Previous part of To DD or Not to DD.

***

Chapter 20

"Oh. Wow."

Danny kept his eyes stubbornly closed. "I'm not lookin'."

"Danny, I am serious. You have got to look at yourself in the mirror," Stella said.

"No."

Lindsay and Stella flanked Danny, who sat on a chair in front of the full-length mirror in the apartment bedroom. Stella had one arm on top of his shoulders while Lindsay laid her head on his opposite shoulder and pleaded with a high-pitched voice.

"Pleaaaaaaaase?"

Danny frowned in annoyance. "No!"

"You know, if you don't open your eyes, you're never going to see how hot you look in a low-cut evening gown."

"Or magnificent earrings and other various jewellery."

"Or out of this world makeup done by yours truly." Uh oh, Stella was in a playful mood. That did not bode well for Danny.

Danny attempted to hurdle out of the chair and make a run for it. Damn, these ladies were strong.

"Look, I-I don't need to see, 'kay? Just lemme go and drive me to Nobu already so I can get this over and done with!"

"Aww, pleaaase, Danny? After all the hours we spent making you pretty! Just look for a second."

Danny could literally hear Lindsay pouting like a young child. He sighed considerably.

"Okay, fine. But you're the one who owes me a drink now. And dinner."

Lindsay squealed. Danny opened his eyes.

Whoa. WhoawhoawhoawhoaWHOA.

Danny stared at the reflection in the mirror with lined, color shadowed eyes.

"Who's that?"

Both Lindsay and Stella rested their chins on his shoulders so they were touching cheeks.

"That, my dear, is Danielle," Stella replied.

"Danielle Montserrat!" Lindsay added too excitedly for his liking.

The stranger staring back at him from the mirror was attired in the lowest-cut, skintight dress he'd ever laid eyes on. The upper part of the dress was designed in such a way that the shoulders were bared, and it plunged at a forty-five degree angle downwards from the arms and over and under the bountiful bosoms. There, the dress was held together by a series of intricate, bronze buckles to the middle of his abdomen. From there, the dress molded to his waist and hips until it ended at the top of his shins. Slits on both sides went all the way up to the middle of the thighs, so his legs weren't so restricted.

Stella had cajoled him into wearing a freaking wonder bra, so the cleavage his DD-sized breasts made were a total eye-lure. The long sleeves of the dress also hid the tattoo on his right arm. Danny thought it was smart to do that, since it was a distinctive feature. He'd wanted to wear his new silver spectacles, but both Lindsay and Stella persisted in getting him to wear his black, frameless glasses instead. That ended up being a positive decision too; his eyes stood out so much more. Well, eye, anyway, since his hair kept draping one of them.

A black crystal choker encircled his neck from beneath his jaw to his collarbones that were more prominent than usual. Four strings of more black crystals hung from the choker at varying lengths. Danny's eyes were mostly enticed to the huge clip-on earrings. Even he had to admit they were something extraordinary; they dangled all the way down to his shoulders, nearly touching them. The focal piece of the earring was a genuine onyx heart set into a frame of jet beads. Hanging under it were an assortment of jet black beads and bronze filigree ornaments.

"Those earrings are mine," Lindsay said in a pleased tone. "My mother gave them to me. Custom-made by a great earring designer called Chipita Eagle."

"They're really exquisite," Danny replied. He could definitely appreciate top quality aesthetics when he saw it. He turned to Stella. "Yer dress and choker's real nice too. Ya really dress wild when ya wanna, huh?"

Stella laughed. "I never realized how long your eyelashes were until I put mascara on them." Stella's voice was tinged with amusement.

Danny's eyes trailed to his facial features in the mirror. Whoa, he also had to say, Stella did a fine job. He couldn't recognize the person in the mirror at all. It was as if he was looking through a portal to a twilight zone where he really was a woman and was called Danielle. And was fucking hot. The shiny, dark violet and brown eye shadows, not to mention the mascara plus eyeliner work, made his blue eyes sparkle as much as the crystals around his neck. What the heck did Stella do to make his lips look so vivid red and plump?

"I think my eyelashes grew a lot longer thanks to the … nanotechnology too. Among other things. Hope the mascara doesn't dry them out." Danny shot an appalled look at Lindsay. "And what the hell kinda name is Danielle Montserrat?"

Lindsay giggled. "The name of a Hollywood actress!"

Danny closed his eyes and groaned loudly. "Awww, you gotta be kiddin' me!"

"Well, you do need to have a background to suit your Danielle personality," Stella said. "What are you going to tell Hillborne when he asks about you?"

Damn, he didn't think of that. "Okay, fiiiiine. We'll go with -" - Danny grimaced - "Danielle Montserrat, the Hollywood actress."

"The Hollywood actress who's trying to make it in the business."

"Heeeey, what's that mean? I think I can do pretty good as a Hollywood actress!"

Lindsay giggled some more at his answer to her comment.

"You've got the look down pat, so yeah, I do think you'll pull off that role easily." Stella became solemn. "What did you mean by the nanotechnology changing your eyelashes too?"

Danny shrugged. It made his earrings waggle and tinkle with tiny, clinking noises. "Think my body's still changing since the explosion. I mean …" He lifted his arms for their view. "Look a' them, they're half of what they used to be. And have ya taken a good look at my waist and hips? I swear my hips have grown by a couple a' inches. I swear even my neck's become narrower."

"So, you're still changing?" Lindsay was frowning slightly.

Danny shrugged again. "I guess so … maybe it's stopped, 'cos my hair's stopped growin' so fast. That's why I finally decided to trim it some." He suddenly reared up. "Well, I sure hope it's stopped, 'cos I don't wanna be losing my family jewels, if ya get my meanin'."

"If worse comes to worse, you could always join the ranks of RuPaul and that Amanda Lapore and make it big as the hottest transsexual in town." Stella grinned roguishly.

Danny made a disgusted face and slapped his hands over his heart in a mock gesture of hurt. "Oh, I'm so touched ya think I'm a hot transsexual. Not."

"Think we should test the mike again?" Lindsay asked.

She stretched out a hand to one of the buckles on his tummy. It concealed a minuscule microphone that was wirelessly connected to a receiver and some earphones in the living room with Hawkes. The poor guy had been stuck there watching television for over an hour since he got off work and came over. The women wouldn't let the Doc see him at all. Danny had the hunch Lindsay'd been trying to cop a feel since the whole makeover session began. It made him smile like an imp.

There was a hesitant knock on the bedroom door. It opened to show Hawkes in a white t-shirt, beige jacket and faded jeans. Geez, that guy looked good in anything.

"Don't worry, the mike works just fine."

Stella smirked and mock glared at Hawkes. "You've been spying on us all this time, haven't you?"

Hawkes merely grinned. Then his gaze landed on Danny. His brown eyes widened to the size of saucers.

"Hey, Doc." Danny waved at him and gave him his winning smile.

Hawkes stared with an open mouth somewhere below his neck for a few minutes before he snapped out of his trance and blushed crimson. He brought a fist to his mouth and had a sudden violent bout of coughing.

"Uhm, I, uh … I'll go start the car. It's nearly eight o'clock. We gotta go soon." Hawkes closed the door with a bang. Trampling footsteps was heard heading away from the bedroom towards the living room. They stopped for a moment, then continued further on to the apartment door and faded away with the slam of the door.

Stella and Lindsay squealed ecstatically and twiddled fingers together in some odd female-bonding custom. "Suuucceeeeeeeeeeeeess!"

Danny groaned out loud a second time. "'Cuse me, I'm here, ya know. I'm not just some experiment or a walking pair a' boobs, ya know."

The two women laughed elatedly and hugged him from both sides. Stella warmly stroked his head in a motherly way.

"Welcome to the world of women, sweetie."

OooooooooooooooooooooooooO

"I dunno if I can do this." Danny began to get butterflies in his stomach halfway through their car ride to the Nobu restaurant on Hudson street in Tribeca.

"Danny, you're going to be okay." He could always count on Stella to calm him down. Something about her sternness cowed his histrionics. He stared out the window and huffed, impatient for the traffic light to turn green so they could get a move on.

One of Danny's high-heeled feet tapped erratically against the floor mat. Gyah, how did women stand wearing these kinds of shoes for hours? He recalled seeing a photograph of Hollywood actress Sarah Jessica Parker's feet once in one of those fashion or female gossip magazines. She'd claimed her feet became so veiny due to wearing too many high heels and tight, fancy shoes. Man, the things women would do to get some attraction. He glanced down at himself.

Well, he wasn't one to talk.

He looked over at Lindsay, who was sitting in the back with him in Hawkes' 2006 Dodge Charger. Danny was flummoxed by his co-workers' fantastic rides. As far as he knew, the red, sleek car he was in right now cost at least thirty-two thousand dollars. Was there some underground organization he didn't know about where CSI members got to own dream rides even on the pay they had? Wow, somebody sign him up quick.

His red lips curved into his patented sideways smirk. Lindsay was ogling him without even realizing it.

"Hey, Montana. Take a picture. It'll last longer."

Lindsay gazed blankly at him, then got out her mobile phone and captured a picture of him with the built-in camera before he could squeak out a single word. The flash lit the dim interiors of the car for a moment.

She smiled wickedly at him. "Okay."

"Y-y-you …" Danny was too shocked to react.

"Lindsay, bluetooth it to me." Stella, in the passenger seat in front of him, had her mobile phone out and in hand.

"Uhm, in the interest of promoting team cohesion at a troubling time like this, I suggest that the picture be sent to all of us." Hawkes, in the driver's seat with hands on the steering wheel, deliberately kept his face out of sight from the passengers in the back. "For moral support and encouragement, of course."

"Sure thing, Hawkes!" Lindsay was way too cheerful.

"Doc, I love you, but don't make me go up there and bust yer friggin' onions."

Hawkes snickered and peeped back. His pearly teeth gleamed in the city lights all around them. "Sorry, Danny. But you really do look lovely tonight."

"Got it!" Stella giggled at the picture now in her phone.

A beeping sound indicated Hawkes' phone had received its inimitable attachment too.

Danny slumped where he sat and whined. "What is this, Gang-Up-On-Danny Night?"

"Every night's Gang-Up-On-Danny Night," Stella joked.

Danny only groaned. Damnit, the traffic light was taking forever to switch colors.

Another car drove up beside Hawkes' Charger. The pumped up, deafening music was causing even Hawkes' car to vibrate with the beat. It was obviously a home modified car; the supplementary spoiler in the back as well as the tasteless stickers pasted all over the car were dreadful aesthetic decisions. It was also obvious the owner of the car and his friends were just as offensive.

A young gangsta wannabe in the back clashed eyes with Danny. Instantly, the guy's two friends clambered to his side to eyeball what they evidently thought was one hot chick out on a Friday night. They quickly rolled down the window to holler their insipid opinions.

"Wooo, babe! You is smoooookin', hot mama!" The three idiots, and now including the driver of the vehicle, commenced wolf whistling and acting out dirty deeds with their tongues at Danny. Danny pointedly ignored them as long as half a minute. When they started making awful grunting noises, he had enough.

He rolled down his window, shoved both his third fingers at them and bellowed, "Up yours, DICKWADS!"

They lurched backwards in fright at the unpredicted intensity of Danny's vociferous retort. Studying them more closely, Danny thought they couldn't have been more than eighteen years old. Didn't mean he couldn't bust them up for being pricks. One of them, wearing a multi-colored bandanna, recovered from his scare and climbed back to his car's open passenger window.

"O-o-oh yeah! W-wait till you taste my giant dick, ya whore!" Tsktsk, what filthy mouths kids have these days.

Danny bared his teeth at the guy, displaying his fangs. "Yeah? Well, I got a bigger dick than you do, little boy. Wanna see it?"

The bandanna guy blanched, mouth agape.

"Why don'tcha let a real man show ya what a big dick is, ah? I'm make sure ya don't walk for a fuckin' WEEK." Danny snarled, looking like a tiger about to maul its prey.

Bandanna boy speedily rolled up his window and frantically slapped at the driver's head. "G-g-get us the hell outta here, MAN!"

The traffic light turned green.

Hawkes stepped down on the gas. The red Dodge Charger ditched the other car with a wake of screeching wheels and a roaring engine.

"You. Rock."

Danny grinned at Lindsay as he rolled the window back up. Stella was laughing her head off while Hawkes' lower face was scrunched in an extreme effort not to.

"Danny. Danny." Stella wiped tears from her eyes. "Why don't you just join the dark side and be one of us females, huh?"

"I dunno, Stella. I kinda like havin' options at this point, know what I'm sayin'?"

Hawkes finally gave up and broke into a snigger, joining Stella in a chorus. Danny was secretly thrilled to see Stella and Hawkes laughing so openly. It felt even better than putting those vulgar boys in their place.

Danny's grin weakened.

The only thing missing was Flack joining in on the hilarity.

"Have you guys seen Flack?" Danny asked.

"Sorry, nope, I was at the lab the whole day. Didn't see him there," Hawkes replied. Stella shook her head in answer. Lindsay gave a negative as well.

"Don't worry about him. He can take care of himself," Stella adjoined.

Danny brooded.

After a few minutes of silence, Hawkes smoothly swerved the car into an empty parking space near the restaurant. It was closer to park there than in the parking lot behind the restaurant. Stella wanted to be certain the connection between the mike and earphones were optimum as possible.

"We're lucky we came early. Looks like there's some celebrity who'll be dining at Nobu tonight too." Hawkes leaned forward on the steering wheel, inspecting the environment in front of the car inquisitively.

The highly-rated Japanese restaurant was just a few cars down the block. A crowd had gathered at the entrance, contained from totally mobbing the area by velvet ropes tied to metal stands. A red carpet was laid from the pavement till the closed front doors of the restaurant. There were even white candles and lily flowers lined along the carpet. Whoever the celebrity was, it had to be somebody pretty famous.

"This could play in our favor. People'll be too distracted by whoever it is to pay attention to you and Hillborne," Stella said to Danny.

Danny remained silent. The butterflies were causing a ruckus in his stomach again. He hated being the center of attention, especially if it was a bad situation. And this couldn't be any worse. He hoped to God there wasn't anyone in the mass of people who knew him.

"It's eight o'clock, Danny. You okay?" Lindsay squeezed his hand and smiled reassuringly.

Danny sucked in a breath. Well, it was now or never.

"Yeah." He directed a wobbly smile at the others. "If things get nasty, you'll come get me out, right?"

Stella cracked her knuckles. "I'll beat the shit of the idiot myself."

I love ya, Stella, Danny thought to himself.

"Wish me luck." He opened the passenger door and tentatively maneuvered himself out of the vehicle. He could feel his friends' eyes on him as he headed for the teeming entrance of Nobu. He grinned to himself, steps springy with some newfound confidence.

Tonight, Danny Messer was going to give an Oscar-worthy performance of a lifetime.

OooooooooooooooooooooooooO

Hawkes, Lindsay and Stella held their breaths, quietly observing Danny saunter down the pavement towards the restaurant, little evening handbag in hand. This was the craziest thing they'd ever done. Seeing how nervous Danny was, Stella didn't dare to mention the possibility that Chief Hillborne might recognize him now that they were meeting in very different circumstances.

Stella nibbled on her lower lip. She hoped her choice of dress was going to help Danny. Hopefully, the other guy was going to be too busy staring at Danny's chest to notice the familiarity of his face. Stella was, however, doubtful Hillborne would identify Danny as who he really was.

After all … how many guys grew such amazing DD-cup breasts and appeared prettier than most women in less than two weeks?

A sudden, vigorous rapping on her window surprised her, as well as the other two occupants of the car. Stella smiled widely at the sight of Flack bending downwards to look at them from outside.

"Hey, lemme in, will ya?"

Hawkes unlocked the doors, and Flack agilely climbed in, instantaneously picking up a pair of ear phones and sticking them in his ears.

"Where've you been?" Stella inquired the young detective.

"Been busy." Stella was inwardly concerned with the abrupt reply until she swiveled back and saw the slight smile on Flack's lips. Okay, whatever he was up to couldn't have been bad.

"When he did go in?"

"Just a few minutes ago. You just missed him," Hawkes replied to Flack's question.

"Nice of you to join us," Lindsay said.

"Yeah, had things to do, ya know. Drank too much at some bar last night, but it was a good thing Gertrude was nice enough to stop me from overdoing it." Flack looked meaningfully at her.

Lindsay's eyes widened. Yeah, they were certainly going to have a talk real soon.

Stella had also put on a pair of ear phones. She positioned the receiver between the front seats.

"Heads up, guys. The date begins."

***

Chapter 21

Flack tapped a staccato rhythm with his feet, munching on potato chips from the bag of chips in his grasp.

"Flack, quit it," Stella said not unkindly.

"Sorry." His feet stopped their movement. His free hand started drumming on his thigh instead.

Lindsay rummaged for some chips in the bag, smiling at his hyperactivity. Flack was changing more and more into Messer by the day. She wasn't very sure whether that was a good thing or not. Could the universe really handle a second Danny without exploding into a second Big Bang?

"How'd you know we'd be here at this time anyway?"

"Thank the Doc. He called me up," Flack replied Stella.

Hawkes shrugged. Without warning, Stella pivoted to face Flack in the back seat.

"You didn't tell Mac about this, did you?"

Flack made an extreme sardonic face. "Yeah, Stella, I sure did. In fact, I even told him that I wanted to have his babies and live together in a nice, little house with a white picket fence 'round it. Oh, and a doggie for each of us too!"

Hawkes hid his face in his arms on the steering wheel. Lindsay laughed.

Stella rolled her eyes, but smirked anyway. "Okay, I did not need that imagery."

Flack's back straightened like a rod in offense. "What? Ya think I'd be dumb enough to go talkin' ta Mac 'bout Danny goin' on a freakin' date with Hillborne! He'd probably kill us." Flack made another face. "He's probably fuckin' pissed off with me anyway. Like I'd be stupid 'nough to go lookin' fer him after what happened."

He glowered at Lindsay who was still giggling. "And I'll have you know there're people out there who want my babies and to live with me."

"Yeah, but you better hope it's not Mac." Lindsay laughed some more at the peculiar imagery of Mac and Flack as a domestic couple living in a house with two dogs. Mac would garrote the guy with a piano wire within hours.

Flack stuck his tongue out and gagged in a mock vomiting action. "Hey, the guy's fine and all, but he is not boyfriend material."

"Not to you anyway," Stella murmured to herself with a soft smile.

"Uh … guys?" Hawkes was gawking at the scene in front of them. "Is that … Al Pacino?"

Flack and Lindsay scrambled fast into the space between the front seats, squeezing their faces together in a haste to see the infamous actor with their own eyes. Sure enough, the man, dressed in an Armani custom suit that most likely cost in the thousands, had gotten out of a black limousine and waved at the boisterous gathering of people around him. The actor also had very stylish shades on. It was quite surreal to see the man who played the notorious role of Scarface in person, even if he was bordered by two very beefy bodyguards in suits who barred him from view most of the time.

Flack looked a little distance away from the chaos of camera bursts and wailing fans.

And saw Danny striding straight in the direction of the actor, head ducked and wholly oblivious to where he was going. Through the earphones, Flack could hear his friend muttering fretfully under his breath.

Flack grimaced in advance for the oncoming catastrophe.

"Danny, look up, look up!"

OooooooooooooooooooooooooO

The fanatical screaming coming from the people around the entrance of the restaurant was really irritating Danny. The racket was transforming the butterflies in his stomach into stampeding elephants. He bowed his head and put one hand against his ear nearest to the crowd, squinting his eyes. The blinding flashes of light was giving him a mean headache too.

He began walking faster, the heels of his shoes clicking on the pavement. He didn't want to chew over how he could walk so well in high heels when these were the first pair he'd ever worn in his life. The quicker he got into the restaurant and coaxed the address of that nanotechnologist's hideout out of Hillborne, the better.

The head-on collision with a brawny chest joggled him out of his thoughts with a yelp.

"Hey, watch it, babe."

Danny glanced up. He was inches away from the mug of one ugly Godzilla-man of a security goon. The giant seized him by his arm and got down to propelling him back past the velvet ropes into the horde of people.

"Wait. Let her through."

