A/N – Sorry an update to this story has taken so long. I kinda wasn't sure whether to continue it or not as I got the feeling that the last chapter may have been a bit too shocking? (Though I personally think it's rather tame in comparison to the locked-in syndrome from s01e01). Anyway after some kind words from Smuffly, Kates89 and Iguy I am continuing it for the time being but have changed rating to M just in case.

Oh, and I'm setting this story in my own version of a season 7 just because I can and it is my favourite season.

Chapter Six

"Adam, what are you doing in here?" Jo snapped as she walked into the breakroom and saw him standing by the counter.

"Oh...um...hi Jo...I was just making coffee...you want some?" Adam mumbled timidly.

"Adam, I really need you processing that tranquiliser. If someone is making this on their own it is essential to discover what kind of drugs they have access to. It may lead us to Mac and every minute we haven't found him is another minute he could be dying. It's been almost eight hours now!" she said angrily.

"Oh, sorry Jo..." Adam blushed and practically ran out of the breakroom back towards the labs.

Jo took a long deep breath and brushed her hands through her hair closing her eyes against the now empty breakroom.

"Jo..." a soft voice said from behind her. She turned and saw Sid was standing in the doorway.

"What?" she frowned.

The doctor came forward into the room and smiled sadly at her.

"Why don't you tell me what's going on with you?" he asked.

"I don't know what you mean," she replied evasively.

"Yes you do," Sid nodded, undeterred. "You're being short with everyone, and quite frankly it's rude and unnecessary. We're all worried about Mac and working our hardest to find even the slightest clue that may lead to his location."

Jo stared angrily at him for a moment and then collapsed into the chair she was stood next to.

"Oh, Sid," she said exhaustedly as she covered her face with her hands.

"This is so unlike you, Jo. I'm worried," Sid said kindly as he sat down opposite her.

"I'm so scared we're going to find him too late," she murmured from behind her hands.

Sid nodded slowly, studying her carefully. "It seems to me that perhaps there is more than just worry for a friend here."

Jo looked up at him, removing her hands and although she wasn't crying, her eyes were red.

"I love him, Sid," she said quietly.

Sid smiled in sympathy, completely unsurprised by the revelation. "Does he know?"

Jo shook her head. "We've been seeing each other for a few months now but I never told him."

"We'll find him in time, Jo," Sid said reassuringly.

"But what if we don't?" she whispered. "I can't lose him, Sid."

"You won't," Sid stated defiantly. "I promise."

"I shouldn't be talking like this," Jo suddenly said. "I need to be getting back to work."

"No," Sid said severely. "It's after eleven, Jo, and you're exhausted. Running yourself into the ground isn't going to help anyone, certainly not yourself. Go home, spend some time with Ellie and get some rest."

"I can't just leave, Sid. We've all been working since this morning. Flack was down at the crimescene at 7am this morning..." Jo murmured and then her face dropped to one of horror.

"What?" Sid asked worriedly.

"Flack...good Lord I said the most horrible thing to him earlier..." she choked.

"Flack's thick skinned, I'm sure he'll take it on the chin," Sid said comfortingly. "And you can apologise in the morning if you still feel the need. But right now you need to go home and sleep."

"I can't desert the team," Jo murmured.

"And you think snapping at them and not allowing them a break for coffee is really helping?" Sid asked knowingly. "Mac's disappearance is too close for you right now, Jo. You need to take a step back for a moment and I promise to call should anything happen."

Jo sighed and then slowly nodded her head in agreement. "Fine, Doctor Hammerback. But you call me the moment..."

"I will," Sid smiled. "Now go."

Jo got up and as she passed Sid she placed a hand on his arm and squeezed it. Sid smiled up at her supportively, their gestures speaking for their close bond of friendship.

