reflection from the window, Danny. Next time you stuck your tongue out at me you'll get your tongue washed in soap."
Danny ignored him because he was sure it was an empty threat.
oOo
Danny wasn't a happy camper, when he was told that he would get a few shots, some in his arms and one in his butt.
Danny put up a fight, but Mac held him tight. Danny was happy when the shots in his arms were finally over, forgetting all about the one he had left, and the worse one to be exact.
"Detective Taylor, will you help your nephew on his stomach and get his briefs down so that I can give him the final shot?" The pediatrician asked.
"Of course. Danny you heard the doctor."
"No! I don't want any shots in my ass!" Danny screamed.
"Watch your language Daniel! Come on now Danny. I know you hate shots but you have to get one, it's for your own good."
"I said no!"
Mac could see that the argument could go on forever and he so wanted to go home and get Danny settled in, so he got Danny on his lap with his face down and pulled the boy's briefs down. Danny was kicking and screaming to be put down and get his briefs back up. Mac kept a tight grip on the boy and ignored the boy's pleas to be put down.
"Doc you can give him the shot now."
Danny was crying when the doctor gave him the shot. After the doctor and the nurse had left the room, and before Mac put Danny's brief back up he gave Danny a hard swat on his bare backside.
"OW! Why the hell did you do that for?"
"Watch your language! This was for scaring me. When I found your room empty and I couldn't find you I was afraid that I've lost you forever."
Mac got Danny to sit on his lap and gave him a hug. "Please don't scare me like that again. I wish we could go home now, but the doctor said that you need to stay another hour to make sure you won't get any allergic reactions to the shots he gave you."
Danny had stopped crying and only hiccups could be heard. At the moment Danny just wanted to finally leave the hospital and he was too tired to fight against going home to Mac's instead of his own home. After all the excitements Danny fell asleep on Mac's lap.
oOo
Both Mac and Danny were happy when they finally could leave the hospital. Danny wasn't happy though when he noticed that he had to sit in a booster seat. Danny got one major temper tantrum because of it but he only got a sore backside in return from one firm swat from Mac. Danny was shocked that Mac had spanked him in the open. He reluctantly let Mac put him in the booster seat. He pouted all the way to Mac's apartment.
Mac couldn't wait to get home; he was scared to death though; how was he going to handle a five-year-old rebellion? Only time would tell.
TBC