The bodyguard grunted and manhandled Danny onto the red carpet. Danny glared at him, then at the other man who instructed the goon.

Holy shit.

"Hi, sweetheart. Dining at Nobu as well?"

Danny's eyes widened until the whites of his eyes were visible around his irises.

Al Pacino. The Al Pacino. Was making. A PASS at HIM.

"Y-yes …" Danny gulped. "I-I have a-a date. He's w-waitin' inside, I think."

"What a shame." Mr. Pacino raised one arm, smiling at him. "Tell ya something, sweetheart, a man who doesn't bother to accompany his woman before the date even starts ain't worth it. How about I escort you in?" The actor winked at him.

Still shell-shocked, Danny linked one of his arms with the man's, obscuring his face from the cameras now aimed at them both. Oh crap, if any of those pictures showed his face and got published in newspapers or magazines, there was no telling how much hassle he was going to be stuck in.

But then again, it wasn't everyday that the eminent Al Pacino volunteered to personally lead you into a star-studded spot of fine dining.

"T-thank you." Danny kept one hand covering his nose and mouth.

Mr. Pacino chuckled in amusement at that. "You're a shy thing, aren't you?"

With the two gargantuan bodyguards behind them, they strolled down the red carpet to the grand entry doors of Nobu. As mortifying as it was, Danny also felt like leaping onto the center of the carpet and grinning like a loon while posing for all the cameras and having people shriek about him. Take that, ex-girlfriends who thought he wasn't good enough! Hah!

He couldn't help exhaling in intense relief the second they were in the sanctuary of the restaurant. Okay, celebrities who claimed their lives were difficult had a point. He speculated whether they invested in durable ear plugs and long-lasting sunglasses.

"Hey, sweetie, if your date doesn't turn out good, feel free to come to my table. See you later." Al Pacino winked at him one last time, picked up one of his hands to kiss it and ambled off to his own reserved table with his security goons.

Oh wow. He was never going to wash his left hand ever again.

"Danielle!"

Oh. Hillborne was there already.

"You look wonderful!" Hillborne wore a dark grey suit with a dark red tie embroided in gold. An Omega watch enclosed one of his wrists. His black dress shoes looked pricey too. As much as Danny disliked the guy, he had to confess the IAB chief had grand tastes. "I hope your journey here was okay? You didn't tell me where you lived, so I couldn't pick you up."

Alright, Danny. Time to be an Oscar-winner actor. Or actress, as his female persona was intended to be. Think ditzy, slutty blonde bimbo.

Danny giggled in a shrill tone. "Oh, it's ooookay, Neviiille. Like, I didn't tell you anyway." He giggled again. Ah geez, the guys were probably laughing their asses off in the car right now. He was immensely grateful Flack wasn't there to listen in.

Hillborne took his right hand and led him inside to a table in the middle of the restaurant's main dining area. Danny was still so astounded by the Al Pacino kiss he had no time to be squicked by Hillborne holding his hand that way. Great, the guy just had to choose the most attention-seeking position in the whole place.

If Danny recalled correctly, Nobu was designed by an architect called David Rockwell. The structural motif of the place brought to mind the picturesque scenes of Japan's countryside. The walls were heavily textured and compelled Danny to stroke one hand across a short length of one wall. One of the walls was created largely from natural river stones; one could almost sense cool river water flowing over them. The floors were smooth, veneered wood.

"How do you find the restaurant?" Hillborne asked as they sat down at their table.

"It's really pretty."

"That it is. Just like you." Hillborne grinned at him.

Danny groaned inwardly. That was seriously corny. Well, he could give the guy a break this one time. He already pitied the man just for having a dorky name like Neville.

A young waiter approached them and passed them the menus. Danny tolerated the man's sneaky staring for ten seconds and then glowered at the guy. The waiter cleared his throat and inquired if they needed a few minutes to decide on their meals.

Danny cut in before Hillborne could say anything in reply.

"I'd like to order now!" Whoa, he never realized his voice could go that high. "I'll have the - the -"

He poked a finger randomly at the dishes on the menu. "Oooh, two sweet black cod marinated in miso, two squid pasta, three helpings of rock shrimp tempura, seven yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno, two sashimi salads, two creamy spicy crabs, four salmon egg sashimi, four live scallop sashimi andandand -"

Hillborne's visage was becoming more and more green with each order. The waiter's bushy eyebrows shot straight up to his hairline.

"Oooohhh, three miso rock cod in lettuce wraps! And two bento boxes of chocolate soufflé cake. One for me and one for him. And lots and lots and lots of yer best sake!" Danny grinned with all his teeth at Hillborne and the waiter. He probably appeared like a frightening, mentally unstable, if sexy, lady. Hell yeah, if the IAB chief was going to treat him to dinner, he was gonna suck him dry. Figuratively speaking, of course.

Both men stared disbelievingly at Danny. Hillborne's lower jaw was nearly touching the floor.

"Are - are you sure you want all of that?" the waiter asked doubtfully.

"I'm a biiiiiig girl. I gotta, like, eat a lot, ya know?" Danny giggled, hiding his mouth behind a hand. Then he deliberately tugged at the dress over his enormous boobs.

Both pairs of eyes were immediately attracted to his hands. Or rather, the mounds beneath them.

Hillborne coughed, then smiled weirdly. Aww, what a sport. "Uhm, right. Riiight, I'll have a … a, uh, sea urchin tempura!"

The waiter scribbled down their orders. "Very well, sir, ma'am. Thank you."

The man took their menus and left, but not before ogling Danny's chest another time. The first ten times he got ogled, he thought it was kinda hot. Now, it merely incensed Danny. They were just fat, for crying out loud. Danny and Hillborne were quiet for some time before the head of IAB spoke up.

"I-I didn't think you had such a great appetite, Danielle." Hillborne was trying to hold his hand.

"Ohhh, I just have, like, a reaaaaaally high metabolism, that's all." Danny flailed his hands so the other guy couldn't grab either. "I can eat like a horse." Ouch, talking in such a high-pitched voice was starting to hurt his voice box.

"So, tell me more about yourself." Hillborne smiled at him again. The chief looked really pervy when he did so.

"Uhm, weeeell." Danny grinned, twisted his hands together and leaned his head sideways at a forty-five degree angle. He hoped it was an endearing, saccharine pose. "I'm an actreeeesss."

"Wow, really!" Dumbass was probably hopping around in energetic joy inside at the remark. "So what screen name do you use?"

"Danielle …" Danny flung his arms wide and nearly knocked over a waitress carrying a tray of hot miso soup. "Danielle Montserraaaat!"

His zealous action drew the attention of some of the other diners around them. Danny blinked when one of them glanced over and winked meaningfully at him with a big grin on his face. Hold on a sec, wasn't that guy one of those popular rappers in the industry? Some black guy called Fifty Cent?

"Danielle Montserrat. That really is a gorgeous name." Hillborne scrutinized him for a few moments. Then, the man frowned.

"Hey. I know you."

Danny's grin freezed on his face.

"Yeah, I'm sure I've seen you somewhere before." Hillborne scratched at his cheek, brows low in concentration. "Where was it? Hmmm …"

Danny felt like puking all over the table eventhough he hadn't eaten a thing. If Hillborne recognized him now …

Danny paled under his makeup. He started fidgeting uncontrollably with his dress and bronze buckles, grin still frozen in place.

Hillborne snapped his fingers. "I got it!"

OhGodohGodohGodpleasepleaseplease -

"You're that hot female lead from that Italian television soap operaaaaa!"

Danny was so euphoric at Hillborne's mistake he squealed. Like a girl.

"Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeessss! That's, like, SO RIGHT." Danny clapped his hands fiercely. Oh hell, he was worse than a girl.

Hillborne looked very proud of himself. "Well, I like to watch foreign television shows and movies time and again. I didn't get to watch your soap a lot, but I thought you were fantastic." Hillborne finally managed to grip his right hand.

Eeweeweeweeweeweewwww, he was so going to get Hawkes to wash that hand with industrial bleach as soon as it was all over. Not the left one though.

"Do you mind saying a few lines from the show? I've always loved the Italian language."

Uh oh.

"Uh, I, uhm …" Think, Danny, think! "I don't speak Italian outside of filmin'!"

"Huh? Really?"

"Yeeeeesss, it, uh, it helps to keep my personality apart from my television character's personality, seee?"

Hillborne made an approving face. "Hmm, that makes sense."

Pheeeew.

At that instant, the same waiter who served them earlier, plus another waitress, brought their food to the table. They also poured some green ocha and sake for both of them. The surface of their table ended up crammed to the max. The variety of dishes looked mouth-wateringly scrumptious, especially the rock shrimp tempura and creamy spicy crabs. Danny licked his lips a few times, eyes lustrous. The elephants in his tummy had been eaten by tigers, and those tigers were demanding for more food.

"Danie-"

Danny unashamedly plucked some of the tempura with his fingers, dunked it in the dark sauce and stuffed it all into his mouth, chomping noisily with his mouth open. Then he plucked up the live scallop sashimi, dunked those in some wasabi and soy sauce, and threw those into his yawning mouth too. He licked at his fingers and pretty much behaved like an uncouth hillbilly. For what Hillborne did to Flack, Danny was gonna make sure the guy got as much embarrassment as possible.

Unfortunately for the CSI, it wasn't working at all.

Hillborne was smiling at him. "You've got some tempura on your cheek." The IAB chief reached out and gently wiped it away with his forefinger. Then Hillborne picked another shrimp tempura, steeped it into the sauce too and held it before his lips.

"Open wiiiiiiiiiiiide."

Danny's expression was stuck between a fake smile and a tortured grimace.

Somebody heeeeeeeelp meeeeee, his mind yowled.

OooooooooooooooooooooooooO

Back in Hawkes' Dodge Charger, the quartet of detectives were listening with keen ears to the whole conversation between Hillborne and Danny. Or to be more precise, Danielle. Flack was sharing one earpiece with Lindsay, while Stella shared one with Hawkes.

The bag of potato chips in Flack's hand had exploded under the force of Flack's crushing fist when all four of them beheld the Al Pacino interlacing his arm with Danny's. All of them were so amazed at the sight, Hawkes didn't even complain about the chips flying everywhere. The chances of seeing a friend, who'd transformed from a man into a partial woman, getting hit on by one of the world's finest thespians was … one in a trillion.

Flack growled under his breath. Wonderful, another Hollywood hotshot to add to his blacklist of people expressing their interests in Danny. He'd rather be shot a hundred times before any of those people on the list got to the in bit.

Stella had said, "I'm. So. Envious. Of. Him."

Flack was feeling the sentiment, though not of the same person as Stella did. He wished he was the one who got to lead Danny down that red carpet instead. Flack got even more exasperated when he heard Mr. Pacino plant a kiss on Danny's hand via the earphone. At least, he thought it was on Danny's hand. Flack growled again.

Danny's dialogue with Hillborne was … surreal. Flack would have assumed he was listening to a real Italian woman with an eccentric accent and awfully shrill voice if it wasn't for the IAB chief calling Danny Danielle all the time. He'd laughed out loud along with the others at Danny's excessive food order. That crazy rodent. Danny had been inaccurate about being able to eat like a horse. Danny was more like a cute hamster. All adorable and harmless-looking, but once you put a heaping plate of hot food right there, goooooodbye chowchow.

Lindsay had one hand across her mouth, leaning her head against the back of Hawkes' seat. She was finally breathing properly again after her asphyxiating fit of mirth at Hillborne's declaration of Danny being a lead female star on a soap opera as well as Danny's hysterical response. The irony was, Flack could totally see Danny being one. If he was a woman, of course.

"Oh geez, Hillborne's hand feeding him." Stella snorted.

"That was one close shave. I dunno what we'd do if the guy really did identify him." Hawkes was collecting stray potato chips and chucking them back into the potato chip bag. Flack assisted him in doing it. It was his blunder it got everywhere anyway.

Through the earphones, they were required to listen to over a half hour of Hillborne feeding Danny and asking their friend more questions about his past as Danielle Montserrat the actress. Obviously not of the Hollywood variety anymore since he was now a foreign Italian one. Flack was, however, slightly confused why a foreign Italian actress would speak like a Beverly Hills bimbo. Guess Danielle was a unique one.

Then Danny made a comment that perked Flack up quicker than a hefty dose of caffeine.

"You, like, work for the police, right? I know an amaaaaaaazin', handsome detective called Don Flack, Jr."

Ohh, Flack was all ears now.

OooooooooooooooooooooooooO

"Don Flack? Oh, I know him, alright-"

Danny squealed at the top of his voice before Hillborne could continue. "Oooooohhh, he's WONDERFUL. So ATTRACTIVE. So NOBLE." He squealed again, clapping his hands. Flack was going to owe him big time for this.

A large part of his brain whispered that this was, at last, his opportunity to tell somebody how he truly felt about the homicide detective. Even if it was to Hillborne, of all people. His co-workers would never know it was the truth and believe it was simply part of the act.

Danny slapped his hands together and pressed them against his cheek in a lovesick pose. He sighed dramatically, eyelashes aflutter. "He's mind-blowin', moves like a dancer. He wears the best suits, like, ever. He's the sweetest man in the world. With the most beautiful eyes in the universe."

He smiled warmly. "One time, when I had to stand outside in the rain, he gave me his jacket eventhough he ended up wet. He brings me out all the time to all the places I love, because he knows I like 'em. He tolerates me when I become all bratty. He even puts up with it when I want to watch artsy movies he hates, because he … he-" Danny's eyes opened, and his pressed hands slipped from his cheek.

Because he loves me, his mind concluded in an exultant tone.

Hillborne wasn't looking so cheerful now. "You and Don Flack, Jr. were … dating once?"

Danny smiled wistfully. To the IAB chief, he was merely a female foreign actress with DD-cup breasts with whom he wanted to get lucky. To Flack … Danny was beginning to comprehend he was so much more to his best friend than he ever presumed.

"No. We're … good friends." But it could be more, if only you weren't afraid, a voice in his heart said.

"He's not the nice guy you think he is, Danielle. I had to suspend him because he attacked a wom-"

"YOU WHAT?" Hillborne blanched visibly at his furious, piercing rejoinder. "YOU SUSPENDED A WONDERFUL POLICE MAN LIKE DONNY! HE WOULD NEVER DO SUCH A THING!"

The entire restaurant hushed at Danny's scream. Everyone's eyes trained on the two of them, including Al Pacino's and Fifty Cent's. The rapper had one eyebrow raised in bewilderment.

"How dare you! Donny would never do anythin' like that!" Danny bared his teeth, eyes narrowed. "The ONLY reason he would ever attack a woman if she's a horrible, murderous BITCH!"

Hillborne was grimacing apologetically at all the other diners and attempting to soothe him with placating hand movements. "Danielle, please-"

"Who is this WOMAN?"

Hillborne threw his hands up in the air. "Uhm, some - some scientist working for the government, that's all. And, okay, I agree. She was a horrible, demanding bitch." Hillborne grasped his wrists in a mollifying manner. "Please don't be upset anymore, okay? You're scaring some of the patrons."

Danny prolonged his vexation, but privately, he was dancing the Macarena. Yes! Work it just a biiiit more, Messer.

"I want a chat with her."

Hillborne sputtered. "Uh, that's … that's not possib-"

"What do you mean that's not possible? Don't you care 'bout me?" Danny pouted, thrusting his lower lip out and blinking his blue eyes rapidly. "Don't you want me to be happy?"

Hillborne sent him a nervous, appeasing smile. "Y-yes, of-of course I want you to be happy, Danielle! It-it's just that her location can't be revealed-"

"Listen, Neville." Danny dropped his voice to his huskiest, sexiest voice. "I have an upcomin' movie where I play the role of a woman who is saved by a hot, strong policeman. Do you know what the final scene is like, Neville?"

Hillborne stared at him with glossy eyes. "What is it?"

Danny leaned forward, giving the IAB chief a first-class view of his cleavage. "The hot, strong policeman and the heroine have lusty, animal sex in the witness protection house."

The perv was practically slobbering from the side of his mouth.

"If you tell me where she is, we can … act out that final scene there, hmm? Don't you want to rub it in good that she's not as pretty or hot as I am, hmmmm?"

Hillborne looked like he'd just hit the ultimate jackpot. And was swimming in it.

"O-o-okay."

Danny grinned, fangs glinting in the restaurant's lighting. Damn, he was good.

OooooooooooooooooooooooooO

Flack had a stupid, broad grin splitting his face from ear to ear throughout Danny's entire burbling about him. Danny didn't know he was there listening to everything.

Which meant … whatever Danny said about him … had to really come from his true emotions.

He couldn't even give a shit that Lindsay, Hawkes and Stella were gawking at him and his stupefied, idyllic expression.

"Is he still alive or has all the ego gone to his head and imploded it?" Lindsay poked at his chest and said to Stella, "I think he's turned into a drugged-out zombie."

"Whoawhoa, Hillborne's giving the address!" Hawkes jostled around in a panic for a pen and paper. "Hurry, get a pen and paper!"

That jerked Flack out of his stupor. He fumble through his jacket and got out his gold pen and black notebook. He flipped it open just in time to write down the address.

"Oh man. Oh man!"Stella was beaming. "He did it! That little brat actually did it!"She broke into an overjoyed laugh.

Flack sat there with a frown. "So. How are we gonna get him outta there now?"

Stella abruptly stopped laughing. The four of them listened absorbedly to the new sounds filtering through the earphones.

Flack suddenly roared, "SonofaBITCH!", hurled open the passenger door and charged out of the car.

"Flack! FLACK! Get back here!" Stella scrambled out of her seat as well and chased after the running homicide detective.

"Hillborne will recognize you! You'll blow Danny's cover!"

OooooooooooooooooooooooooO

Danny dodged Hillborne's lips for the third time, grimacing in repulsion as he slapped away the man's roving hands. Fuck, just one glass of sake was enough to turn the dumbass into a maniacal pervert.

"C'mon, Danielle, what's wrong?" Danny felt one of Hillborne's hands at the buckles of his dress. Okay, this was getting too much.

"We're in a public place!" Danny shoved hard at one of Hillborne's shoulders. The guy just bounced back! "Quit it!"

"You're a pretty girl, you should be used to this." Oooh, Danny was gonna kick the guy between the legs a couple of times just for that. He twisted his face away from Hillborne's, barely avoiding the puckered lips aimed for his own.

In the distance, he sensed a huge figure standing up and heading for their table. Oh man, it was that rapper dude, Fifty Cent. Wow, he was about to experience his very first rescue by a celebrity.

"Hillborne."

The IAB chief halted in his movements at the low, venomous tone.

"What the HELL are you doing with my GIRLFRIEND?"

Danny gazed at the newcomer with alarmed eyes and almost died of an immediate heart attack. Hillborne screamed with fright and literally leapt six feet into the air away from Danny onto the floor.

"T-T-T…"

Danny swallowed noticeably.

"M-M-Mac?"

***

Chapter 22

Stella could have been a superb quarterback in some other life.

Her high-flying tackle took Flack down before he could get six feet away from the car. He thrashed about beneath her and tried to shove her to one side to get to his feet. Stella was much stronger than most people gave her credit for.

She fisted her hands in the lapels of his jacket and shook him like a rag doll. "Flack! Listen to me! You can't just barge in there and get Danny out! We're not even supposed to know about the date!"

"Stella!"Hawkes' unnerved cry immobilized them in a knot of arms and legs. The former ME's face was filled with horror. "You two get back in here now!"

Stella got up, panting faintly. "What's wrong?"

The whites of Hawkes' eyes stood out like beacons in the semi-darkness of the street. "It's MAC. MAC's in there with Danny and Hillborne. RIGHT NOW."

Stella and Flack exchanged frantic looks, then scrambled back into the car.

Everyone stared pointedly at Flack.

"Whaaaaaaaaaat! I DIDN'T TELL HIM!" Flack roared, face red with indignation.

Stella stuck the earphones in her ears. "Oh. My …"

She gazed at everyone with a funny face.

"Mac's calling Danny his GIRLFRIEND."

OooooooooooooooooooooooooO

"I'll say it again. What. The Hell. Are you doing. With my GIRLFRIEND?"