Flack stared silently at his computer screen, the noise of the bullpen stirring around him while Jo's words echoed through his mind. She was right of course. He should have been there. It was his job, he should have been there to back up Mac and no amount of reasons about the traffic and finishing a call could excuse his blatant lack of judgement. Mac had been missing eight hours now and for all he knew he could well be dead. He didn't even know who had taken him or why he should have been taken. This case was fast going nowhere. They'd lost their only real lead, a mysterious girl called Sue and all the science had come up with nothing. A nagging in Flack's brain brought him back to reality. The Thorn Everidge Mental Institution. He was certain Mac was being taken there when his phone signal had cut out. Doctor Hartmann had clearly been lying through his teeth and something was just off with that place. Why had they lied about the disappearances there? And where were all the doctors when he and Mac had arrived? The place had been so unearthly quiet; it had quite given him the shivers. Flack grabbed hold of the edge of his desk with his fingers and pursed his lips. In fact the more he thought about it the more he was certain that place had something to do with the case and Mac going missing. He looked at his watch, he'd been up almost seventeen hours and yet there was no way he was going home. No, he needed to do something to find Mac, to sort out his mess. He stood up and grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair, mind made up. He'd check out that bloody asylum, warrant or no warrant.

"Ellie Danville, what are you still doing up?!" Jo said sternly as she entered her apartment and placed her keys in a dish by the door. Ellie was sat on the sofa watching TV.

"Mum," Ellie said nervously. "Why are you here?"

"It may have escaped your notice, but I live here," Jo smiled and then collapsed down onto the couch and sighed, resting her head against the back of it.

"You look tired," Ellie commented as she switched off the TV.

"I feel dead on my feet," Jo murmured as she turned her head and looked at her daughter.

"Have you been crying?" Ellie asked as she stared at her mum.

"Of course not," Jo laughed, trying to hide the truth from her daughter.

"Mum, I'm a lot wiser than you think. I can tell," Ellie stated, folding her arms.

"Ellie Danville, when did you become all grown up?" Jo smiled as she leant to the side and gave her daughter a big hug.

"What's wrong, Mum?" Ellie asked as she hugged her Mum back.

"Nothing's wrong," Jo replied.

"Is it to do with that man you've had staying?"

Jo leant back and held her daughter by her arms and stared at her. "Ellie...how...what..."

"Mum, it was really obvious," Ellie stated seriously. "You guys aren't quiet when he leaves in the mornings."

"Well I never," Jo said in astonishment.

Ellie giggled at her Mum's look of utter shock. "It's okay Mum. I know you're gonna date, everyone does."

Jo smiled at her daughter. "You are such a young lady."

"So is it?" Ellie asked again.

Jo sighed. "Maybe."

Ellie frowned. "Well as long as he doesn't hurt you, Mum. You're too nice to have anyone be mean to you."

Jo tilted her head and watched her daughter in amusement. "I love you, Ellie Danville."

"I love you too, Mum," Ellie replied laughing. "But I think I'm going to bed now."

"Good idea," Jo nodded, standing up. "Sleep tight."

"You too," Ellie called as she disappeared down to her bedroom.

Jo watched her go and smiled to herself. Sid had been right; coming home had been the right thing to do.

"Just call him," Lindsay moaned for the millionth time as she watched her husband pace back and forth up the length of the lab.

"I dunno, Linds..." Danny muttered anxiously, a frown on his forehead, mind deep in thought.

"Urgh, then don't call him," Lindsay replied, trying to ignore his distracting pacing as she focused on the dart in front of her.

"But you should have seen his face. He's gonna do something rash...I just know he is," Danny replied as he turned and paced back the way he'd come.

"Oh for heaven's sake," Lindsay sighed. "Call him, don't call him...but just sit down. You're driving me crazy."

"I'm driving you crazy?!" Danny admonished as he paused and stared at her. "I'm not the one who constantly nags about stacking the dishes correctly on the draining board," he muttered.

"What was that?" Lindsay asked, eyes narrowing as she stared piercingly at her husband.

"Guys!" Hawkes groaned from across the table. "You're both driving me crazy."

