"Hi," Mac said as he was hanging on a pipe that was on the side of the building.

"What are you doing?"

"Uh, hanging around." Mac's cellphone rang.

Lindsay called for help then laid on the roof ledge.

"See if you can reach me," Lindsay said.

Lindsay brought her arm down and Mac was able to reach her then he pulled himself up. Lindsay's cellphone rang. They struggled since Lindsay wasn't strong enough and Mac was a half a foot under the ledge. Then the pipe he was holding broke off.

"Ah!" they both screamed. Their cellphones rang again.

"That was too close," Mac said. Then a few moments later he noticed Lindsay was struggling to hold on to him. "Hold on, Lindsay!" Mac looked to see what was under him.

"Mac! I can't hold on, I feel like I'm going to fall over!"

They both fell just as two officers finally arrived. Mac tried to use his body to keep Lindsay from getting hurt as he hit the dumpster cover. Mac heard voices calling for help then everything went black.

[September 11, 2001 7:00pm]

Mac still had not been able to reach Claire and Stella hadn't either. They and the CSI's had to go to the site of the disaster to begin processing the massive crime scene. Mac worked extra hard not to think about his loss. Stella had been worried about him. She wondered if he even accepted his loss yet but she didn't want him to work too hard. He took out his cell phone, stood near the scene and called her again. His heart sank when he heard nothing. He put his phone away then went back to work.

After a few hours they were sent home and another unit took over, though Mac didn't want to stop working. He processed the evidence he collected with Stella then they went home. Mac didn't feel tired but after he went home he looked around after turning the light on. He tried calling again but nothing as he sat on his couch and thought about the day's events. He felt alone. He felt sad as he stifled his tears and put his face in his hands.

[End Flashback]

At the hospital-

Lindsay had already been looked at and was checked out since since she wasn't very badly hurt. Mac was very quiet as he looked around. He noticed some members of his team walking with the gurney. Jo and Danny were on one side, and on the other side there was a doctor, followed by Sheldon and Don. He didn't understand what was going on, but he felt strange, and so he had closed his eyes. Jo leaned forward and put her hand on his wrist.

"Mac. It's me, Jo. You are at the hospital, it's going to be okay."

"We'll be here. Mac," Danny said.

Mac looked around again then his eyes closed as he mumbled several times.

"Mac?" Jo asked as the doctors got him into a room and told Mac's comrades they had to wait outside.

[Flashback September 16, 2001]

Mac was home when Stella walked in. She had asked Mac if she could make a copy of his house key, which he let her.

"Mac, you didn't sleep well, did you?"

"No. I am going crazy. I can't wait to be back to work from my bereavement time."

"You know it was the right thing to do and I agree with Manny doing that. You were working way too hard and not sleeping much. You don't want to make any mistakes while processing evidence, right?"

"Right."

"Don and I want to take you out for breakfast. I don't think you have been out much."

"No, I haven't. I can go for a breakfast but I'm going to get rid of everything that reminds me of her after we get back."

"Don't get rid of the pictures, Mac."

"So what is the latest on the bones found?"

"I checked the bones' DNA with the DNA from the hair of hers you gave me and bones are just too badly damaged to do a match. So we might have found her but we just don't know it. I'm sorry Mac."

"Thank you, Stella. Thank you for everything." He patted her arm.

"You're welcome." She smiled.

They both met Don for breakfast as Mac felt a bit better and a few days later he was allowed to go back to work.

[End Flashback]

May 2nd, 3pm at the lab-

Danny approached Jo about the case of the woman found the previous night.

"It seems Yosuf Abdul knew of Robin and knew a friend who had the hots for her. Turns out that friend, Robert Cross, has been harassing her, according to Yosuf. Sid found ligature marks around the neck of the victim and that is the COD."

"Sounds like motive. What about Jasmine Marsh?"

"It sure does. Jasmine said Robin wanted to wear her hat and she just let her use it," Danny said.

"Let's go see Robert and see what he has to say," Jo said.

Danny, Jo, Don, and Sheldon went to Robert's home to have a chat with him but he ran when the police got there and awhile later they caught him.