Mac towered over the table like a infuriated deity about to wage war on the cosmos, hazel eyes wide and raging, appearing ten times his normal size in a black and white-striped suit and a dark gold tie. Danny was pinned to his seat by the intense glare.

"I-I-I … I swear I d-didn't know sh-she was your girlfriend! I didn't!" Hillborne was up on his feet and had his hands over his head in a protective posture. The poor bastard looked like he wanted to sob his eyes out.

Danny's mouth was slacked open in a petrified grimace. Oh, this was bad. THIS was BAD.

"Not good enough, Hillborne." Mac clutched Danny's arm and yanked him to his feet so their faces were mere inches apart.

"So this is what you do while I'm hard at work, hmmm? Go out on dinners with other men while I'm slaving away at the office, hmmmm?" Mac hadn't even been this angry with him when the whole Minhaus subway shooting occurred. "You're always disobeying me."

Danny was confounded because he had no clue whether Mac was simply acting … or was honestly speaking his mind.

"N-no, nooooo, my -my …" Danny wrapped his arms around Mac's waist and gazed pleadingly at his boss. "My sweeeeet Macadamian nut, that's not how it is!"

Mac didn't return his cuddle and kept glowering down at him. "Oh, is that so?"

"Yeeesss, y-you see, Chief Hillborne here ran me over with his car-"

"HE RAN YOU OVER WITH HIS CAR!"

Danny winced and drew back at Mac's bellow. "Y-yes, and then he asked me out on a date-"

"HE RAN YOU OVER WITH HIS CAR AND ASKED YOU OUT ON A DATE!"

A round of sympathetic hisses and hollers sprung from all the diners surrounding them.

The waiter who served them tilted towards the waitress who'd help him dish up their food and said, "See? I told you it was too good to be true for a guy like that to hook a hot babe like that!"

The well-built Fifty Cent stalked up to Hillborne and whacked him on the shoulder hard enough to make him stagger.

"You knocked over this hot chick with your car and had the nerve to ask her out on a date after THAT?" Fifty Cent said in a booming voice. "Man, that's loooow."

"Worst. Pick up. Ever," Fifty Cent's companions at his table added, booing at the same time.

Danny decided this was about as advantageous a time to milk the situation as much as he could. He pulled up the dress on the left to display the large blue and black contusion on his thigh. He made his eyes tear up and his lips tremble.

"Yeeeeess, he ran me over with his Mercedes car and I got this aaawful bruise." Danny sniffled. "And-and then, he didn't even make an effort to take me to a hospital."

All the other diners joined Fifty Cent and his companions in their jeering. Hillborne cowered under the rapper's fierce expression and cracking of his knuckles.

Danny twirled back to Mac and lodged both palms onto Mac's chest, eyes moist and big. "And-and he chased me when I tried to get away." Danny sniffled a few more times. "The only reason I said yes was 'cos he scaaaared me. I thought he was goin' to hurt me!"

Fifty Cent had both his fists on his hips and advanced on the cringing IAB chief. Hillborne shook his head wildly and drunkenly rambled about how it wasn't true to everyone in the restaurant.

"N-n-n-nooooo, that's not what happened! REALLY! It's n-n-n-not!"

Mac embraced Danny in his arms, eliciting a high-pitched gasp from Danny. Was Mac squeezing his butt?

"We are going home. Now."

"Y-yes, my … my liiively Macaque." Mac's visage remained blank, but his eyes were twinkling.

"And we are going to have a long talk."

'Y-y-yes, of course, my, uhm, my … curly Macaroni."

"And we are going to have a very long session together to deal with your discipline."

Danny's eyes were probably as wide as half his head. "Y-y … yes, my s-sleek Mackerel."

"Hey, you want me to beat this guy up for you, honey?" Fifty Cent had Hillborne in the air by the collar of his dress shirt. "It'd be a pleasure, believe me." The poor guy was blubbering incoherently. Man, how the heck did a guy like that end up becoming the head of IAB?

"N-no, it's okay. Really." Fifty Cent opened his hand and let Hillborne crumple onto the floor.

"You're lucky your date's such a nice lady," the brawny celebrity spat out.

The rapper inclined his head at Mac. "You're one lucky S.O.B., man." Fifty Cent winked at Danny and returned to his table, stepping on Hillborne's hand as he left. A croaky, "Owww." came from the vicinity of the floor somewhere behind the table.

"Hey, sweetie, I told you he wasn't worth it, didn't I?" Al Pacino, who sat a few tables away, had his fingers tangled together on the table. He smiled at Danny. "The offer still stands."

Mac puffed up his chest, crossed his arms and pointedly stared the actor straight in the eye.

"I own an AK-47, two revolvers, four nine millimeter pistols and a steel bow with steel-capped arrows." Mac sent Mr. Pacino a caricature of a grin. "And I know how to use all of them."

Mr. Pacino was a wise man. He lifted his arms in conciliation and dragged his pressed thumb and forefinger over his tightened lips in a zipping motion.

Mac took Danny's hand in his. "We are leaving." Mac then motioned to one of the waiters. "Please pack this food and sake up for us. We'd like to take it back with us."

Two waiters hurried to the table to gather the plates that still had food and the bottles of sake. Neither dared to look Mac in the eye or even eyeball Danny for a second. Danny didn't blame them at all. When Mac was mad, he was one fucking terrifying man.

While the waiters did their work and carried the food and drinks back to the kitchen to be bagged, Hillborne hauled himself up from the floor and folded down on his seat. The IAB chief looked very lost and intoxicated.

"As for you."

Hillborne stared at Mac with large, glassy eyes.

"If you ever hurt my girlfriend or come after her again," Mac promised, "I'll make sure you get a personal lesson on what it feels like to have a steel-capped arrow stuck up your ass. Capish?"

Hillborne whimpered.

The waiter returned with two bags full of the dishes and sake. Danny and Mac each took one. Mac raised a crooked arm towards Danny.

"Shall we?"

Danny grinned shakily at his supervisor and linked arms with Mac. He knew the evening was far from over. They promenaded out of the restaurant.

At the table, Hillborne was approached by a waiter with the bill.

"Here is your bill, sir." The attendant placed the printed receipt onto the table before him. "That will be … three thousand nine hundred and forty six dollars, please." The waiter grinned.

Hillborne planted his face in the leftovers of his sashimi salad.

OooooooooooooooooooooooooO

The second they were past the lesser crowd of people at the entrance of Nobu and out of earshot, Mac halted them in their tracks.

"Danny. You have one minute to explain yourself."

"Mac, you gotta listen to me-"

The sound of vacillating but oncoming footsteps cut off Danny's sentence.

Frigging hell, it was Hillborne. That guy just didn't know when to quit! Danny seriously felt like using his heels to ream the dumbass a couple of new holes. Mac was his naturally calm and regimented self, but he glared severely at the unsteady chief.

"I - I know where I've really seen you now!" Hillborne gestured crazily with his forefinger at Danny. Danny would have crowed his head off at seeing the IAB chief in such a smashed condition in any other case. "You - you look just like that … Messer guy!"

Danny's vision darkened for an eternity of an instant. His knees nearly buckled. All that was supporting him was Mac's arm.

"Are you a fucking idiot, Hillborne?" Danny blinked at his boss. Whoa crap, Mac just said the f-word.

"Look at you. You're so damn drunk you can't even tell one person from another anymore. Pathetic." Mac maneuvered Danny so he stood in front facing forward. "Tell me, Hillborne, do you think my CSI, a MAN, would have breasts like THESE?"

Mac then rotated him so his back was turned towards the head of IAB. "Or an incredible ass like THIS?"

Hey, the nanotechnology didn't transform his butt. Wouldn't that mean …

Hillborne faltered, uncertainty causing him to sway even more on his feet. "I - uh - sh -"

"And tell me, Hillborne, do you think I'd kiss my male employee like THIS?"

Danny gasped loudly, and Mac claimed the opportunity to envelop his lips with warm, solid ones. Danny's entire world spun right off its axis with a string-a-ling-a-ling of chubby cherubs strumming their harps and crooning clichéd love songs.

Mac's lips were thinner and much more firm than a woman's. They were dry too, but they didn't chafe his licked-wet ones at all. Mac kissed like how he handled lethal weapons; with unadulterated concentration, precision and dedication. Danny's universe minimized into nothing except Mac's lips hot and unrelenting upon his. The guy's hands was all over his torso, hips and backside; every touch felt like a surge of spine-tingling electricity throughout his whole body. He moaned audibly into Mac's mouth, eyes fluttering closed and mouth opening. Mac's tongue was even warmer than his lips. Its tip traced its way along Danny's lower lip before running over Danny's lower teeth and touching Danny's own tongue.

Oh fuck, Mac was no cold fish. He was a damn pro.

He shuddered, clinging onto Mac's jacket and trying not to collapse right there and then under Mac's sensual assault. Brilliant star bursts went off behind Danny's eyelids as their tongues wrestled together, thick, slurping sounds loud every time their lips parted. The moment Danny started feeling giddy from lack of air, Mac licked moistly down the length of his jaw and then angled his head back to nibble on the soft skin under his jaw and on his neck. Danny shuddered again, whimpering at a particularly hard bite.

He vaguely felt Mac enfolding one calloused hand behind his neck and head and the other on his lower back, bonding his body with the older man's from chest to thigh. Danny jerked intensely when Mac grinded his groin into his, moan engulfed by Mac's lips sealing themselves over his once more.

Oh, heeeeeelloooooooo, Mac Jr., Danny thought in a daze. And Junior wasn't really a junior either.

"SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTT!"

What the hell? Was that Flack?

Danny broke the impassioned kiss with a twist of his head, gaping at the sight of a hopping mad, six-foot-tall homicide detective hurtling himself at them.

"DON, WA-"

Flack plowed into Mac with a yelled, "GYAAARRRHH!", knocking Danny off his feet and straight into the arms of Hawkes.

"FLACK! STOP IT!" Danny had never witnessed Stella screaming and flying headlong into a brawl before.

Lindsay was on his other side, mouth covered by one of her hands. Danny and Hawkes had the same expression on their miens as she did while they gawped at Stella, Flack and Mac scuffling with each other in a writhing ball on the pavement. Flack managed to elbow Mac in the sternum. Mac got a punch into Flack's side, forcing the young detective to bend in two with a groan. Stella grabbed both of Flack's shoulders and yanked him off her CSI partner, lugging him at least a dozen feet away.

It was over in a matter of seconds.

Without a second thought, Danny rushed over to Flack, who sat on the ground with his gangly legs extended outwards and head lowered. Mac deftly bounded to his feet with a muted grunt, brushing off Lindsay's silent offer to help him up. Stella was pacing the pavement to and fro, still burning off excess adrenalin. Hawkes could merely stare at Chief Hillborne and his inebriated state.

"I told ya …" Hillborne hiccupped, thrusting a finger in Flack's direction. "I told ya he was dangerous. Too dangerous to be a cop."

Mac looked at him with shuttered eyes. "Oh, really? Taken a good look at yourself lately?"

He motioned with his head at his team of detectives. "You ran over my girlfriend with your car, had the audacity to blackmail her into a date, drank yourself stupid, molested my girlfriend in public, unjustifiably accused her of being a man and one of my employees AND suspended my homicide detective for an alleged attack on a potential suspect who's suddenly disappeared off into thin air and seems to be permanently unavailable for questioning for anything."

He glanced back at the others. "I don't know about you guys, but I think it isn't Flack who's the one who's too dangerous to be a cop here."

Hillborne reared up in an outrage. "D-do you know who I AM?"

Mac wasn't in the least bit intimidated. "Oh, I know who you're going to be." Mac's hazel eyes flashed. "When I report you for your inexcusable misconduct. How long do you think you're going to last as the head of IAB when I do that, hmm?"

Hillborne squeaked and turned a horrid shade of green.

"So if I were you, Neville, I'd get the fuck out of here and drop the investigation on Detective Flack here. And don't even think about looking for my woman ever again." Mac grinned. "Steel-capped arrows."

The IAB chief shot off past the other detectives and into the distance on frantic steps. They echoed on the streets long after the guy was gone from view.

Mac confronted his team, grin instantaneously vanished. "Now, as I said before." He aimed his glare at Danny, who swallowed in anxiety. "Danny. You have one minute to explain yourself." Mac swept his deep glower over everyone, stopping on Flack, who refused to look him in the eye. "As well as the rest of you."

Stella immediately came forward. "Mac, it was my idea-"

"No."

Mac scrutinized Danny's face. Mac could see certain parts of the younger man's cheeks and jaws were glistening under the streetlight. It made his fingers and lips tingle.

"No, it was my idea. All of it." Danny suddenly appeared more mature than Mac'd ever seen. "Yeah, I disobeyed your orders to not leave the apartment. And yeah, of all the bad luck, I got run over by Hillborne. But when I found out Hillborne knew where that nanotechnologist was being hidden, I knew I had to do somethin'." Danny sucked in a deep breath. "So, I convinced everyone to go with the plan of me wooin' Hillborne and gettin' the address outta him. And it worked."

Mac wanted to smile at Danny's newborn boldness. He never realized how much he missed it until the explosion happened and Danny was gone from his work life where he spent so much of his time.

"You disobeyed me anyway."

"I had to. I don't want to spend the rest of my life like this, Mac. This isn't me. I want my life back." Mac's eyes flickered at Danny's heartfelt statement.

Mac sighed. There was a minute of silence.

"You guys always cut me out of the fun, don't you?"

Stella's head snapped up in alarm, but her uneasy expression changed into a relieved one at Mac's warming eyes.

"What? You didn't think I'd suspect anything if one of my detectives decided to check out a wire and earphones?"

Stella blushed in guilt, but she gazed him straight in the eye. Ah, Stella, committed to the end. "I'm sorry, Mac. We just … didn't inform you because we knew you'd have been against all this."

Mac smirked. "Did you ever bother to ask?"

Stella ducked her head.

Mac sighed again, smiling fondly. The more things changed, the more they stayed the same.

"Hawkes, Lindsay, please go home." Mac smiled benignly. "Both of you have a lot of lab work to do tomorrow for our other cases, remember?"

Hawkes scratched at his head, and Lindsay grimaced. They tentatively said their farewells and walked off to Hawkes' Dodge Charger, glancing back once in a while in concern for their peers.

"Flack." The younger detective was on his feet. His handsome visage was an amalgam of disappointment and resignation. "I suggest that you accompany Danny in the apartment from tonight onwards and stay there with him. I can only hope that Hillborne would be smart enough to think twice about advancing with the internal investigation. I think you and Danny have much to discuss anyway."

Flack raised his head to look at him with a puzzled, shocked expression. He must have been anticipating Mac to tear him a new one for attacking him like that. Mac smiled reflectively while Flack removed his jacket and placed it around a shivering Danny's shoulders, and at how Danny smiled quaveringly at Flack.

Mac saw the accusation in Flack's hurt blue eyes, and the contrition in Danny's.

Mac's body aches reminded him of the pain in Flack's eyes just before the younger man slammed into him.

He knew the irrepressible actions of a jealous man in love when he saw it.

And what about yourself? Will you deny what occurred only minutes ago, what you did? Mac's mind questioned him. The only answer Mac could tell himself was that he'd lived long enough to know the difference between lust and love. Danny deserved someone extraordinarily rare with a heart big enough to bear the weight of the young man's secrets and anguish.

Mac straightened.

"My SUV isn't far from here. I'll drive you all back to your respective places." He smiled minutely. "Let's go."

***

Chapter 23

The wacky, yellow sponge thingy was dancing across the television screen again, singing about ice cream and prancing about like a poof with its pet snail called Gary.

Flack glowered with angry brows at the screen, arms folded on his chest and slumped until he was almost reclining on the couch at Mac's hideout apartment. He was really itching to squash the hell out of the talking yellow sponge with its blue eyes into a pail and stomp on it until it was flatter than a piece of paper.

Why the hell did he insist on dragging the television out from the bedroom? Oh, that's right. He'd be fucking bored to death if he didn't. And he was not going to stay in that bedroom where Mac had been in before. Not for a second.

Stupid sponge. Stupid ice cream. Stupid snail.

Stupid Mac.

Like being all gracious and driving him back eventhough Flack could have taken a cab like he did to get to Nobu in the first place was going to win his good graces.

The unwanted picture of Mac kissing Danny and fondling him materialized in his mind.

He felt a stabbing ache in his chest. Flack's snarl rumbled deep in his throat.

"Flack … uh, I've heated up some of the food from last night. You wanna eat?"

A pair of lean legs in long, khaki-colored track pants emerged into view.

"It's creamy and spicy crab. We can have the chocolate soufflé later, how 'bout that?"

Flack didn't budge an inch from his position. His eyes continued to stare forward at the television, the luminescence from it lightening the irises of his blue eyes until they were nearly clear. "Whatever."

He felt rather than heard Danny sigh in frustration. A descending weight close beside him made the couch sink a little. From the corner of his eye, he observed Danny fiddling with the wrinkles in his trousers. The only sounds reverberating in the living area was the background soundtrack of the cartoon and the pink starfish yelling for a couple of minutes.

"Are you mad at me?" Danny asked in a tiny voice.

Flack didn't reply.

They sat side by side on the couch, just like they did when Flack came to see him after he was suspended by Hillborne at his precinct. But this time, whatever closeness they had was gone. It was as if a chasm the size of the Grand Canyon had come between them. Danny toyed with the creased cloth over his knees some more.

Then, he flew off the handle.

"It's not my FAULT!" Danny was so used to saying it, it was like a second nature. Only here in this moment, he really meant every single word.

"Yeah?" Flack kept his attention determinedly on the television. There was no way in hell he was going to look at Danny. Those blue eyes of his would melt his defenses in an instant. "Seems to me like you were enjoyin' yerself a whole lot there."

Danny shot off the sofa and marched around the room in front of Flack, muttering furiously.

"I knew it, I knew it, I knew you were mad 'bout that!"

Flack flew off his handle too and lunged to his feet, hands tightened till the knuckles turned white.

"Well, no fucking SHIT! How the hell d'you expect me to react to MAC kissing ya!"

Danny stamped right up to him and shoved him hard on the chest. "He was doin' it to convince Hillborne of my ROLE, okay!"

Flack laughed joylessly, throwing his arms out in disbelief. "Ohhh, oooooooohhh, I see, is that what you've telling' yerself since last night?"

"Fuck it, Don, it's not what you THINK!" Danny's face was livid. His blue eyes were like scorching hot flames. "There's NOTHING goin' on between Mac and me!"

"Well, do you want there to be somethin'? HUH? DO YA?"

"NO!" Danny's eyes glimmered wetly in the sunlight cascading through the shut windows of the living area.

Flack ran his hands wildly through his shorn hair, eyes wide with mistrust and distress.

"You're drivin' me nuts, Dan," he uttered in a hoarse voice. "I-I dunno what ta think anymore. I keep thinkin' maybe I'm just goin' fucking crazy, maybe-maybe I'm just imaginin' things, ya know?" He started to pace around while Danny watched him, standing still as a statue.

"I tell myself, 'Hey, ya stare long enough at him, he's gonna figure it out sooner or later, right?' and 'Hey, ya stick by him when things get bad, he'll know how ya really feel sooner or later, right, right?'" Flack crossed his arms over in front of him, still pacing in a rabid manner.

"So I do it and I do it and I do it, and nothin' happens. Everybody else gets to have ya. Everybody. And they don't even give a shit 'bout ya." Flack shook his head frenetically from side to side. "You can't see me. I'm right here and ya can't see me."

Danny's mien slowly crumpled. Danny soundlessly mouthed the word no as he reached out to Flack with both hands.

"Don't TOUCH me!"

Danny recoiled at Flack's violent shout, withdrawing his hands. His face crumpled a little more.

"I don't-" - Flack swallowed visibly - "I don't think I can take this anymore, Danny. Everybody wants a piece of ya and it hurts like fuck to see you with anybody else. Even findin' out Lindsay's a friggin' lesbian hasn't made me feel better. You're fuckin' hot and you don't even know it." Flack rubbed at his face with his hands. "Maybe Hillborne suspending me was a good thing. Maybe … Maybe I oughta transfer somewhere else."