Danny snorted and continued to pace and Lindsay glared at the doctor.

"Danny, just call him, what harm will it do?" Hawkes sighed; he was getting frustrated with his plant trace.

"You know what? I think I might..." Danny nodded.

"Go then," Lindsay ushered.

Danny frowned at her and then stepped out into the corridor, pulling out his phone and calling Flack's number. He waited whilst it started ringing and had made it back to his office before the detective picked up.

"Flack, it's Danny," Danny said.

"I do have caller ID you know," grumbled a sour voice.

"Right, just wondered how you were getting on?" Danny tried to say casually.

"Yeah...yeah good," Flack's voice replied.

Danny frowned as he noticed the slight squeak Flack had made as he'd answered his question.

"So you're down at the precinct now? I need to come by."

"Come by? Why do you need to come by?"

"I need to check on Sosa again, thought maybe we could give him another grilling together...you know...you and me...the dream team..."

"Oh right...yeah. Fine then...come down. I'm at my desk."

A car horn sounded in the background and Danny frowned even harder. He suddenly turned and started walking back towards the elevators. Flack was blatantly lying to him.

"What was that, Flack?" Danny asked as he pressed the button for the ground floor.

"What was what?" Flack's voice said in a tone that was higher than normal for the usually low voiced detective.

"That car horn...I thought you said you were inside?"

"Oh right...yeah. Well I'm just heading out for coffee."

"Flack!" Danny said sternly. "Tell me the truth. Where are you?"

Danny waited as he heard heavy breathing on the other end of the phone.

"Flack!"

The phone cut off dead.

Danny tore it away from his ear and stared at for a second.

"You stupid fuck, Flack!" he yelled at it in frustration and then sprinted from the elevator as soon as the doors opened.

Mac awoke very slowly from the darkness he'd been bathed in. Everything was blurry around him and as he moved his body screamed out in pain and he quickly froze. His head ached like death itself and his limbs all felt numb. As he blinked his eyes he noticed he was in a small room, a cell if he was correctly accessing the metal door with a tiny rectangular window in it. The room was bare except for a pan set in one corner, for obvious use as a toilet and the bed he was lying on. It was a hard metal bed, old fashioned with a thin blanket covering it and a small pillow. Mac swallowed and his mouth felt dry, he needed water. He pushed himself up and leant back against the wall. There was something carved on the wall across from him. Words.

"Leave before they harvest your corpse."

Mac felt the blood drain from his face and he retched violently, pain once again shooting through his sides and head. He felt dizzy and fell back against the bed. It creaked under his weight. Suddenly the light in the ceiling was switched on and he heard the sound of the door being unlocked. He pursed his lips, unwilling to show the weakness of physical pain to whoever should enter.

"I see you're awake, 567," Doctor Emerson smiled as he entered the room. The door was locked behind him.

"Why am I here?" Mac rasped.

Emerson turned and rapped on the door. "Water, Thomas," he snarled before turning back to Mac. "How do you feel?"

"Fine," Mac replied coldly, ignoring the pain he still felt shooting through his body.

The doctor narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "You will not lie to me, 567. I punish liars."

"You seem to punish everyone," Mac stated. "Is that your game here?"

Emerson laughed. "I have no game. You are here because I simply wish to study you."

Mac stared at him in disgust. "What the hell do you mean, study me?"

Emerson grinned in a wolfish manner. "You are lucky you are such a high calibre of patient, 567. Not like the usual specimens I get sent here. They are not much use to me anymore. I find I am only able to use them for parts, vivisection, live autopsies, transplantation."

Mac once more had the urge to be violently sick but managed to hold it in despite himself. There was no way in hell he would give this man extra advantage over him.

"But you...you are one of a kind to me," Emerson stated. "Such a delicious mind you have in there," he murmured, staring over at Mac.

"You kidnapped me for my mind?" Mac asked.

