CSI:NY How Does Your Garden Grow

Special

Chapter 21: Special

Don almost drowned himself in the beer Gus had coveted when she asked, "is something going on in the lab? It seems like people have avoided me or are just acting really weird. Especially Mac, he's barely even looked me in the eye. I mean I know I'm not working with y'all very much, but I didn't think I was getting voted off the island."

She sounded so forlorn that he almost undid his planning by admitting everything to her right then and there. He stopped himself. "It's fine, sunshine, I think everyone is just really busy and stressed. You know how it gets around the holidays. Speaking of which, I have your draw for the secret santa, here," he fished an envelope that he knew had Lindsay's name inside of it, but wasn't about to tell her that. "Try to not go too much over budget."

"Not even if it is your name?" she said with a grin. Don shook his head, hoping the change of subject had worked, he didn't know how much questioning about Mac's behavior he could take. When he decided to go speak to her uncle, he hadn't envisioned it turning out the way it did.

Knowing it was past time for this conversation, Don decided to catch Mac first thing Monday morning, having not slept well after Gus had left for the airport. Luckily, the lab was fairly quiet, it was still early enough not too many people were in yet. Despite the relatively early hour, Mac looked like he had been there hours already, deep in case files.

"Hey, Mac, you got a minute?" Don asked, after rapping on the glass door.

Mac looked up briefly and said, "sure thing, Flack, take a seat," before going back the file on his desk. "You have something else for a file?"

"No, this is actually something..." he trailed off, trying to figure out how to approach this. "Look, Mac, I know you aren't exactly crazy about me and Gus being together-"

"I never said that, Don," Mac replied, cutting him off, "I've worried how your personal relationship affects your professional relationship, as it has done on more than one occasion."

Mac looked at him pointedly, leaning back in his chair, wondering what had prompted this visit from the younger detective. He fervently hoped things were going well between the two, especially since his niece seemed to be doing well in special vics; he wanted her happy.

"I'm not going to try to deny that, Mac. Things are different now, though." His tone was earnest enough to give Mac pause, he studied the younger man sitting before him carefully, thinking he recognized the look in his eye.

He recalled having that same look many years ago when sitting down with the economics professor who had become Claire's surrogate father. "She deserves happiness and love, Don. For someone who will be there for her, always, she hasn't had much of that in her life." Mac's tone wasn't so much of warning as it was matter of fact.

Don nodded, his arms crossed over his chest, "I've always tried being there for her, Mac, she's done her best to push me away."

This caused Mac to smile, "she's good at that, has been the entire time I've known her."

"I'm not going anywhere, doesn't matter how hard she pushes, how far she runs."

"Good," Mac replied.

Silence settled over the room, each mulling over what to say next. Mac spoke first, almost giving Don a start. "I always wore my wedding ring at work, even though I heard plenty of stories about how I was going to lose a finger or how some perp would use the fact that I was married against me. For me, it was a solid reminder that there was one good thing out there amidst all the evil and pain I saw everyday. One small band of gold, was worth a lot more than it cost, it helped me to feel connected to Claire. I guess that is why it took me so long to take it off."