Danny gasped piercingly.

"'Cos if I don't, I'm gonna fuckin' die." Almost mechanically, Flack picked up a translucent glass vase from one of the side tables beside the sofa and threw it straight at the closest wall. It shattered into a million pieces, the small shards and pebbles of glass glittering like diamonds in the sunlight on the carpet.

"Or I'll end up killin' somebody for real."

Flack sat down on the sofa again, switching off the television set and viciously tossing the control onto the floor. Now, the only sounds heard was Flack's ragged breathing and Danny's occasional uneven and moist inhalation of air.

Unexpectedly, all the rage drained out of Flack, leaving him fatigued like a thousand years old man whose time was long overdue. Goosebumps rose all over his body. He shivered with a pall that was settling deep within his bones. He remembered when he'd felt like this before. It was when his father had forced him to choose between two paths in his life; become a police officer or be disowned.

Flack tried to not think about whether he'd made a mistake back then too.

"I'm tired, Danny. I just … I don't know how to trust anyone. I don't know who I can trust." Flack closed his eyes. They were heavy with tears. "And I don't wanna be alone anymore."

The silence stretched out for so long Flack believed Danny had left him on his own.

Well. Nothing new there for Don Flack, Jr.

He made up his mind to get up and leave the apartment before he keeled over and cried his eyes out.

Then he felt a warm hand stroking over his, shorter fingers entwining with his long ones.

Flack's eyes snapped open. Danny's shoulder and thigh were literally molded to his. The heat from Danny's arm warmed him even through his long-sleeved dress shirt. Their forearms were linked together too, their hands lying on top of their thighs. Flack turned his head. He was near enough that he could nuzzle Danny's cheek if he wanted.

Danny's body was right there next to him, but the spectacled CSI's mind was somewhere far, far away.

Suddenly, Flack saw himself standing before a soaring cliff, mere inches away from the serrated edge. All he saw far below was a frothing, blue-green ocean, where shadowy, ominous beasts lurked beneath the churning surface. Nevertheless, beyond them, he saw the faint glimmer of a glorious treasure at the bed of the sea. Was it a treasure worth risking everything for?

Flack continued to gaze at his friend's face in profile. If he stayed and listened to what Danny was going to say to him, he was going to leap over that cliff's edge and dive into that ocean of peril, with no way of turning back. If he stood up and left right now, he'd be escaping from the edge to safety.

But if he walked away … it was an absolute guarantee he would never earn the right to truly call that treasure his own, much less hold it in his arms.

Danny's mouth opened.

And Flack's hand closed tightly over Danny's so that, in their clasp, they were one.

OooooooooooooooooooooooooO

"When I was a kid, my old man used to bring me fishin' and to baseball games, ya know?"

Danny's eyes were unfocused, his thoughts traveling back decades to a time when his father was still alive, and his brothers were still his brothers. A time when he was too young to understand what mortality really entailed.

"Was always just the two of us … my mum never liked either activity. I was fine with that anyway. Just me and Pop. That was what made it special." Danny felt Flack stroking his fingers with a thumb.

"Sometimes, we'd go to Battery Park to fish. Never ate any of the fish though… I mean, I wouldn't even eat a fish outta the Hudson if ya paid me." Flack smiled diminutively at that. "Sometimes, we'd tour the country attendin' as many baseball games as possible, during my school holidays." Danny smiled wistfully. "He used to say I was goin' to be an amazing' pro baseball player, and how he was gonna be cheerin' me on from the top."

His smile faltered. He was quiet for a few minutes. The hurt never lessened no matter how many times he thought or spoke about his father.

"But most times … most times, he was never there. Always said he was busy. Had important work to do. Said he had to work hard to put me and my brothers Louie and Anthony through college. Wanted us to have a better future than he did." Danny closed his eyes. "I used to laugh at him, ya know? 'Specially after he told me what his occupation was after I made him say it. I was young and ignorant."

Danny's eyelids lifted. He bit his lower lip.

"It took me a long time to figure out what a cleaner really did."

Flack glanced sharply at him. Danny didn't return his look.

"What an irony, huh, Don? My old man spent his life cleanin' up after gangsters and their murders … and his youngest son grew up to do 'xactly the same thing. 'Cept I do it to apprehend them, not protect them."

Danny's lips downturned into an aggrieved scowl. "When I found out, I was - I was so pissed off at him. I couldn't believe that he spent more of his time washing up murder scenes and getting rid of corpses for his employers than he did with mum and all of us. Sometimes, I couldn't stand him touching me. Sometimes, it - it sickened me. Was like I could see the blood all over him even when he was all clean and … and normal."

Danny squirmed in his seat. Flack's grasp around his hand kept him together. "I started gettin' nightmares. Started dreaming 'bout gettin' killed by the mob and then seein' my dad comin' in and cleanin' us out like we were just trash. It got to the point I couldn't sleep at all. I was so afraid it would come true. I was so angry at him for not stoppin'. But he was my dad, ya know? … I still loved him."

Danny's voice broke. He coughed.

"He kept sayin' it paid good. Said it'd help pay for my education fees and jumpstart my baseball career. I couldn't … I couldn't stand knowin' my future was goin' to be paid with the blood of murdered people, good or bad. My dad and I began growin' apart. He knew he was losin' me. And I knew I'd lost him already long ago."

Flack's hand squeezed his.

"My oldest brother Anthony … Tony, Tony used to say, when ya live by the gun, you die by the gun. I admit it. I wasn't mad at my old man for doin' what he did because it was against the law, as much as it was because I knew, if he stuck with the mob long enough … it never ended well."

Danny released a shuddering sigh.

"It didn't."

OooooooooooooooooooooooooO

"Danny … c'mon, son, talk ta yer Pop."

A young, fourteen-year-old Danny doggedly faced away from his father, an intense frown making him look older than his tender years. They sat on a bench next to the street, two immobile figures within a constantly shifting crowd of people.

"I didn't mean ta ferget our outin' today. Things just-"

"What, ya had to go to work again?"

Alessandro Messer sighed. He scratched at the back of his head, his dark brown and silver hair thin but well-combed. His youngest boy was a handful to deal with at times, just like his old man.

"Danny, ya know what it's like. These are people ya don't piss off ever."

Danny's blue eyes were huge and beseeching. "I don't want ya to work for them anymore, Pop! There're other ways to earn a livin'!"

Danny's father wrapped one stalwart arm around his son's thin shoulders. He had to get the boy to eat more, if the little thing wanted to play in the major leagues someday.

"I … I ain't smart like ya, kiddo. I never even finished high school. I ain't good at anythin' else. That's why I'm stuck doin' the dirty work. And that's why I'm doin' it to get you and yer brothers outta this kinda life."

Alessandro gently shook Danny's frame with his hand. "I-I know it's a bad thing I gotta do to earn money for the family, but it's gonna be worth it, you'll see." His dad grinned like a cat, and got Danny to look him in the eye. "Don'tcha wanna play in the big leagues, ah? Be the star player, ah? Ya know you've got what it takes."

Danny's sneakers scuffed the pavement. "Yeah."

Alessandro waved one hand dramatically through the air, staring up in wonder at a mind-blowing scene only he could see.

"I can see it already … Danny Messer, SUPERSTAR!"

Danny smiled minutely.

"And you're gonna be there on the field, standing there with yer lucky bat and the people are gonna go, 'HEY! That's Messer there! The superstar!' And the ball comes flyin' at ya, and WHACK! Theeeeeeere it goes high into the sky and you're runnin' over all the bases and the people scream, 'HOOOOOME RUUUUUUUUN!'"

Alessandro cackled, rubbing his son's tummy affectionately and hugging his son tightly to his hulking body. The man's heart ached terribly for his youngest child. He'd already lost his older sons to the evil that stalked the streets of New York, although Danny and his wife still didn't know it. He couldn't bear the thought of his innocent Danny ending up in the gangs too.

"Pop." Danny's small hands grasped his arms with a strength that belied his size. "Promise me you won't do it anymore."

Alessandro was torn up inside. His little boy had his mother's beautiful eyes. He could never prevail against them.

"Son, ya know I … I can't-"

"Promise me!"

Danny's father wavered. "I can't, Danny … I-I still have another job to do. After that one, okay? Just one more."

Danny stared at his dad with extremely wide eyes. Then, the young face scrunched up as two large tears trailed their way down Danny's cheeks.

"You always say that," Danny sobbed. "You ALWAYS say that!"

"Danny, I-"

"You're a liar, you're a LIAR. I hate you." Danny punched at his father's chest and shoulders with his fists, wailing in misery. "I HATE YOU!" He broke out of his father's embrace and ran as fast as he could away from his dad.

"Danny, no, come back!"

The tears in his eyes blurred his vision severely. The fact that his vision had been deteriorating made it even more difficult for him to dash forward without bumping into people. His dad would have simply been disappointed in him if Danny told him about it anyway.

Danny barely caught himself from crashing face first into a lamp post.

The ear-splitting report of a gun echoed in the air.

Danny screamed, shutting his ears with his hands. People all around him panicked, shrieking in terror and stampeding in all directions away from the source of the gunshot. He clung to the lamp post, scared stiff by the turmoil, the people knocking into him and the irrational fear that the next bullet was going to kill him.

Where was his dad, where was his dad!

"DAAAAD!"

Thin arms around the lamp post, he quickly surveyed his surroundings, frantically searching for any signs of his dad coming to look for him. Staring hard through the throng of fleeing civilians, he caught sight of the bench where he and father had sat.

His dad was sprawled on the pavement. He wasn't moving.

All of a sudden, Danny could no longer hear anything except for the rapid beating of his heart and the blood rushing in his ears. His breaths became harsher and harsher while he sprinted back to his father, fresh tears trickling down his face.

"DAAAAAAAAAAADDY!"

Danny halted in his tracks at the malevolent presence of the stranger in black looming over his dad's fallen body. The grinning man was wearing a thick, shin-length coat with a dark grey scarf around his neck. He had a high-priced, black suit on under the coat. The man's dark, slicked back hair and cold, malicious eyes reminded Danny of a poisonous viper. Smoke curled upwards from the barrel of the pistol he held in one gloved hand. The man's grin broadened when he saw Danny.

"Hope ya said goodbye to your old man, runt."

Danny flung himself on his dad, furiously shaking his still and soundless father. Danny's hands, arms and shirt were drenched in red in a matter of moments.

"Pop, wakeupwakeupWAKEUUUUUUUP!"

Alessandro Messer stared up with glazed, dim eyes. A quarter of the right side of his skull was missing. Pinkish-red matter leaked from the cavernous wound onto the pavement. A giant pool of blood was growing steadily around the decimated head. Danny could feel the warm blood soaking his jeans.

"Ya see, yer old man's dead 'cos he fucked up a job and got one of my top guys captured by the cops. If he'd cleaned up better, those fuckin' CSIs wouldn't have found the evidence to get 'im. But it doesn't matter now. Yer old man's paid up for his mistake, boyo."

The assassin bent down to stare Danny in the eyes, still grinning. "Nobody leaves the Tanglewood Boys."

The man donned a fedora hat, tipping it at Danny in a mocking gesture. "Tell yer mother Lucio Sassone said hi. Maybe you can come over and play with my son Sonny sometime, ah?"

Sassone laughed callously, strolling up to a rubbish bin and chucking the pistol into it before getting into a large, black car and escaping the murder scene.

Danny kneeled helplessly on the rough pavement, seeking anyone who would help his dad, but no one was near by. And where was the police?! Where were they when he needed them! He screamed at the top of his voice, pleading for anyone to help him.

"HEEEEEEEEELP MEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

No one dared to approach the gory site, or the bloodied, howling boy who was utterly alone in his suffering.

"Daddy …" Danny twisted his bloody hands in his father's shirt, gaping at the streaks of blood flowing down his father's slack and pallid face. "I didn't mean it, I don't hate you. Daddy, wake up." Danny began crying in earnest once more, laying his head onto his father's immobile chest.

In Danny's broken heart, the oncoming blaring of sirens resembled the death screech of vultures.

OooooooooooooooooooooooooO

"I didn't mean it … I don't hate you."

Flack hugged the weeping man in his arms with all his might. He rocked them both back and forth, placing a heartfelt kiss on the top of Danny's head. He made no move to wipe away the wet trails on his own face.

"Shh … it's over, it's over."

Danny's sobs were still harsh and shook the shorter man's body sporadically, but he was no longer exclaiming those two damning sentences repetitively. Flack tried his best to warm the other man's suddenly icy cold hands and feet. In fact, he felt chilly all over. Flack felt Danny start to shudder violently and continuously. His friend was going into shock.

Flack made a grab for his jacket on the back of the sofa, swiftly shrouding Danny with it and then closing his arms around his friend again. Danny was trembling so severely Flack was half-afraid he was actually having a mild seizure.

"Shhsshhh, it's okay. It's okay."

Flack resumed his gentle rocking again, sensing Danny's tears coursing down his neck and dampening the collar of his shirt. Danny kept his face buried in Flack's neck, sitting on Flack's lap and silent except for the diminishing sobs that still racked him. Flack thanked God that the endless tremors running through Danny's body were diminishing too.

They stayed that way for a very, very long time. It might have been minutes. It might have been hours. All that really mattered to Flack was that he'd chosen to jump over that cliff in his mind into that sea of monsters to claim his treasure.

And he'd made the right decision.

"The police came only two minutes after Sassone left."

Danny's voice was very husky and muffled. His eyes were swollen red and watery. At least, no more tears streamed from them. Danny's prominent nose was slightly red too. He had shifted lower onto Flack's chest, so he could hear Flack's soothing heartbeat.

"Nobody believed me when I pointed him out as the killer. He was such a recognized social figure, so the police assumed I was just tryin' to cause trouble for him to get money."

Flack bowed his head and leaned his chin on top of Danny's head, closing his eyes in despair. Now Flack truly understood Danny's acute distrust of the system.

"My mum forced me to drop the charges 'gainst him." Danny paused, then continued, answering Flack's unasked question. "She had an affair with him. When he'd taken what he wanted from her, he chucked her and left her with nothing."

Flack said nothing.

"My brother Louie was already in the Tanglewood Boys long before my Pop was murdered. I didn't find out until I caught him in his room a few days after Pop died and saw the tattoo on his back." Danny blinked. He nuzzled closer into Flack's firm chest. "He ended up becomin' their lackey and a morphine junkie. His addiction got so bad, mum kicked him outta the house for good. Even the Tanglewood Boys kicked him out eventually." Danny sighed. "He's been askin' me for money from the second I got a job and earned a livin' for myself. I stopped givin' him any when I realized he'd never stop usin' it to buy his drugs. Then I stopped talkin' to him too. "

Flack ran his fingers through Danny's hair in a monotonous, relaxing manner. "What 'bout Anthony?"

Danny was quiet for a minute or two. "He's worse," Danny answered cryptically.

Flack didn't push his friend. He'd already confided more in Flack than Flack ever believed he would in an entire life span.

"I've never told anyone."

Flack stilled. "'Bout what?"

Danny turned his face up so he could look at Flack. "My father's murder."

"But … you had to have told the cops so they'd know about Lucio Sassone."

Danny smiled sorrowfully. It was a smile Flack hoped he'd never see on Danny again. "I couldn't speak for two months after the incident, Don. I was so traumatized by it I literally became mute. I had to write down the guy's name on paper for the cops."

Flack attempted at some humor. He sorely wanted to see Danny smile again, and in a happy way. "Well, I guess oughta go lookin' for that guy, 'cos ya sure can run on and on like a motor when ya wanna."

Flack waited apprehensively for a reaction.

The genuine smile he got from Danny was even more radiant than the sun itself.

"Fuck you."

Flack grinned widely. Oh hell yes, this was the Danny he knew.

"And like I said before, Messer. In. Your. Dreams."

Danny sat upright, the jacket slipping from his shoulders. Danny was only wearing a black tank top. Flack was suddenly very aware of the breasts pressed against his chest. Danny gazed fervently at him from beneath sultry, half-lidded eyes.

"That's funny. In my dreams … it's always the other way around."

Flack inhaled sharply. Danny blushed bright red and glanced away.

Ohhh no, you're not getting away anymore.

Flack gripped Danny's chin and tenderly pulled until Danny was face to face with him again.

"Do you mean that, or are you just jerking my chain here?"

Danny's visage was still red and warm, but his eyes were filled with an emotion Flack zealously hoped was the desire and love he felt within himself.

"There's somethin' I wanna jerk, but it ain't a chain." Danny's blush darkened. Flack was secretly pleased Danny maintained eye contact this time.

Apparently, a certain part of his anatomy down below was very please as well.

Flack's hand slid up to cup Danny's neck, relishing the smooth flesh. Flack leaned his head down so his forehead was touching Danny's. Flack felt Danny's hand on his own neck, hot as fire. He could smell the peppermint in Danny's breath. They both breathed together as one for a minute, hanging precariously on the brink.

There was only one kiss they could call their first. Flack had no intentions of fucking this one up.

Flack slipped his moist lips over Danny's.

***

Chapter 24

The romance books always got it wrong. When they churned out descriptions like wet and juicy and tasty like strawberries, Flack reckoned he could smell the bullcrap in them from a mile away.

They were usually wrong. But not all the time.

Danny's lips were so much more succulent than strawberries or honey or chocolate. And they were far sweeter than any pair of lips Flack had ever kissed, even more than his very first crush whom he smooched at the green age of seven. Under the peppermint scent from his toothpaste, Flack could taste something else that was uniquely Danny, something almost spicy and yet sugary. He couldn't get enough of it.

Flack's lips parted wide, tempting Danny to do the same. Their lips still sealed, they devoured as much as they could of each other, writhing with a desperate flurry that made them gracefully fall into a lying position on the sofa. Flack was swift enough to use his elbows to support himself so he didn't fall on Danny with all his weight. He hadn't forgotten how he accidentally hurt his friend the last time that happened. This was no time to be causing pain, just pleasure.

Danny was making high-pitched, muted sounds that instantaneously made Flack harder than a rock. The CSI was also vigorously grinding his hips and groin into Flack's, the noises emitting from his throat becoming more sharp every time their cocks rubbed hard against each other. Fuck, he never knew just one of Danny's whimpers could already turn him on so bad. Danny roughly entwined his fingers into Flack's hair, keeping Flack's head still as he thrust his tongue deep in Flack's mouth. His mouth full and occupied as it was, Flack nearly smiled at Danny's aggressive actions. It seemed Danny's Italian blood was boiling in full heat now.

Well, Flack had a whole lotta Italian in him too.

"Babe, babe, slow down."

Danny's movements were becoming almost violent. Danny was continuously thrusting his groin into his, and had folded his legs around Flack's hips. His blue eyes were screwed shut in desperation; the smaller man looked very young without his spectacles. Danny was biting his lower lip, but it didn't stop his moans from escaping. Flack got onto his knees and gripped Danny's hands, which were around his neck, with his own.

"Danny, slow down."

When Danny couldn't stop, Flack lay back down between the other man's legs, letting the full weight of his lower body bear down on Danny's. Danny cried out at being no longer able to move and at the intense friction over his groin as Flack sinuously moved his body up and down, keeping pressure there. Danny's eyes flickered wide open, staring up at Flack in a drugged daze. Flack grinned like the Cheshire Cat. Hell yeah, he was the one who put that look there. Flack shifted his hands down to Danny's wrists and forcibly yanked Danny's arms upwards over his head. Danny gasped loudly.

"Hey, we don't hafta rush, 'kay?" Flack gently kissed him, then nibbled on Danny's full, lower lip. "Take it slow, wanna draw out our first time." Danny's body twitched in reaction. Danny closed his eyes and moaned.

Flack drew up, gazing down feverishly at the sight below him. With his arms stretched up like that, Danny's back was arched upwards, pushing out the large, soft breasts right at Flack's face. Even with the black tank top there, Flack could clearly see the nipples jutting through the fabric. Flack's eyes widened.

Danny wasn't wearing anything underneath the tank top.