"I kidnapped you because you dug to deep...I had to give a warning to your colleagues. Hopefully they will step back now, then there will be no need for more of them to get hurt."

"Don't you dare hurt any of them!" Mac shouted in anger, standing up and forgetting his attempt to keep a cool exterior. He quickly fell to the ground as pain once more shot through him.

Emerson laughed loudly at him. "I see I have found your weakness. How easy that was," he nodded.

"You won't get away with this," Mac grimaced from the floor.

"My dear 567, I already have. No one will find you here. This is the place people come when the rest of society has rejected them. The place they come to disappear. You will obey me, 567, and I will study your mind, study the way it works, the way you think."

"I won't play your games," Mac shouted as the doctor turned and banged on the door again.

"As I said before," Emerson said coldly. "There are no games here. Only research, and innovation."

The door was pulled open and Emerson took the plastic cup that was handed to him and placed it down on the floor.

"You better drink," he stated before walking to the door. "Such things are a luxury here."

Mac stared as the door was slammed closed and then locked, trapping him inside. His gaze turned to the cup and he dragged himself along to it and drank thirstily from it.

"Jo..." he murmured as he finished and threw it back down. "Help me, Jo..."

His eyes flickered open again and his gaze landed on the cup. He frowned; an idea forming in his mind as the light was turned out, plunging him into darkness.

Flack hung up his phone and shoved it back into his pocket. He knew what Messer was trying to do but it wouldn't work, he'd made up his mind. He glanced about and then headed down the steps of the precinct and started walking across the yard towards his car.

"Flack, and where might you be off to at this hour?" Grace smiled as she came into view.

Flack groaned to himself.

"Connor, anything I can help you with?" Flack asked.

Grace frowned at him. "I was looking for Benny."

"He's inside, was chatting to Marchini I think," Flack replied saying anything to get her out for the way.

"Well I'll be thanking you for your help then," she smiled but didn't move.

Flack stared at her and then attempted to step around her.

"So where will you be going to then?" she asked again.

"Home," Flack muttered, annoyed by her stubbornness.

"Oh, home," she nodded. "Case closed then?"

"Not exactly," grumbled Flack.

"Well that doesn't sound very much like you," Grace mused.

Flack groaned loudly, the little patience he'd been left with quickly dissipating. "Connor, just move!" he growled and then pushed past her and continued walking across the yard.

After a moment he checked behind to be sure she wasn't following him. She wasn't, Ramirez had joined her and they were now talking seriously together. Flack felt a pang of jealousy as he turned away from them. It hadn't been all that long ago that he had been the one happily in love, the one in a relationship with another cop. But Jess was gone and there wasn't much to do but move on. He sighed as he saw his car loom up near the corner. He needed to find Mac; he couldn't lose his friend as well so soon after Jess. He shook his head and took out his keys, unlocking the car door. Suddenly he felt himself grabbed from behind and thrown against the wall of the yard. He cried out as his arm hit it at a funny angle and a jab of pain ran through it.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Flack?" yelled a voice.

"What the fuck, Messer?" Flack growled back. He stared angrily at the spiky haired CSI standing in front of him. He was breathing hard and had clearly been running fast to get to the precinct before he left.

"Where are you going?" Danny asked. "Thought you were waiting for me in the bullpen?"

Flack snarled at him and then opened his car door and started to get in. "I'm going to that institution. Mac's there...I just know it."

"Flack, we don't even have a warrant. This is illegal, man!" Danny yelled at him.

"I don't give a fuck!" Flack yelled back as he closed the door. "This is my fault!"

Danny shook his head and then sprinted round the car as Flack started up the engine. He yanked open the passenger door and got in.

"What are you doing, Mess?" Flack asked.

"Flack, if you're about to be as big an idiot as I think you are, we may as well be idiots together," Danny stated as he strapped in.

Flack stared at him.

"Plus, someone's gotta keep you outta trouble," Danny added.

Flack growled and hit the gas, the car speeding off into the dark night on its way to the institution.