In the interrogation room-

Jo and Flack talked to Robert while Danny and Sheldon watched in the viewing room.

"So, we come to pay you a visit and you run?" Flack asked annoyed.

"Yes! I think you know why?" Robert said angrily.

"No, we don't," Jo said suspiciously.

"I killed Robin Brees!"

"You are confessing to the murder? Tell us where it happened and what you did."

"It happened in the park. I choked her with a scarf she was wearing," Robert confessed.

"What time?" Jo asked.

"Ten pm."

"Why?" Flack asked.

"She was having an affair with another man and I won't let him have her," Robert said.

"Well, you won't have freedom either," Flack said then continued, "stand up and put your hands behind your back."

In the viewing room-

"What do you think?" Sheldon asked.

"I think he's telling the truth. The scarf was around her neck when she was found and the TOD was about 10pm."

They watched Flack lead him out, followed by Jo, then they went to the hospital to check on Mac.

At the hospital-

After Lindsay was discharged, she decided to wait in the waiting room for more information on Mac. Don, Jo, Danny, Adam, Sheldon, and Sid all approached in the waiting room.

"Hi, honey. You doing alright?" Danny asked.

"Yeah. Just a few bumps and bruises but I'm okay. I just feel bad," Lindsay said.

"Why?" Jo asked.

"Because we fell and-," Lindsay said then was interrupted by Flack.

"But you were trying to keep him from falling and when you two fell, he didn't want you to get hurt so he kept you on top of him. I would have done the same," Flack said.

"Same here," Danny, Sid, Sheldon, and Adam said and shook their heads.

"Thanks," Lindsay said then the doctor came in. Everyone turned towards him.

"Is Mac going to be okay?" Jo asked.

"Yes. I'd like him to stay for a few days to make sure everything is okay but he needs to stay home for a few days after," the doctor said.

"Can we see him?" Jo asked.

"Yes, but only for a few minutes. He is pretty much drugged up." The doctor led them to Mac's room.

Mac was half asleep then woke up for a few minutes.

"Hey, Mac," Lindsay said as everyone said their greetings.

"You okay, Lindsay?" Mac asked.

"Yeah. Just a few bruises but I'll be fine. Thanks."

"I'd do it again if I'd had to," Mac smiled as Lindsay did the same.

"Glad you are okay, Boss," Adam said.

"Let me tell you. Last night, Claire called me," Mac said as he didn't know what he was saying.

Everyone looked at each other, not knowing what to say.

"What did she say?" Sheldon asked.

"bin Laden is dead and justice is served," Mac said as everyone smiled.

"We'll come back tomorrow, visiting hours are almost over, Mac," Danny said as they walked towards the door.

Mac didn't hear what they said since he had fallen asleep. After a few days Mac was able to go home but he had to stay home for a week more then he was back at the lab.

September 8th 2011, 1pm-

Mac was at home looking over reports at the table when his cellphone rang and he picked it up.

"Taylor."

"Hi, Mac, wanna guess who this is?"

"Stella, how are you?"

"Good. How are you?"

"I'm good. Just doing some paper work at home."

"Mac, you've always been a workaholic."

"Always will be. How is New Orleans?"

"I like it but I have to admit, I don't know how you do it," Stella said then sighed.

"Just have to be patient and try to be calm all the time."

"Oh, you liar," she said as she teased then Mac laughed a bit then continued, "Are you and Reed going to the ceremonies?"

"Yes. I have to admit, I don't know how I could have gotten through that day and the following months without you, Stella."

"That's what friends are for."

"I will have a gig with the band that night. Last I heard no one from the lab was going, but then again, I haven't asked them."

"Don't they usually not show up when there is football?"

"True."

"Just wanted to give you a call, Mac, and let you know I'll be thinking about you and Claire on Sunday."

"Thanks."

"Bye, Mac."

"Bye."

September 10th 4pm-

Don went to the airport to pick up a friend of his. As she left the terminal, she saw Flack and ran up to give him a big hug.

"Nice to see you, Don," the woman said.

"Nice to see you, too," he replied and they went to his car.