"Danny. C'mon, look at me." Leaving one hand to maintain his hold on Danny's wrists, Flack used the other to tenderly brush the luxuriant hair away from Danny's face. Danny's visage was crimson red; Flack could feel the warmth coming off his cheeks before he even stroked them. After a few moments, Danny's eyes slowly opened again. They were filled with burning desire, and just as much anxiety. Flack nuzzled his face against his friend's like a cat, leaving kisses and nibbles intermittently all over Danny's until his friend relaxed.

Flack touched his forehead with Danny's.

"Will you let me …" Flack's question trailed off. His large hand sliding up towards one of the DD-sized breasts finished the rest of the question. Danny was trembling, but he licked his lips once, then replied with a passionate kiss. Flack's hands began to tremble as well.

Flack's right hand tentatively touched the left breast. His fingers tightened over the mound.

Danny's piercing groan made him let go immediately.

"I'm sorry!" Flack winced. "Did I hurt you?" Flack lightly ran his hand up and down Danny's taut side.

Danny blinked a few times. Flack thought the romance books had a point about eyes; he could really drown and spend eternity floating in Danny's blue, oceanic ones.

"N-no, it didn't hurt." Danny blinked again. His blush darkened. "They're just … s-sensitive."

Flack began to smile. "Sensitive in the good way, huh?"

Danny's swollen lips curved up in a small, shy smile. Flack's smile broadened.

"Oh yeeeah."

Without warning, Flack's head dipped. His yawning mouth sucked in as much of the nearest breast as it could over the black tank top. His tongue flicked over the tip of the nipple, and he felt it harden even through the barrier of the cloth.

Danny's harsh cries, interspersed with weak curses, echoed in the silent living room, apart from the suctioning noises of Flack's mouth. A powerful shudder incessantly shook Danny's entire body while Flack suckled on the breast, massaging the other. Flack had already freed Danny's wrists and was trailing the other hand down to Danny's track pants. Danny was so overwhelmed by the incredible sensations it was all he could do to toss his head from side to side on the sofa, holding Flack's head to his chest in an unyielding grip.

"Aahh … aaaaahhh! Ahh, fuck, aahhhh! AAHHH!"

Flack deliberately sucked harder just to hear Danny's moans go higher. Flack wanted so badly to record the hot noises Danny was making without even knowing it. He felt like he could come just from listening to them. Flack slithered his hand under the waistband of Danny's trousers, feeling the coarse pubic hair brushing his fingers as he pushed down the track pants to Danny's thighs.

Oh hell, Danny wasn't wearing any underwear either.

Flack gave the breast in front of his face a final, long lick, then lifted his head to gaze downwards at Danny's exposed groin. Danny was so hard his cock curved upwards towards his flat belly the second the constriction of his pants was removed. It leaked pre-come from its mushroom tip, glistening in the glare of the afternoon light. It was a beautiful appendage; smooth, thick and deep pink in color. Flack's tongue traced his lower lip.

Flack stroked a hand across the underside, eliciting a moan and an involuntary shove of hips from Danny. Danny's hips instinctively thrust upwards again when Flack grasped it in his hand, slickly moving his hand up and down and flicking his thumb over the sensitive head.

Danny bit the meaty part of his right hand, watching Flack with half-lidded, glossy eyes. His face was flushed, his thighs quivering. His track pants had slipped down past his knees to his ankles and bound his feet together, so Flack had a very salacious view of Danny reclined on the sofa with his knees spread wide apart in a diamond shape. Flack tugged off the trousers and resettled himself between Danny's legs, keeping the other man's legs opened out as they were.

"Uuhh, harder … please, Don." Danny rolled his hips as much as he could in his position, but got nowhere with Flack's hands pushing his thighs apart.

Flack's face broke into a ferocious grin. He'd just discovered a new kink.

Hearing Danny beg.

Flack ran his palms over Danny's inner thighs, savoring the firmness of the muscles beneath his hands. Flack swatted Danny's hands away from his groin when Danny tried to touch his own aching cock. He chuckled low in his throat at the obvious frustration twisting Danny's visage.

"Fuck, DON, lemme move!"

Danny suddenly surged up to an upright pose and flung himself on top of Flack, driving a loud grunt out of the homicide detective. Danny mimicked Flack's actions, pinning Flack's arms above his head. Flack laughed. Oh wow, he could so get used to doing this with Danny all day.

Danny flashed his notorious smirk. "My turn." The tip of his pink tongue flitted out of the corner of his mouth for a moment.

Flack laughed again, grinding his groin into Danny's. Danny threw his head back in a high moan, back arching. Flack's cock jerked in his pants at the lascivious sight. Danny was beautiful when he was in the uncontrollable throes of sexual passion. Flack pulled Danny down onto his chest, possessing his lips for yet another breath-stealing kiss. It was Flack's turn to shudder powerfully as Danny lithely corkscrewed his hips into his, causing lightning-fast pleasure to streak from his sheathed cock throughout his body.

Okay. That was it. Danny wanted it harder, he got it.

Flack unzipped his trousers and quickly pushed it and his boxers down to his thighs. Danny gasped audibly into their kiss after the next corkscrew of his hips, and bent his head downwards to stare at Flack's uncovered cock.

"Oh fuck, you're a fuckin' MONSTER."

Flack snickered at Danny's awed and not a little frightened comment. He stroked Danny's cheek and got Danny to look at him in the eye. Flack nipped at the tip of Danny's nose.

"Heh, they don't call it the Jackhammer for nothin', ya know." Flack sniggered some more at his friend's flabbergasted expression.

"Jackhammer?" Danny giggled and dropped his head beside Flack's, his laugh mixed with soft groans while their throbbing erections rubbed against each other.

Flack's hands caressed the entire length of Danny's torso until they reached the round, solid globes of the CSI's bottom. He squeezed them hard, taking control of the momentum of things once more.

"Fuck yeah, just imagine how it's gonna feel when it's inside ya." Holding Danny still, he thrust his hips fiercely, biting back a moan himself as their stiff cocks were squashed together between their flat stomachs. That felt good.

"Imagine it stretchin' ya until you feel like you're goin' to burst, imagine it so deep inside ya, you can't breathe and all you can do is pant and moan and scream and take it and take it and TAKE IT…"

Flack punctuated every point with a thrust, keeping Danny immobile with his hands and nibbling at Danny's earlobe. Danny's unrelenting moans started again, his panting loud and nerve-tingling in his ear. Danny's hand scrabbled at his upper arms, frenziedly seeking a handhold to anchor him in the intensifying whirlpool of sensations. Flack released his grip on his friend's buttocks and used his arms to lift Danny's upper body until those voluptuous breasts hung before his face.

Before Danny could respond, Flack wrenched the black tank top up to Danny's collarbones and enveloped one breast into his mouth, groaning at the taste of Danny's warm skin on his tongue. The smaller man's unique flavor was even stronger there.

Danny's whole body convulsed. His eyes snapped shut and his mouth opened in a soundless scream of ecstasy.

A hot wetness spread between their bellies, smoothing out Flack's increasingly rapid thrusts. Flack thought it was ironic that, in his moment of orgasm, Danny would be utterly silent. One more shove of his hips, and Flack came as well, crying out while mega starbursts erupted behind his eyelids and extreme bliss coursed through his quaking body.

Flack indistinctly felt Danny crumple on him, his face buried in the flesh between Flack's neck and shoulder. Their rough pants were synchronized, as was their movements towards each other's faces to mold each other's lips in delicate, calm kisses.

"Fuck."

Flack chuckled weakly. "Later. Superman needs to recharge."

Lying on top of Flack's rising chest, Danny managed a feeble cackle. The smaller man leisurely unbuttoned Flack's shirt so he could lie skin-to-skin on top of his lover. They lay on the sofa catching their breaths for a couple of minutes, Flack cuddling Danny in his arms and their supple legs intertwined.

"I've never come so hard in my life. Thought my brain exploded."

Flack smirked, running his hand through Danny's thick hair. "Yeah, that was really somethin', eh, Messer?"

Danny shifted onto his elbows, heedless of the stickiness between their bodies. He smiled fondly at the taller man under him. "Yeah. I've fucked around a lot. But I've never been loved like that, ever."

Flack didn't comprehend why, but Danny's warmhearted confession brought stinging tears to his eyes. He crushed Danny close to him, kissing him tenderly on his temple. They continued to rest for another ten minutes or so.

Then Flack's stomach emitted a low rumble.

In the silence, it sounded like a volcano was about to go off.

Danny and Flack concurrently look at each other, then down at Flack's tummy, then back up again.

"Whoops."

Danny chuckled, pecking Flack on the lips. "C'mon, hungry boy, let's go eat." Danny sat up, stretching out his rumpled tank top to pout at the damp stains on it.

Flack mentally berated his cock for hungering more action already at the vision of Danny sitting on the sofa with nothing on but a disheveled black tank top that hardly covered the DD-sized breasts on his chest. Flack decided this sunlit scene was now officially his new top favorite sexual fantasy of all time. That is, until they did what he'd promised earlier on. Flack's mind nearly broke into gazillion pieces simply imagining the sounds Danny was going to make while he was deep inside his friend.

Wait. Make that, his best friend and lover.

They stood up. Flack wiped at his stomach with Danny's track pants and zipped up his trousers.

"I'm gonna change my shirt. And my pants." Danny mock glared at Flack, who merely blinked and looked innocent. "You go reheat the food."

Flack lent his arm as a brace when Danny's legs wobbled after getting to his feet. Flack snickered.

"Man, Danny, if that alone tired you out this much already, how are we gonna have our sex marathon without you passin' out on me after the first round?"

Danny blushed and punched Flack in the shoulder. "Go and get the food ready, dumbass." Ah, Flack might have believed Danny really meant the insult, if it wasn't for the smile that graced Danny's lips. Flack gleefully watched Danny saunter to the bedroom. Now that was one shapely bottom right there. Jennifer Lopez had nothing on it.

Flack chuckled all the way to the kitchen. He even began whistling some random song as he popped the crab dish into the oven. He couldn't stop grinning his head off.

Wow. So this was what it felt like to be truly happy.

Eight minutes passed.

The timer on the oven rang, and Flack went to shut off the oven.

That was weird. Danny hadn't come out of the bedroom.

Flack smirked. Oh hoh, perhaps that little fiend was planning to surprise him in there with some more horizontal loving. He cackled.

Okay, he was definitely cool with that.

"Daaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnny."

Flack walked straight into the bedroom, anticipating some kind of shock like the other guy leaping onto him from behind the door or something.

Flack got way more than he asked for.

For a minute, he assumed Danny was playing a prank on him by lying sprawled on his side in a fetal position on the floor, his back facing the door.

"Danny? Hey, c'mon, I'm hungry. We can play jokes on each other later."

Nothing.

Flack suddenly felt a massive, icy boulder sinking in his abdomen, the same one he felt weeks ago when the explosion occurred and Flack believed it was the last time he would ever see the man he loved.

He dashed to Danny's side, deftly drawing the shorter man close to him. A dreadful twinge twisted at his heart at Danny's pale and clammy skin, and his fast, shallow breathing. No, not again …

"Danny, wake up." Flack gently slapped at Danny's cheek. "C'mon, buddy, don't do this to me."

Danny moaned and stirred slightly, but stayed unconscious.

Flack pressed two fingers to the pulse in Danny's neck. He scowled. It was rapid and weak like Danny's breathing too.

Danny's blue eyes opened to slits.

"Thank God." Flack brushed the hair out of Danny's face. "Hey, buddy, are you okay? Are you hurting anywhere?"

Danny tried to whisper something. His eyelids fluttered close. Flack jostled his shoulders in an attempt to awaken him again. It didn't work.

Flack's own breathing escalated. Flack recognized the signs of panic in himself. He had to call the one guy who could find out what was wrong with Danny safely and pronto. He laid Danny back down onto the floor, scuttling to the living room to grab his mobile phone. He ran back to the bedroom and snatched the thin blanket on the bed before going to Danny's side once more.

He pressed a number, placing the phone between his ear and shoulder, elevating Danny's head and shoulders onto his thighs. Flack then draped the blanket over his friend.

The person on the other side of the line picked up.

"HAWKES! I don't care what you're doin' right now, Danny's collapsed and he needs help! NOW!"

Flack didn't bother to listen to Hawkes' reply. The small phone plummeted from his loosening clutch onto the carpeted floor.

"Hey, Danny, I've called Hawkes, he's comin' to help you, don't die me, Hawkes is comin', okay? Hang in there, please, Danny, don't die."

He hugged Danny to his chest, nuzzling his face into Danny's dark brown hair.

If he lost Danny now, he'd be left with absolutely nothing. Everything that meant anything to him was right here in his arms.

Don Flack, Jr. had never been so fearful in his life.

***

Chapter 25

Mac was standing at the window, his mien grim and discontented. The setting sun shed distorted splashes of saturated orange and purple hues onto his static figure.

Lindsay was sitting on the sofa next to Flack, cupping her face with her hands and appearing just as unhappy as her supervisor. Her dirty blonde hair was tied up in a messy bun on her head. One of her feet shuffled the floor.

Flack sat back on the couch, back ramrod straight, staring with wide, blank eyes at nothing. No one commented on his open shirt that exposed his flat chest and rippled tummy.

As for Stella, she leaned on the wall beside the semi-open door to the apartment bedroom, arms folded on her chest. She could hear Hawkes moving around adroitly in the room while he looked over Danny to see what had caused the CSI to suddenly fall unconscious like he did.

Stella had been at the lab with Mac working on one of their latest cases when Hawkes virtually smashed his way in through the door and slammed into their table with a painful thwack to pass Flack's panicked phonecall message. She and Mac instantaneously dropped everything and assigned some of the other lab technicians to handle or watch over their tests.

Work could wait.

Death did not.

Stella made a mental reminder to talk to Mac about giving that lead young tech at least a raise or even a promotion, for volunteering to help them with their workload so often without complaint. Chad. Yeah, that was his name.

Mac drove his SUV like a frigging psychopath, almost running over a group of teenage girls wearing clothes even Stella grimaced about. And she was one who thought wearing low-cut tops to work was totally fine. Usually, Hawkes was the first to balk at such road manners, or lack thereof, due to his minor motion sickness, but the former ME didn't utter a peep. He was hardly thinking about his own discomfort.

Now, only a half hour later, the entire team was over at Mac's hideout apartment holding their breaths over the questionable fate of one of their own.

The bedroom creaked open. Stella looked in and saw Danny lying still on the bed, wrapped up in a beige blanket. His eyes were closed. He appeared exceedingly pale, and had less color than the cloth around him.

Flack instantly leapt onto his feet, stomping towards a silent Hawkes. Lindsay also stood up, while Mac pivoted and looked inquiringly at Hawkes for answers. Stella went to stand next to Hawkes, resting one hand on his shoulder.

"We need to get Danny to a hospital. Now."

Lindsay gasped. Mac's grim expression contorted into a deep scowl. Stella's hand tautened on Hawkes' shoulder. Flack halted before Hawkes, eyes glassy and moist.

"What's wrong with him?" Flack's fisted hands were shaky. "He was just fine-" Flack broke off.

Hawkes gazed with compassionate, brown eyes at the tall detective. "He's bleeding internally. He's showing all the signs; clammy pale skin, rapid pulse, and his abdomen's swelled up." Hawkes looked around at the others, mouth downturned in a powerless expression. "Without the proper equipment, I-I don't even know where to begin searching for the exact source of the bleeding or stop it. We have to bring Danny to a hospital immediately."

Hawkes swallowed visibly. "Or he'll die."

Flack's eyes screwed shut and he turned away from everyone, hunched over and gripping his upper arms tightly. Mac's expression didn't change, but his hands knotted into white-knuckled fists. Lindsay looked like she was about to shed tears. Stella knew that, while Lindsay was a new member of the team, Danny was one of those people who'd grown on her over time. Danny grew on everyone over time, including herself.

"If we take him to the hospital, the FBI will be on him in minutes." Flack's voice was gravelly and tremulous. "I won't let those fuckin' bastards take him away and USE HIM AS A LAB RAT!"

Hawkes' professionalism kicked into full power. "I understand, we all feel the same, but Danny needs emergency medical attention." Hawkes squeezed Flack's forearm in empathy. "At least at the hospital, his internal bleeding can be stopped. We can buy him more time."

"But … if it's the nanotechnology that's causing the bleeding …" Lindsay said. "It won't matter if we bring him to the hospital. The doctors won't have a clue what to do."

Hawkes sighed. "I know. But it's the best chance Danny's got right now."

"We're gonna find that Goddamed bitch right now." Flack was buttoning up his shirt. It was an eerily calm action that contradicted the increasing rage in his big, blue eyes and low voice. "I don't care how many Feds are watchin' her. I'll mow 'em all down to get to her if I have to."

"What if the address Hillborne gave us was wrong?"Stella said worriedly. She glanced at Mac. "We haven't had an opportunity to check it out." She sighed in frustration. "If it's wrong …" Stella trailed off. She couldn't complete the sentence.

"Mac." Surprisingly, it was Flack who turned to the head CSI. "Whadda we do?"

Everyone looked towards the quiet, ruminating man, seeking guidance in this bleak hour.

Mac stood there without a word for another minute, took a deep breath then stalked over to a locked wooden cabinet on the far side of the living room. He wound the key in the golden lock once, opening the ornate doors to reveal an enormous compartment packed with an astounding range of firearms and bladed armaments.

Lindsay was staring at the display with humongous eyes. "Whoa … you weren't kidding about owning all those weapons, were you?"

Mac smirked minusculely at her. He picked up a black nine millimeter pistol, checked it and then pitched it fluidly at Flack along with a full clip. Flack caught the gun with his left hand, then the clip after passing the gun to his right hand. Flack removed the clip from the gun to see its clip was also full.

"Mac. It doesn't have a serial number," Flack said.

Mac looked meaningfully at the younger detective. "I know."

Mac examined three more pistols, then handed one each to Stella and Hawkes. Lindsay didn't protest at not getting one. Stella, as well as Mac, had noticed the uneasiness in her eyes when Flack mentioned the lack of a serial number on the gun he received. Hawkes was not comfortable about the issue too.

"We … we don't have to use these, do we?" Hawkes held the gun as if it was branding him. "We're police officers. Even if the FBI is responsible for what happened to Danny, we can't simply open fire on them!"

"Don't worry, Doc." Flack smirked callously. "You can let me do the shootin'." He cocked the gun. The sharp sound resonated loudly. "I promise I'll only aim between their legs."

"No casualties." Mac's tone was stern. "The only reason we're using these guns instead of our official ones is to make sure we can't be traced if things go out of control. It's already bad enough Hillborne has us in his sights …" Mac's face twisted in disgust as he said the name. "He does not need more ammo to nail us."

"Danny's life is on the line now. That little brat had better appreciate what we're doing for him."

Stella smiled at Mac's attempt to lighten the oppressive, grave mood. In all their years together, it was always the rare moments when Mac allowed himself to really smile or crack a joke that Stella cherished most. People often forgot Mac was simply a man with multi-layered feelings and secrets beneath the detached veneer.

Flack checked that the safety was still on, pushed the clip back in and put the gun in the waistband of his trousers. He walked on long, lanky legs to the bedroom. Stella stared at the gun in her hand, then placed it on a shelf near the bedroom door. Stella followed Flack a few minutes later, anxious to see Danny up close for herself.

She stopped at the doorway at the scene of Flack kneeling at the bedside, lovingly stroking the comatose man's brown hair. Danny stirred, lips moving soundlessly. Flack tilted forward to hear what Danny was mumbling, but evidently couldn't make out the words. Flack caressed Danny's ashen cheek with his thumb, imploring Danny to say it again. When Danny stayed lifeless, Flack bowed his head and rubbed his forehead to Danny's, nestling his face against Danny's cheek.

It was an incredibly intimate act that made Stella feel like an intruder on a very private moment.

Flack lifted his head after a while and slowly spun his head to look at Stella. His eyes were puffy but dry. Stella's heart ached at the small, brave smile on Flack's haggard face.

"Do ya mind gettin' a pair of socks from his luggage? His feet are like ice."

Stella went to the black, zipped bag at the end of the bed and dug around for some socks. Her vision was blurry, but she found a pair swiftly nonetheless. Flack was already carefully pulling Danny into his arms, tucking the unconscious man's head under his chin and arranging the blanket folds to keep the CSI warm. Stella gently tugged the black socks up Danny's chilled feet, blinking her eyes rapidly to clear them.

When Stella was done, Flack shifted an arm under Danny's knees and effortlessly raised himself to his feet with his load. Hawkes was at the doorway.

"Mac and Lindsay are already downstairs in his SUV. He knows a shortcut from here to the house where the nanotechnologist is."

Stella nodded in acknowledgement. Hawkes stepped aside for Flack to stride through, then shadowed the tall homicide detective closely behind.

Stella was the last to leave the empty apartment. Just as she left the bedroom, she realized her official gun was still in its holster at her side. She saw the gun Mac'd given her earlier on the shelf where she left it. Staring at it, the enormity of the whole situation was beginning to hit her like a twenty-ton anvil. If things went to the crapper, not only were they going to lose Danny, they would stand to lose their jobs and even serve prison time for illegally breaking and entering an FBI safe house.

Not to mention what Flack was capable of doing with his current mindframe. As far as the guy was concerned, he had nothing more to lose. Stella was dead certain he meant every word when he said he would do all the shooting. He had every right to be enraged.

Danny was dying.

And it was all due to the pride and wickedness of a single woman who was already responsible for the death of at least one person. Stella had the horrible feeling the woman's husband and Danny weren't the only victims of the dangerous technology she and her dead hubby were developing.

Stella gritted her teeth. She went up to the open artillery cabinet and caught sight of Mac's and Hawkes' official guns at the base of the compartment. She pulled out her own and placed it next to Mac's, sliding the other gun into the holster.

All bets were off now.

OooooooooooooooooooooooooO

The house was an ordinary, beige-colored wooden townhouse in the area of Red Hook, Brooklyn. Flack's brain was noting down all the details of the place even as he hugged Danny close to his body, his senses fine-tuned to the smallest changes in the bundled man's breathing and movement.

It was squarish in shape, with three white-framed windows on the first floor and two on the ground floor. A simple, dark brown wooden front door was directly beneath the left upper window. A short flight of terracotta steps lead to the door from undersized, black front gates. Attached to the sides of the gates and encircling the house was a low wall of bricks that marked the fence. Next to the flight of steps was a little garden filled with potted, iridescent flowers and a single willowy tree in the center.

A childhood memory popped up out of the blue. His parents had once searched for a new house to live in when he was about seven years old. They'd traveled here to this part of Brooklyn and inspected a house very similar to their destination, which was a couple of car lengths up the street from where Mac had parked the SUV. Yeah, that was it. His mum had called it a Red Hook clapperboard house. The house might very well be over a hundred years old.

Mac had shut off the lights inside and outside the car. He'd also purposely parked the car away from the street lamp so they were concealed in the shadows. There were other cars on both sides of the street, so it was safe to assume this was a populated locale. The appearance of their vehicle wouldn't be much of a surprise or great cause for suspicion. Fate was kind to them that night. There were so many cars in the area because one of the houses a little further down the road was apparently holding a party of sorts. There was a large group of people on the front lawn of that house, chatting and laughing together.

However, it was also as much a disadvantage as it was an advantage. If a shootout actually broke out between them and the FBI agents stationed in that house guarding the scientist, innocent people could get injured. Or worse, identify Mac and the others. Everyone was thankful Mac had his car's windows tinted so no one could look inside.

From inside the dim interior of the car, Flack peered with narrowed eyes at the hideout house. The lights were on. Flack could see shadows flitting past the curtained windows. Flack's trigger finger itched just imagining the look of horror and fright on the bitch's face when he stormed the place.

"Danny?"

Flack felt Hawkes reach out to press his fingers against Danny's neck.

"No change. But he's not deteriorating," the former ME answered Mac.

Mac turned back to face his three CSIs and homicide detective in the back. The back seat had been folded so that there was more space to fit the four people. Flack leaned against the front passenger seat where Stella sat, with his long legs partially drawn up and supporting Danny's head and upper body. The rest of the unconscious man's body lay at a near forty-five degree angle on the car floor, feet pointing towards one corner of the car. Hawkes sat behind Mac's driver seat, so he could be near Danny at all times to check on his state. Lindsay sat opposite Flack in the cargo area, next to Danny's lower legs and feet. She had steadied Danny's legs every time the SUV hit a rocky patch along their journey.

"Alright, listen up." Glancing at Mac, Flack knew this was not Mac the CSI supervisor who was speaking. It was Mac the Marine. "Lindsay and Hawkes, you'll stay in here with Danny. Flack, Stella and I will go inside the house and deal with whoever's in there."

Mac avoided Stella's intense, questioning gaze. "We'll try our best to avoid a violent confrontation, but if that happens …" Mac looked at Lindsay. "Lindsay, I want you in the driver's seat once the three of us get out. Hawkes will monitor Danny's condition. If either of you don't get a call from me in ten minutes, get yourselves the hell out of this place and go to the nearest hospital. Do you understand me?"

Lindsay gulped inwardly. "Yes, sir."

Mac shifted his eyes to Hawkes. "Sheldon, pray that you won't have to use that gun."

Hawkes pursed his lips, eyes filled with apprehension and worry for all his friends, especially the one Flack held in his arms.

Mac looked at Flack last. "It's time."

Flack clung onto Danny for a few more seconds, then reluctantly released him over into Hawkes' open arms. His hands reflexively curled into angry fists at the loss of physical contact. The rage within him boiled to an unruly peak as the tender memory of holding Danny in his arms under such different circumstances materialized so vividly in his mind. He stretched out a hand and affectionately stroke one hand down Danny's pallid face, unmindful of who saw it. He stared hard at the man whom he'd claimed as his lover just hours before, memorizing every inch of Danny's face. Then he flung open the SUV's side door and got out, his blue eyes hurting with a prickly pain.

Mac and Stella were already outside standing by the headlights. Lindsay got out of the same passenger door Flack used and went over to the driver's door.

"Good luck, guys." Lindsay's expression was an odd combination of anxiety and hope. She sent an encouraging smile towards Flack, then hopped inside and closed the door.

"We'll go in through the back," Mac said softly. "Follow my lead, and let me handle the agents we come across first. Back me up only when I say so. And, Flack." Mac stared him in the eye. "No shooting unless it's absolutely necessary, got it?"

Flack drew out his gun, unlocking its safety. If absolutely necessary meant Flack bumped into that greasy asshole of a Fed Agent Summers again and the guy was asking for it, oh, he could do absolutely necessary.

Flack bared his teeth. They gleamed in the semi-darkness.

"Don't worry, Mac. I got it."

OooooooooooooooooooooooooO

"WOOOO, lookit the jugs on THAT babe!"

Agent Carlo Alvarez rolled his dark brown eyes as his partner, Agent Duke Summers, chucked popcorn into his gaping, grease-covered mouth and gestured at the television that was featuring some beauty pageant. Carlo never had an interest in these types of shows. He believed they showed women in a negative light and emphasized that women were only worth being loved if they were physically attractive by world standards, looked like sticks and spent thousands of dollars getting teeth that looked like bleached dentures. He also believed all this was complete bullshit television was wrongfully forcefeeding young girls and women these days.

What was the point of wasting all that money on something as fragile as physical looks? Eventually, even the most expensive plastic surgery would fail to stop the ravages of time. People should be making more of an effort to make themselves beautiful on the inside. Didn't they understand that inner beauty was what made a person truly beautiful?

He thought about his wife, Rosalia, with a fond smile, ignoring the revolting chewing sounds from beside him. Sure, she was no beauty pageant queen. But she was the queen of his heart who loved him like he was a king, and that was all that mattered to him.

Unfortunately for Carlo, Duke was an asshole of a guy who believed in the total opposite of everything he did.

"Yeeeeeeeechh, now THAT one's a pig. Geddoff the stage, ya ugly MUTT!"

Carlo glared at Duke from the corner of his eye. "You know, the good Lord says, 'Judge not, lest ye be judged.'" Carlo grimaced as Duke shoved more popcorn into his mouth and belched loudly. "Perhaps you should look at yourself first before calling somebody else a pig."

The cynical connotation slid off his oblivious partner like the oil all over his mouth. "Awww, c'mon, Alvarez. This is a fuckin' PAGEANT. They're askin' for it!"

Carlo had to admit Duke had a valid point.

A noisy yawn from behind them drew Agent Alvarez's attention. He twisted around on the couch to see Agent Donovan Lucas slouching on a chair at the coffee table near the couch, propping his head on his hand and inches away from falling right off his seat in drowsiness. Carlo smirked in sympathy. Poor Donovan was right out of the academy and had been longing for some heart-pumping action since his graduation. Rookies were always like that. Thinking they were immortal and that being a part of some violent shootout would make them men. He couldn't blame them. Once upon a time, he was like that too.

"Hey, Lucas, why don't you just go upstairs and retire for the night, already?" Carlo asked with a smile.

Donovan blearily opened his eyes. He made a noncommittal grunt. "Boss says we gotta stay down 'ere." Their boss was, of course, Agent Turgis, who was currently upstairs with Mrs. Kovacs.

Agent Alvarez shook himself forcefully just thinking about that awful thing that considered itself a pretty woman. She was possibly the best reminder of why natural, goodhearted women were really the best kind of women in the world.

"HEY! Lucas! Go get s'more coffee from the kitchen!" Duke hollered, not even bothering to glance away from the television.

Carlo sent Lucas an apologetic look. Lucas merely shrugged and made a bored face. Lucas was young but he was a good man. As long as he didn't end up being stuck with Summers for too long, he was going to be fine. Agent Lucas pushed himself off the chair and shuffled to the kitchen, yawning again. Carlo turned back to the television, sighing. Oh great, the swimsuit segment. He was so going to enjoy Duke's commentary on this. Not.

Three minutes passed.

Duke was ripping a new one at the young, and probably underaged, model on the screen, while ogling her at the same time. Agent Alvarez expertly ignored his FBI partner and gazed in the direction of the kitchen in wariness.

That was weird. It didn't take this long to get three cups of coffee. Unless Lucas actually fell asleep in there. Carlo was about to get off the couch when Agent Summers yelled again.

"HEY! LUCAS! What's takin' so long!"

There was no reply.

Agent Alvarez stood up, drawing out his gun. His partner carelessly dumped the carton of popcorn on the floor, pulling out his own weapon. He treaded cautiously towards the kitchen entrance, gun gripped tightly before him as his training taught him.

The ear-splitting scream that blasted at him shocked Carlo so badly he thought he'd jumped out of his own skin. His grasp on his gun weakened. Beside him, he heard the ringing sound of metal striking the wooden floor. Duke cursed fluently and roughly, obviously shaken by the scream as well.

In less than one-one hundredth of a second after the scream, a hazy figure emerged out of nowhere and barreled straight into Agent Summers, sending his rotund partner flying nearly a dozen feet in the air and precisely onto the television set. There was a reverberating crash on impact, and a funny conking sound when Agent Summers' head thumped into the wall. The television fizzed out with a spark and boom, crushed to pieces under Duke's weight. The guy was out cold on the floor.

Carlo yelped in pain at the fast blow to his right wrist. The gun fell out of his hand and clattered onto the floor. A second speedy punch to his face sent him plunging to the floor in agony. He'd been beaten hard by the trainers at Quantico, but he'd never felt a blow as powerful as that. He lay vulnerably on the floor, staring up with slitted eyes at his attacker.

Agent Alvarez half-anticipated to see some super ninja in a black costume, and was stunned to see it was just a man in khaki trousers, a checkered shirt and long coat. The man's hazel eyes looked down at him. Carlo swore the man was trying to make a silent apology with the expression in them.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOIN' ON HERE!"

Carlo was glad he was down for the count. His boss was a frightening force of destruction when he was mad. He distinctly heard four different sets of footsteps. One belonged to Agent Turgis.

"Oh my GOD! It's HIM! He's come to KILL MEEEEE! DO SOMETHING, AGENT TURGIS!"

Okay. One pair belonged to the plastic woman.

"Lay down your gun and put your hands up! NOW!"

Carlo moved his eyes and looked at the man with the hazel eyes. Nope, he wasn't the one shouting so there was another man in the place. Third person.

"DO IT!"

Ah. There was also another woman apart from Mrs. Spoilt Barbie. The fourth.

A thunk indicated his superior had put down his gun on the floor. Agent Alvarez slowly shifted his head to get a better view of the whole scenario. He frowned at the smile on Agent Turgis' face. What the?

"Maclaren." Jon guffawed. "I see your Screaming Mac Attack is as effective as ever."

His assailant, Maclaren, didn't laugh along. "We need Mrs. Kovacs' help."

"What are you waiting for! KILL THEM!" By God, she was irritating.

"Shut. Up." Carlo literally heard the Kovacs woman wither at the fury in Agent Turgis' command. Agent Turgis turned back to face the man called Maclaren. Carlo now saw the other two strangers who'd followed this Maclaren in. One was a young man with dark, short hair and large blue eyes, aiming his gun at both his supervisor and their charge, but mostly at the blonde woman. The other was a stunning woman with a full head of wavy hair, also aiming her gun in the same direction.

"Figures you'd find this place one way or another." Jon calmly glanced over Maclaren and his cohorts. "What's goin' on? You wouldn't pull this kinda shit unless it was bad."

"My CSI is dying, Jon." Ah. This Maclaren person personally knew his boss. Carlo could hear it in the way he spoke to Agent Turgis. "Please. He needs help. We have nowhere else to go." Carlo could also hear how difficult it must have been for the man to plead this way.

His superior was silent, his face an emotionless mask.

Then, the colossal man said, "They're outside in the getaway car, aren't they? Betcha even gave them a time limit 'fore they oughta get the fuck outta here." Agent Turgis grinned. "Call 'em." He glanced at the young man and wavy-haired woman, even winking at the lady. "Putcher guns down. I ain't gonna hurt ya."

Still lying on the floor, eyes starting to flutter close, Agent Alvarez observed Maclaren taking out his phone, a very relieved light in his hazel eyes.

"Hawkes. It's clear. Bring Danny in."

***

Chapter 26

One minute into the break-in, Lindsay was drumming her fingers nervously on the grey steering wheel, chewing on her lower lip. In the back, Hawkes was silent and motionless. Lindsay could sense the tension emanating from the other CSI right through the driver's seat.

Two minutes into the break-in, there was no discernible sign anything had happened. She swiveled around to check on the other two occupants of the vehicle. Danny was still comatose, swaddled in the beige blanket and reclining on his back on Hawkes' sturdy chest, between Hawkes' legs. The former ME also had his arms enfolded securely around Danny, wrists crossed and one hand clutching his mobile phone.

Lindsay touched Hawkes on the shoulder. He smiled at her, although his eyes were downcast.

"He comes and goes. He's holding on."

Lindsay gave Hawkes a small smile. Aiden was right. Messer was a fighter through and through.

Three minutes into the break-in, Danny moaned mutedly and budged his head just a little. It was enough to make Hawkes gaze downwards and pat Danny on his head, lightly calling the unconscious man's name to see if he was awakening. Danny's sunken eyes stayed shut.

Four minutes into the break-in, Hawkes moved to the passenger seat side so he could twist his head and have a better view of the house. He moved Danny onto his side so the man could breathe easier. There was still no outward sign of a fracas in the house.

Five minutes into the break-in, two shadows darted across one of the front windows of the house. Lindsay perked up in her seat, avidly watching that window. Hawkes held his breath.

Five seconds later, Lindsay heard a muffled roar coming from the house that made her flinch. Hawkes' head appeared next to the headrest of the driver's seat.

"What the hell was that?" Hawkes said anxiously.

Lindsay could merely shake her head.

A second later, a blurred shadow sailed past the window and a subdued crash sounded. A significant flash of light burst behind the curtains. Then, nothing.

Nearly six minutes into the break-in, Lindsay started tapping her foot erratically on the accelerator pedal. Hawkes inhaled audibly. More shadows flitted across the curtained windows. A metallic click alerted Lindsay that Hawkes had taken out his gun and unlocked the safety.

Seven minutes into the break-in, Lindsay reached for the key in the ignition. Her rising heartbeat was becoming louder and louder in her ears. Hawkes shifted restlessly. The car engine purred to life.

Seven-and-a-half minutes into the break-in, the phone in Hawkes' hand abruptly rang.

Both of them were startled out of their wits by the unexpected noise of that singer Shakira singing about having breasts as big as mountains. Lindsay couldn't help thinking Hawkes' ringtone was strangely appropriate in some way for Danny's situation. Hawkes swiftly answered the call.

His elated grin said everything to Lindsay. "That was Mac. He wants us to go in."

Lindsay sighed in intense relief and laid her forehead on the steering wheel.

"ThankGod."

OoooooooooooooooooooooooooooO

Agent Jon Turgis settled himself on a chair at the coffee table in the living area in an unhurried manner. He'd been about to blow his top at being forced to listen to Delilah Kovacs, unbelievably a professor in nanotechnology like her late husband, whining about not being able to yak with her galpals or why the food wasn't exactly like she wanted. Or why she wasn't allowed to leave the house to go shopping. Or why all the FBI agents were ugly except for Alvarez.

Jon sighed inwardly. He was damn happy to see Maclaren again. Even if his old friend wasn't even supposed to know where the house was, much less crash the place and kick his agents' asses to kingdom come and back. Jon supposed that was one of the reasons why Maclaren Taylor was the only man in the universe who ever succeeded in getting under his skin. And then some.

Agent Summers, that fat tub of lard, was still sprawled on the floor like a slimy, beached whale. Maclaren sure did a number on him. The poor bastard was gonna be feeling the pain for weeks. He wouldn't be surprised if the guy had broken ribs. Agent Alvarez was sitting on the sofa with an ice pack to his inflamed face. Red and bluish bruises were already beginning to show. Alvarez was a good man and agent. Jon was glad Mac had been less ruthless on him.

His Greek goddess was no longer pointing her gun at him, but her glare was just as lethal. Jon grinned impenitently at her. He knew she was a softie at heart. She wouldn't have bothered getting the ice pack for Alvarez otherwise. He wondered if she was available for a date when this whole mess blew over. He bet she was a fiery goddess in bed too. The pretty boy cop still had his gun towards a trembling Mrs. Kovacs, looking like he was waiting for the tiniest excuse to pull the trigger.

Part of Jon wanted to persuade the guy to just do it and get it over and done with.

But that would be foolish, considering the whole fiasco was to save their dying pal.

After disconnecting the call, Maclaren paced over to the front door and opened it, standing there and looking out for something. His friend walked out of sight, talking urgently to someone outside. Then, a woman, with her hair tied in a bun, and a black man in a blue shirt and light brown jacket hastily entered, carrying a limp body wrapped in a blanket between them.

Jon mentally winced. Geez, so this was the Messer guy people were yapping about. He could hardly judge whether those people were right, because the guy looked like he was already dead.

The black man, whom Jon assumed to be the ME called Hawkes, was holding tight to Messer's torso while the woman, who, if he recalled correctly, was the newly hired CSI called Monroe, lifted the legs with her arms. Messer was chalk white compared to the sheet swathing his body and legs. The only color on his face were the dark, deep-set circles surrounding his closed eyes. His head lolled lifelessly on the ME's shoulder as Hawkes and Monroe maneuvered themselves to the vacated couch. Alvarez had darted off the furniture the instant he saw the trio come in.

The kid was in a bad shape. Jon was no ignoramus to the symptoms of a man who was bleeding internally to death. He'd seen enough of his injured friends in war appear that way before they bought the farm. It was no wonder Maclaren was driven to such an extent. After all these years, the stubborn guy was still a damn martyr.

The pretty boy cop, Flack, was beside the couch straight away once the ailing man was resting on the cushions. Flack caressed the man's dark brown hair, whispering encouragements eventhough his friend was utterly oblivious. Jon's gut instincts told him Flack and Messer were way more than just friends. As he quietly gazed at Flack stroking Messer's face, he thought of humid, desert afternoons, loaded weaponry and glazed, hazel eyes staring up at him while his giant hands worked their magic.

With the direct threat of her death taken away, Delilah's spitefulness reared its ugly head and she opened her trap of a mouth.

"Well, well, well. So you've come to me for help." She stared down her nose at Messer like he was nothing more than an insignificant insect. "What's the matter, is he hemorrhaging inside?"

Hawkes glowered harshly at her. "You programmed the nanobots to do that too?"

Delilah smiled cruelly. "But of course. I had to make sure Adam died. No matter what." Her cold eyes glimmered with a disturbing madness. "And look. Now your friend is going to die too."

Hawkes openly displayed his disgust on his visage. His Greek goddess, Bonasera, scowled like a pissed off jaguar. Monroe looked centimeters away from tackling Mrs. Kovacs and beating the snot out of her.

Flack literally acted on it.

Jon was thankful he was still as fast as he was in his younger Marine days. He bulldozed Flack from the side and clamped his tree trunk-like arms around the thrashing detective, narrowly evading a strong fist flying at his face. Flack's gun fell to the floor and skidded a couple of feet away. Boy, the kid was tough for his body shape. Jon maintained his grip until Flack began to tire. From the corners of his silver eyes, Jon could see the detective's friends were hesitant over how to aid him. Even Maclaren held back, but the glint in those hazel eyes of his were different from the fluster in the others. Maclaren understood him and his actions.

"Calm down, kid, if ya wanna help yer buddy. I'm on your side, remember?" Jon whispered into Flack's ear.

Jon unfastened his hold. Flack broke out with an aggravated, wide fling of his arms, winded and pulsing with adrenalin. Jon felt sorry for the poor kid. Both times they'd met, including this time, he'd ended up ramming the guy down like a bullet train. And it wasn't really the kid's fault either.

Delilah opened her yap again. "You're all FINISHED! More FBI agents are already on their way here! And you're ALL going to PRISON!" She thrust one manicured finger at Flack. "Especially YOU!"

Flack's hands balled into fists again. Geez, the bitch never learned.

"Agent Turgis! ARREST THEM!"

Jon simply sat back down on his chair, pulled out a cigarette from a pack in his coat pocket and casually lit it. He blew out rings of smoke, then said, "Nope."

Mrs. Kovacs turned purple, and stomped her foot on the floor. "Do it! It's your JOB!"

"Ya know, for a government lackey, ya sure think you're one important person, don'tcha?" Jon puffed out more smoke from his mouth and nostrils. "I got a newsflash for ya, hon."

He whipped a hand in her direction and crushed her wrist in it. He wrenched her down to her knees. She screamed in fright. He shoved his face at hers, looming over her.

"Ya think you're so important, haahn? Think you're the only scientist 'round who knows how ta work this nanotechnology? Right now as I'm talkin', there're hundreds of others who're studyin' it and learnin' it. It's just a matter of time 'fore you're obsolete. The only reason you ain't dead, is because I haven't reported my final findings to the higher ups. They don't know yet that YOU killed their top nanotechnologist. And guess what? I've got your confession all taped and ready to be mailed at my notice. Ya know what that means? It means I'M the one who's got the winning hand here. It means I'M the one who gets ta decide how long ya get ta live as a free woman before my bosses decide ta end it with a quick shot to the head!"

The entire room was dissonantly silent in the wake of Jon's words. Maclaren and Bonasera stood together, observing Delilah and her reaction. Monroe and Hawkes were at the end of the couch over Messer, while Flack was back kneeling next to him. They stared at Jon with something analogous to trepidation and awe. Alvarez stood in the far corner of the living room, still pressing the ice pack to his face and observing things from a distance. The agent's face was a blank mask.

"So, if I were you, sweetheart …" Jon tightened his grip. The blonde scientist whimpered pathetically. "I'd be very nice to these folks and help their buddy there." Jon made a motion towards Messer. "Seeing as it's YOUR fault all this crap happened in the first place."

Delilah looked petrified for an instant. Then, her tanned face hardened. "I don't have the PDA that controls this particular batch of nanobots anymore."

Jon's lips curved into a fierce smile. "That right?"Keeping one hand around her wrist, he rummaged around in his coat and took out a rectangular, digital device with an LCD screen and some silver buttons at the bottom. "You mean … this one?"

Mrs. Kovacs' face blanched terribly.

Jon barked out a harsh laugh. "Aww, c'mon. You fuckin' hated Adam. I know. I saw it in yer eyes every time Adam was congratulated for the work, and not you. Never figured you'd be crazy 'nough ta kill him the way ya did. But, I did figure out you'd never chuck somethin' as precious as the very object that helped ya to murder him." Jon jiggled the PDA. "Betcha get a thrill just lookin' at this, don'tcha? Like an instant kick every time ya open yer handbag."

The PDA was placed into the nanotechnologist's hands. "Now be a good girl and reverse the damage you've done." Jon then gestured pointedly at Flack. "Or I'll let the pretty boy cop there do whatever he wants with ya."

Delilah was shivering beneath his hand. "Y-you can't … he … he's a police officer!"

Jon made an concurring face. "Yeahyeah, but if I remember correctly …" He smiled mirthlessly. "You got him suspended."

She was now as pale as Messer was.

Everyone in the living room waited with bated breath.

Flack stretched out and grabbed his gun.

For the first time in the whole evening, Mrs. Kovacs showed some sign of astuteness. After glaring furiously at the other occupants of the room, she irately plucked out a plastic rod from the side of the PDA and switched on the device. A flood of numbers, symbols and equations zoomed up the screen. Then, a graphic image of five bars of varying lengths appeared, along with a blank bar at the bottom of the screen where a vertical dash blinked. Using the plastic pointer, she keyed in a set of commands.

There was a beeping sound.

She replaced the plastic rod in its original place.

"It's done. I've also programmed them to self-destruct after that." She gazed at Jon with murderous eyes. "It's harmless."

The atmosphere was both bewildering and anticlimactic.

"That's it? That's all you had to do?" The pretty cop was fucking pissed off. His pistol was in his hand once more. Jon could see his trigger finger craving to press down on the lever.

"All this time … all you had to do was type a couple of things into some Goddamned PDA … and you could have spared Danny all that SUFFERING!" Flack thrust the barrel of the gun at the blonde woman, his finger tightening on the trigger.

Mrs. Kovacs' face scrunched up instantly. Monroe gasped. Hawkes glanced worriedly at Maclaren, who took a step forward, his whole figure on edge for the worst. Even Alvarez had moved forward, brown eyes wide. Jon stayed cool and simply waited to see how things panned out. His Greek beauty tentatively stepped forward around the sofa with raised, pacifying hands.

"Flack, no. This isn't the answer." She slowly approached. "If you kill her, you'd be just like her."

Jon smiled diminutively. Nice save, gorgeous.

Flack's gun hand shuddered a little. Then his grip stiffened. Flack's pretty face contorted into an agonized expression. Now, even Jon stopped breathing.

There was a soft rustle of cloth.

" … she's … right."

A pale hand was feebly clinging onto Flack's other hand, an unguarded entreaty to draw Flack away from the brink.

Well, damn. Jon smirked in a pleased way. The ditzy bitch really did as she was ordered.

Messer's eyes were open. They were just as blue as Flack's as they stared upwards at the people around him. Flack fell to his knees, an enormous grin splitting his face while he affectionately ran a hand through the reclining man's hair. It was such a tremendous change from the heartrending look only moments before that Jon blinked hard. Jon blinked even harder when he set his eyes on Messer's uncovered chest and stomach.

Wowzas.

The departed Professor Adam Kovacs may have been one fucked up guy in the head, but he sure was a fucking mastermind of brilliance too. Only an artiste could think up of breasts as splendid-looking as those. And they looked mind-boggling even on a guy in nothing but a tatty, black tank top and rumpled khaki track pants.

"Oh my God, Danny! You're awake!" Flack laughed joyously, running his hands down Messer's still gaunt but smiling face and around the man's neck. The other CSIs were smiling as broadly, crowding around their recovering friend.

Jon's little heart skipped a beat at Maclaren's uninhibited grin sent his way. Man, he hadn't seen that thing of splendor in a long time. He winked in return.

Jon seized the PDA from Delilah before she could do anything else with it.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, Professor Kovacs, but each batch of them nanobots created can only be controlled by ONE of them PDAs, am I right?" Maclaren and his people were listening to him again.

Delilah continued to glare daggers at him.

"So, if I destroy this one, that means there's no way in hell anyone's going to be able to reprogram those nanobots ever again IF there're some left in his body, am I right?"

The nanotechnologist grinded her teeth. "Yes."

"Hey, pretty boy." He shook the PDA in his fist at Flack. "Wanna do the honors?"

Flack stood up and grinned. "Hell yeah."

The tall detective took the device from Jon and with one smooth hurl, shattered the PDA to tiny plastic pieces on the floor. It was as if a terrible weight lifted off every person in the room after that, with the exception of the fuming nanotechnologist.

"I've helped him. I've done my part." Delilah's prim voice was poisonously sweet. "You don't have to let them know what happened, Agent Turgis. They know about Adam's kinks … I-I'm sure we can compromise and find a resolution that makes everyone happy."

Jon got to his feet. "Oh yeah, I'd love to discuss things with ya." He gestured to Alvarez. "Get the tape from the kitchen, will ya?"

Agent Alvarez grinned from ear to ear. "With pleasure, sir."

Jon hauled the screaming blonde scientist with one arm to his side, paying no attention to her lame punches and kicks to free herself. He smirked at Maclaren and all the other detectives. They looked like they could use a whole week's worth of sleep, particularly Flack and Messer.

"Storm's over and the sun's shinin' 'gain. Geddefuck outta here, will ya? If I see all yer faces again in the next thousand years, it'd be too soon."

Monroe and Hawkes actually laughed at that. Flack's only response was the deep gratitude in those big, cerulean eyes. Bonasera was busy patting Messer's head and gently asking him questions. Maclaren came forward to face him as the others bundled up a sleepy Messer, smartly standing out of Delilah Kovacs' range. His old friend's hazel eyes pierced him like they always did.

"Thank you, Jon. I'm indebted to you for life," he said sincerely.

"Heh, we'll call it even when we go on that fuckin' honeymoon to the East ya promised me. How 'bout that?"

Maclaren's face reddened. "Thought we already did that."

Jon grinned widely. Oh hooooh, that was a good one.

"I ain't talkin' 'bout the Middle East. I'm talkin' 'bout Southeast Asia and the likes."

Maclaren shook his head, smiling fondly. "You're crazy."

"Damn straight. Oh wait. I meant, damn bi."

Maclaren chuckled. "You're going to remind me about that as much as you can, aren't you?"

Jon's silver, heavy-lidded eyes gazed meaningfully at his friend. "Don't tell me ya don't think 'bout the old days anymore."

Maclaren's grin lessened, but the sparkle in those hazel eyes remained. "Always."

"Mac." It was his Greek goddess at the door. She was looking at him differently now. The new friendliness in those mesmerizing green eyes made him fall head over heels with her even more. He definitely had to interrogate Maclaren about her very soon. "We'll be waiting in the car."

His friend nodded at her, and she walked out. During their brief conversation, the others had already left.

Agent Alvarez returned with a large roll of black tape, and eagerly tore a strip of it and slapped it across Mrs. Kovacs' mouth. Jon dropped her unceremoniously onto the floor to let Alvarez bind her arms and legs with the tape too.

"Don't you think that's a bit overkill?" Mac said, one eyebrow raised.

"Why don'tcha try livin' with this nasty broad for a day?" Jon's eyes softened. "Go on. Get the fuck outta here. Ya got some celebratin'ta do."

"Do you really have a tape of her confession of the murder?"

"Yep." Jon patted one of his coat pockets. "Pays to be a paranoid sonofabitch who loves to bug police stations."

Mac huffed. "You really are crazy. Are they really going to kill her for this?"

Jon wasn't quite sure how to reply. "Lemme put it this way, buddy. My bosses. They're capable of anythin' if it's a means to an end that profits them."

"What about you?"

"Heh. I'll be fine. I ain't the one who oughta be scared shitless right now." Jon flickered his eyes at the trussed up Delilah. She was squirming like a worm, screaming muffled curses through the tape over her lips. "Whatever happened here tonight stays between us. I'll just tell poor Lucas in the kitchen and Summers there on what's left of the TV Batman came and beat their asses flat. When they wake up, of course."

Mac merely shook his head in amusement at Jon's strange humor.

"Hell, only reason we got stuck here is 'cos yer IAB pal Hillborne insisted on us usin' this place on his dime after yer guy Flack attacked her. 'Course, now there's no reason for us to stay on since you've got your man outta this mess." Jon lifted a brow at Mac's stunned look. "Yeah, I stuck 'round with this awful bitch so you had time to help out Messer, okay? You owe me big."

Alvarez waved from the floor where he was wrapping up his … wrap up of the nanotechnologist. "Alvarez here is good. I guarantee he won't yak about this to anyone." Jon licked one of his fangs. "Once the higher ups receive the report on things, there's no way in hell anyone's gonna believe her. My agents and I will be off the hook too."

Jon smirked again. "Then, we can talk 'bout our honeymoon."

Maclaren smiled back. "Fine. We'll talk about who pays."

Jon laughed, then growled at a hard kick to his shin. "Okay, that's IT." Stepping over the tied up woman, he propelled his friend to the front door. "G'on, go back to yer team. They're waitin' for ya."

Under the bright moonlight on the terracotta flight of steps, Maclaren surprised the hell out of him by embracing him in a warm hug. Jon was privately touched at the open display of warmth from his usually remote pal. He'd always been the first to initiate a physical touch. He was going to remember this one for a while. He returned the hug, then quietly watched his friend amble to the black gates and further down to his SUV.

They never said goodbye.

It wasn't necessary when Jon knew in his heart that they would always see each other again.

OoooooooooooooooooooooooooooO

Mac inhaled deeply once he was in his SUV again. Glancing at the digital clock on the dashboard, he was shocked to discover only an hour plus had passed since they first arrived at the house.

"I think I'm going to crash in my bed for a month." Stella's eyes were closed. A relieved smile curved her red lips.

Mac looked into the back and saw Flack, Hawkes, Lindsay and Danny in their original positions. Mac was jubilant to see fresh color had come back to Danny's visage. The CSI was also breathing normally, the deep, regular breaths of recuperative slumber. Danny lay on his side, nestled cozily in a dozing Flack's arms with his head tucked under the homicide detective's chin. However, the blanket blocked Mac from learning whether the effects of the nanotechnology had really been reversed.

Hawkes seemed to realize Mac's curiosity about it without him even asking.

"They're, uhm … they're still there." The former ME scratched his head and smiled bashfully at his statement. His tone became somewhat more serious. "I do think it'll take some time for the change to complete. Extreme physical transformation like this? I'd say days, at least."

Mac nodded. He had also arrived at the same conclusion.

"He'll be sleeping a lot. He'll need someone to be there to take care of him, make sure he's hydrated and fed during that time." Hawkes gazed with kindly eyes at Flack, whose lips were slightly parted in his sleep. "Don't think we'll have a problem in that area."

"Yeah." Lindsay, sitting near Danny's knees, was gazing at the two sleeping detectives with affection too.

Mac pivoted back to face the steering wheel, a little smile lighting up his commonly unemotional features. He revved the engine, then slowly drove out onto the empty road.

"How does good ol' american burgers and fries sound to you all?" he cheerfully inquired.

"I'll have three cheeseburgers, please. I could eat an elephant," Stella said with a grin, eyes still closed.

"Sounds good to me!" Hawkes added.

"Right. Get takeout, and stop over at Danny's place. I think he'll appreciate being home again." Mac smirked, already contemplating Danny's return to work. It would be nice to have the resident drama queen around again. The labs simply wasn't the same without the young CSI swaggering around whining about everything under the sun.

"Oh, and when Flack wakes up? Tell him he owes me twenty bucks for the vase he broke at my apartment."

***

Chapter 27

His shower was running.

Danny lay quietly on his bed, baffled as to why he was there, swathed in his blanket without any clothes on while his shower was on.

And somebody was using it.

"Ohhh, babe, babe, how was I supposed to knooooow "

Danny frowned and grimaced at the same time.

"That somethin' wasn't right heeeeeere "

Danny smiled tenderly when he finally recognized the voice behind the awful singing.

"Show me how ya want it tooooo beeeee "

What was Don doing in his shower singing Britney Spears?

Danny gazed at the play of shapes of light on his bedroom ceiling, flitting here and there whenever a breeze blew through the leafy tree outside his window.

"Ooooh, hit me, babe, one more tiiiiiimmmeee "

Danny sat upright at a snail's pace. He was starting to feel the aches all over his body, especially on his chest. Wow, that must have been some party he and Flack attended last night. He must have drunk himself silly too. He couldn't recall anything about it.

His bedroom door was wide open. From where he sat, he could see the bathroom door wasn't quite closed either. Flack's mind-warping singing was leaking through the little gap between the door and the wall. Danny groaned as he swung his legs over the side of the bed. Man, he was exhausted. A pounding headache decided to make itself known right then and there too. He winced, rubbing his forehead. Worst hangover he ever experienced in his life.

He needed to pee really, really badly.

His legs shook precariously. For a moment, he thought he was going to collapse back onto the bed. The room spun around him, and he tottered on his feet. Okay, that was not enjoyable. He decided not to attempt going to his cupboard to get his robe, and shuffled out into the living area towards the bathroom in the nude. He was feeling hot anyway, and it wasn't like Flack didn't know what a man's equipment looked like.

Flack was still singing that appalling song, and as much as Danny enjoyed hearing the baritone voice in a melody, it was making his headache worse. He rapped his knuckles on the door twice, the other arm around his smooth abdomen.

"Don? Can I use the toilet? I really need to pee, man."

The shower immediately shut off. Danny heard the other man clambering out of the shower stall and charging to the door. It flew open.

"Danny. Danny." Flack had a toothy grin that stretched across his whole face.

Flack was also utterly naked and glistening wetly under the bathroom light, his dark hair sticking out in all directions like a porcupine's quills. Foamy soapsuds slathered some of it, as well parts of his shoulders and forearms. A single, round blob adorned the hollow at the base of Flack's neck. Danny kept staring at it in the hopes Flack wouldn't notice his eyes yearned to gaze at something more outstanding lower down.

"Danny." Flack said his name like it was a mantra. "You're back!"

Flack's strong hands stroked over his shoulders and onto his flat chest, making Danny shudder with pleasure. Flack laughed and pulled him into a crushing hug, nuzzling his damp face into his hair. Danny's body shuddered again at the intimate physical contact. Oh fuck, this was virtually one of his most private fantasies come alive.

A naked, wet Flack greeting him in his own apartment like they were truly lovers.

Danny leaned back in Flack's embrace, mouth opening to ask Flack what he meant.

Flack's pink, moist lips covered his in a breathtaking, ravaging kiss. Danny let out a high-pitched moan, feeling Flack's tongue exploring his mouth. When Flack's hand trailed down his body and squeezed one side of his buttocks, Danny's blue eyes snapped open.

Nobu.

Hillborne.

Mac kissing him.

Flack yelling at him, telling him he wanted to transfer.

Flack in tears.

He and Pop on the bench.

Bang.

Himself in tears.

Touch. Friction. Wetness.

Unending pleasure.

Beautiful, blue eyes claiming his soul.

Love.

"Hey, heyheyhey," Flack said soothingly, caressing him face and neck and watching him closely. "It's okay, it's okay, see? You're alright now."

Danny felt the trembling in his legs begin anew, and he wrapped his arms around Flack's sopping but hot body. One of Flack's hands was still on his bottom while the other was firm against his lower back.

"Oh shit, I remember - I remember, I-I was goin' to get a new change of clothes from my bag." Danny looked into Flack's eyes. "Then the vertigo hit me so bad … and I just … I just fell and couldn't geddup. It was like I was dyin'."

Flack bit his lower lip. "You were."

"What?"

"You were dyin'. The nanobots inside ya were causin' you to bleed internally."

Danny's forehead thumped onto Flack's robust chest. "Fuck."

Flack emitted a wavering chuckle. "Yeah. My sentiments 'xactly."

Danny lifted his head once more. The two lovers touched foreheads and noses.

"I remember … Hawkes. And … bein' in a car. And this … screamin' blonde lady." Danny made a face.

Flack grunted. "She was no lady, I can tell ya that."

Danny's blue eyes suddenly widened. "You were gonna shoot her."

Flack's mien hardened. "Yeah. And I wouldn't have regretted it one bit."

Danny shot him an uncannily judicious gaze. "Yes. You would."

Flack's mouth opened in objection. Then it closed, and he frowned. Then he opened his mouth again but no words came out. Finally, Flack merely huffed and smirked.

"Why do ya hafta be my conscience, hahn?"

Danny smiled. "'Cos I care."

The shorter man nipped Flack on his clean-shaven chin. He nudged the soaked man in the side and cleared his throat. "C'mon, I gotta use the loo. Go and dry yourself outside."

Flack was still smiling to himself, standing in Danny's way. Danny poked him harder in the side, impelling a snicker out of Flack. Flack pecked him softly on the lips and stepped to one side, grabbing a white towel hanging beside the shower stall. Danny raised the toilet seat, then glanced backwards to see Flack was exactly where he was, staring at Danny's ass with a sideways grin.

"Don." Danny waved towards the open bathroom door. "The door's there."

"Can't. I still got soap all over me." The taller man leaned back on the tiled wall, arms crossed over his belly so the towel was draped over them and his groin. Flack grinned unashamedly at him.

Danny glowered with narrowed eyes, face red. "You can wash after I pee!" He mightily shoved a laughing Flack with both hands out the bathroom. "And don't peek!"

Flack looked exceptionally delectable with the sunlight outlining his back and legs. He wiped at his arms and chest with the towel. "Geez, Messer, didn't think ya for bein' a shy boy. And we havin' bumped groins and all." Flack grinned at Danny's darkening flush.

Danny slammed the door close. Flack's snigger still got through nonetheless.

"I saw eveeeeeerythiiiiiiiiin'," Flack said in a hilarious, Transylvanian accent.

Danny permitted himself to smile in the privacy of the bathroom. Damn, he loved that pervy dumbass. And Flack just had to quote from one of the silliest and funniest Dracula movies of all time that was his favorite too. Flack would make for a fascinating Renfield. No doubt Dracula would never bother to leave his castle if he had an attractive manservant like Flack.

A trickling sound filled the bathroom. Danny sighed loudly in relief. Whoa, he felt like he hadn't urinated in days.

Danny glimpsed down into the toilet bowl.

His yell of horror brought Flack tearing in, skidding on the slippery bathroom tiles and almost knocking Danny over.

"What, what, what happened!"

Danny couldn't reply due to his hand clamped over his mouth and nose. Flack looked into the toilet bowl too.

"Holy cow." Flack made a funny face. "Or should I say, holy neon-blue pee!"

Danny elbowed Flack in the tummy. "That's not funny, okay! It's not normal to have urine of that color!"

Flack looked at Danny with one eyebrow higher than the other. "Yeah, well, a guy havin' DD-cup breasts ain't normal either."

Danny automatically gazed at his flat pectorals. He rubbed at his chest. Whoa, okay, his chest hair was growing back.

"You're not missin' them, are ya?" Flack asked in amusement.

Danny rubbed some more over his chest. "I dunno … they were kinda hot." Danny grinned mischievously at his friend even as his face heated up again.

Flack's lick of his lips was a pretty obvious hint he thought the same. "Oh yeah. And I'm the only guy who got to lick 'em."

Danny's blush traveled all the way down to his toes.

Flack snickered and enveloped Danny in his arms from behind. "I guess this is what the broad meant by harmless."

"Whaddayamean?"

"The nanotechnologist said she programmed the nanobots to reverse the changes and then self-destruct. Figures you'd pee them out, huh?"

Danny's blue eyes were optimistic. "So … you mean, there aren't any of those teeny bots in my body anymore?"

Flack shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe yer pee's gonna be permanently neon-blue."

Danny scowled at the taller man, lower lip stuck out in a petulant pout.

"Whaaaaaaaat? You could make a great career outta it! Just think, you'd be a star in those golden shower porn flicks. 'Cept yours would be … neon-blue showers! Now how many people do ya know who's got neon-blue pee, hah?"

Danny's pout intensified.

Flack rolled his eyes. "I'm just kiiiiiiddiiiiiiiin'."

Flack suddenly straightened and fixed a mock solemn expression on his handsome features, still holding Danny close to his naked body.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to say our farewells to a very special group of microscopic pals. Sure, they made our lives a livin' hell for the past few weeks, but gave me one a' the best sexual experiences of my life."

Danny bit his lip hard in an effort to not grin.

"But, alas, our time together has come to an inevitable end. Nothin' lasts forever, yaddayaddayadda. We're gonna miss you little bastards so much. Not."

Danny's shoulders began to shake.

Flack stretched out and pushed down the handle on the toilet. He picked up one of Danny's hands and waved it around in a childish way.

"Say byyyyyeeeeeeee, Danny!"

As the neon-bluish water in the bowl churned and then got pumped out, Danny burst out laughing and smacked Flack on the arm good-humouredly. Flack keenly joined in the mirth and the two men playfully grappled with one other until Danny was sitting on the rim of the bathroom sink with Flack between his legs. Danny's arms went around Flack's neck to haul the man closer for a kiss. Flack tasted like, oddly enough, like mango.

"You drank some of the mango juice in my fridge, didn't ya?" Danny managed to utter in a husky voice while Flack sucked and nibbled all over his lower jaw and neck. Flack's large hands were gripping his thighs securely to keep him from falling off the sink.

"Hmmm. Yummy." Danny didn't know whether Flack was answering his inquiry, or simply shooting off an arbitrary word. His eyes fluttered closed, losing himself in Flack licking and biting his neck like a giant cat. Danny thought it was really ironic Flack was allergic to cats. He was so much like one, sexy and voracious like a sleek leopard or a majestic white tiger.

Danny's hands moved downwards to pinch Flack's muscular bottom. Hoo baby, his own personal stress relief globes. Danny smiled and bit his lower lip, burying his face in Flack's neck when the other man moved forward and sculpted the length of his body to his. The CSI shivered at the heat emanating from Flack's velvety skin. The warmth was a delicious contrast to the chill of the sink's inflexible surface that made Danny hiss.

Flack kissed him again, his free hands stroking Danny's hips and flanks before settling on his lower back, sketching random patterns on the skin there. The smaller man's legs instinctively folded around Flack's hips and thighs. Danny was very grateful his sink was built into a durable, ceramic counter that also had a cupboard beneath it for support. Flack fervently studied Danny's reflection with heavy-lidded blue eyes from the mirror above the sink.

"Anybody ever tell ya you've got the sexiest lower back, Messer?" Flack whispered in a low, rasping tone into his ear, massaging circles with his thumbs on the aforementioned area of smooth flesh. "I wanna tattoo my name there, show everybody you're mine."

Danny moaned deep in his throat, shuddering at the promise in Flack's voice. His lover grinded his groin hard into Danny's, making Danny's hardening cock jump and leak droplets of pre-come onto both their bellies. Flack's lips slipped over Danny's once more. Danny couldn't get enough of the other man and his nubile tongue over and around his. Their mouths still locked together, Flack moved his hips backwards to thrust again. With the way Danny had his legs curled around Flack's body, his nether regions were exposed. On Flack's thrust forward, the head of his engorged shaft rammed straight into the sensitive tissue of Danny's perineum.

Groaning, Danny broke the kiss and bit into Flack's shoulder, feeling Flack jerk. Oh fuck, that felt so good. Flack's cock slid downwards between his buttocks, stroking directly against the hot flesh there. The CSI's arms and legs trembled violently. Flack's breathing was irregular and harsh in his ears. Danny whimpered audibly into the homicide detective's shoulder when he felt the mushroom tip push hard against his anus.

"Ya want it bad, don'tcha, babe?" Flack's voice was shaking as much as Danny's entire body was.

Danny fought to lift his head.

His vision suddenly turned into dizzying grayscale shades.

"Okay, whoawhoa." Danny felt Flack hug him tightly. "Okay, you're still too tired for this kinda activity, buddy." There was a hint of amusement and tenderness to his tone.

Flack supported Danny sitting upright on the sink while he maneuvered his other arm under Danny's knees. Danny whined even as his arms went around Flack's neck and shoulders.

"Fuck it, why'd ya stop?"

His friend laughed, his cerulean eyes crinkling. "Danny, if ya haven't noticed, pal, ya can't even move."

Danny's dazed mind slowly processed that. By the time he figured it out, Flack was already carefully laying him onto his bed and tugging the blanket over him till his shoulders. Danny hung onto Flack's wrist.

"Stay here?" Danny's eyelids were getting heavier and heavier. He struggled to keep them open.

Flack smiled fondly at him, twisting his arm so Danny held his hand instead. "I'll finish showerin' and be back in a flash, 'kay? Ya need to nap a little more anyway." Flack leaned down and kissed him, then touched foreheads so they were staring each other in the eye. "You better get all the rest ya can, 'cos when ya wake up …" - Flack grinned - "I'm gonna make you scream."

The shorter man licked his lips. He lost the battle against his drowsiness. "I'm … countin' on it."

Danny fell into a deep, peaceful slumber to the soundtrack of Flack murmuring sweet nothings to him.

OooooooooooooooooooooooooO

"So … lemme get this straight."

A naked Danny sat perpendicular to an also naked Flack on his couch in the living room, his thighs resting on top of Flack's and the rest of his legs extended out onto the brown cushion. Flack was slouching comfortably on the back of the couch, his left arm propping up Danny behind the CSI's back with one hand periodically massaging the muscle over Danny's hip. Danny squirmed a little to snuggle his torso nearer to Flack's.

"There were these two scientists specializin' in nanotechnology, the Kovacs, workin' for the FBI on some secret project about advanced nanobots." Danny chewed on the slice of peppery pizza in his hand while Flack stared overtly at him. "The main scientist, this …" - Danny waved his free hand around - "This Adam Kovacs guy had that, whaddaya call that fetish again? I can never remember it."

"He was a guy who wanted ta be a woman." Flack smirked, never moving his gaze away.

"Right, okay." Danny let Flack take a bite out of his pizza, cogitating over the information Flack imparted during their early lunch. "This Kovacs guy created these microscopic nanobots that were capable of doin' anythin', and of all the things to do, he decided to use them to change his body, literally."

Danny looked at the other man for confirmation. Flack made a face and shrugged.

"Now, his wife, Delilah Kovacs, was real pissed off her husband had this kink, and when she discovered what he was goin' to do … she sabotaged his experiment so that she could watch him suffer and slowly thirst and starve to death? Even knowin' how important he was to their project and the FBI? "

Flack took another bite from the pizza slice, then nibbled on Danny's thumb. "Uh huh."

Danny made a sympathetic face. "Man, that's rough."

"Maybe it was a mercy of sorts he didn't hafta stick with her any longer. Ya shoulda seen how fuckin' bitchy and nasty she was when Stella and I interrogated her."

Danny sucked on his fingers after finishing the remains of the slice, lost in thought. "So, after that, she dumped his naked body in that alley where we found it. Just to spite him, even after he was dead." The CSI shook his head. "And the neon-blue stuff that was made up of billions of these nanobots … it wasn't perfect either."

"Nope. It worked real good, but the moment the sun rises and sunlight hits it? Boomboom."

Danny slid higher up onto Flack's thighs so he was precisely sitting on top of Flack's groin. The homicide detective didn't grumble one bit about the additional weight. "So that's why the explosion happened. And … all the changes that happened to my body … it was because the nanobots were still programmed to do all that. They were just doin' what they were told to do. 'Cept it was on the wrong person."

"Uh hmm."

"Maybe my transformation wasn't as severe as what happened to the Kovacs guy 'cos there wasn't as much of the neon-blue substance on me as it was on his body." Danny sighed, and smiled at Flack in relief. "I'm just glad it was reversible."

Flack took Danny's hand in his and sucked on the fingers. "Me too."

Feeling Flack's warm tongue licking and twisting around his fingers made Danny's toes curl. "How'd you even find out about all this in the first place? Ya never told me the details on that."

"Believe it or not, we had an informant who's a Fed."

Danny's eyes widened. "You're jokin'."

Flack smirked. "Nope. Do ya remember seein' this seven-foot-tall giant of a guy in a suit? With silver eyes?"

Danny thought hard, eyes narrowing. His brain pulled up the memory of a powerful, guttural voice speaking coldly about taped confessions and bullets in the brain. "I kinda remember him talkin' to somebody. Sounded like the sorta guy you don't ever wanna meet in a dark alley."

"You can say that again." Flack wrapped his arms around Danny's waist and pulled the CSI close until he could nuzzle Danny's cheek. "He's an assistant director in the FBI. The same guy who took away all our research and evidence and even the Kovacs corpse in the first place. He was helpin' us out 'cos he and Mac, they got history together."

"Mac? No way." Danny chortled in disbelief. "That's way too much of a coincidence."

"I dunno. Maybe somebody up there likes ya, Messer."

Danny chuckled again. Flack took the opportunity to kiss Danny, tasting pepperoni and cheese and cold sake on the other man's lips. When their faces moved apart a couple of inches, a strand of saliva still connected their wet lips.

Flack licked his lips, breaking the saliva thread. "Mmm, pizza and sake."

Danny licked his lips too. "Courtesy of our generous pal, Hillborne."

Flack sniggered. "Yeah, guess he ain't such a bad guy … since we're both goin' back to work on Monday and all."

Danny's jaw sagged. "He dropped the investigation."

"Uhhh hm." A haughty expression crossed Flack's mien. "In his own written words … 'The charges brought against Detective Donald Flack, Jr. were investigated and proven to be unjustified and unsubstantiated. Therefore, it is highly recommended that his status of homicide detective is to be reinstated immediately. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.'"

Danny cackled. "Man, that is the biggest load of asskissin' bullshit I ever heard." He then planted a loud smooch on Flack's lips. "But it's also the best load of BS I heard all day."

Flack grabbed Danny by his upper arms and manhandled him onto his back on the couch. It made Danny go, "Oof!" and laugh at the same time. Flack was on top of him in an instant, joining them together from chest to stomach to groin to thighs.

"Oh yeah? It was better than me tellin' ya I was gonna make ya scream in ecstasy?" Flack slithered his hands under Danny's lower back, then down to his curvy ass.

Danny made a low, husky sound. "So ya admittin' that was bullshit too?" The CSI laughed impishly.

A dangerous gleam appeared in Flack's blue eyes. "Ohh, I'm gonna get ya fer that."

Keeping his hands clenched on Danny's buttocks, Flack slid down until he was face to face with Danny's half-erect cock. Flack licked his lower lip slowly. As he stared, it hardened more and more until it was curved up against Danny's flat abdomen, flushed and throbbing.

Flack gazed up at Danny with heavy-lidded, wicked eyes. "Now, that, my friend, is the real magic of these baby blues." He waggled his thick eyebrows.

Danny, who'd been watching ardently watching him and wriggling in his unyielding grasp, laughed at Flack's statement, eyes scrunched shut. Danny whacked him on the head.

"You're all talk, Flack. C'mon, put yer money where yer mouth is." Danny bit his lower lip when he realized what he just said.

Flack grinned like a lion. Danny's trembling thighs fell open.

In one go, Flack swallowed Danny to the root.

Danny's blue eyes widened until the whites were visible around the irises. His head snapped back intensely into the cushion and a piercing cry ripped out from his open mouth. His hips bucked uncontrollably, but were held immobile by Flack's great hands. Flack groaned low in his throat, eyes unclosed as his head bobbed up and down, lips stretched around the stiff cock. He was rock hard merely watching Danny's uninhibited reactions.

Danny's feet scraped Flack's sides trying to find a foothold to thrust himself deeper into Flack's scorching mouth. His hands scrabbled madly for anything to hold. Danny curled his fingers deep into one of the couch's square pillows, biting hard on it to curb his high moans when Flack began bobbing his head faster. Danny's breaths became rapid pants. Fuck, he felt like he was burning up in flames, the pleasure streaking outwards from his groin so turbulent it threatened to undo him at the very seams.

Flack lifted his head until the hard, wet appendage popped out from his mouth. His tongue snaked out, licking his lips clean. Mmm, yeah, he was going to commit Danny's musky flavor to memory in every living cell in his body for all time. Flack pushed Danny's thighs apart as far as they could go, nipping at the underside of Danny's cock and then getting to his knees above Danny. He continued to stroke his hand against it, ignoring his own aching cock.

Flack sucked his forefinger until it was soaked. Bending over the other man, he called out Danny's name as he slipped the wet finger between the CSI's legs.

"Danny."

Danny moaned, eyes fluttering open. His eyes were tremendously blue and sparkling in the midday sunlight. They stared openly and trustingly into Flack's own eyes.

Flack's finger found the puckered entrance into Danny's body, and swiftly pushed it in to the second digit. Danny's stuttering gasp resonated in the living area of the apartment. Flack twisted his finger within the constricting tunnel, searching for the spongy nub that would bring his lover even more pleasure.

"Aaahhhh, oh, FUCK!"

Flack's teeth bared in a thrilled grin. Bingo.

"Danny, say hello to Mr. Prostate."

He rubbed the fleshy bump hard. Danny's hips bucked up fiercely, the muscles of the CSI's abdomen rippling visibly.

"Ooohh, oh fuck, oh FUCK, DON-"

Danny's entire body shuddered. Flack felt the muscles around his finger squeeze almost painfully. White fluid spurted all over the sleek skin on Danny's belly. The sight of Danny's abandoned expression of rapture on his striking, slack face was enough to make Flack come harder than he'd ever done in his whole life. The tall detective threw his head back and let out a muted cry, vaguely feeling the other man's hands skimming over his chest and nipples while his every muscle quavered.

Flack landed heavily on Danny, panting so fast he was feeling giddy. So that was why they called it the little death.

"Don … I can't breathe," the smaller man rasped, prodding at Flack's shoulders.

After Flack got his breathing under control, he shifted onto his side between Danny and the back of the couch, too worn-out to do anything but slump there. Danny instantly burrowed into his chest, burying his face into Flack's neck. Flack could feel the other man shivering. He managed to strain one arm into yanking the thick afghan wrap off the back of the couch and over both of them.

"So … does Don Flack, Jr. keep his word or what."

He sensed Danny smile into his neck. Flack just cuddled his lover in his arms under the afghan wrap, breathing in the pleasant scent of Danny's recently washed hair. A half hour passed. Then, Danny's body started to tense. Flack's awareness heightened.

"Don …" Danny slowly got to his elbows, looking down at Flack with sad eyes. "What if … what if this is just some phase? What if you just think ya like me 'cos of what those nanobots did to me?"

Flack groaned inwardly. Uh oh, they were headed for very familiar territory now, his guts told him. The good thing was, he knew exactly how to handle this particular question. He'd been prepared for it for a long time.

Flack simply gazed at Danny for some time. "February 14th, 2000."

Danny blinked. "Huh?"

"C'mon, humor me, Messer."

Danny blinked some more. "Wait … that was … when I first started workin' for Mac."

"Uh huh. And?"

The CSI's eyes narrowed in meditation. "That was …" The blue eyes widened in understanding. "That was when we first met."

"Right." Flack smirked roguishly. "If I recall correctly, Messer, you called me a blind, reckless rat bastard who oughta get his onions busted. Remember that?"

Danny closed his eyes, but he was smiling. "Yeah, and you deserved it 'cos you nearly ran me over with yer car and killed me!"

"Ever thought 'bout why I nearly ran ya over?"

Danny's eyes opened once more. He laid back down beside Flack so they were nose to nose on the cushion. He smirked back. "Humor me, Flack. Why did you nearly run me over that day?"

Flack's big, cerulean eyes were like sapphires in the bright sunlight. "I was so busy starin' at ya, I forgot everythin' else 'round me, that's why."

" … are you serious?"

"Yeah, I am." Flack's visage stayed expressionless. However, his eyes twinkled with a passionate emotion that made Danny want to grow wings and fly. "February 14th, 2000, Danny. Since then."

Danny was speechless. No sound emanated from his trembling, parted lips. All he could do was reach out to Flack with wavering hands and crush their lips together in an affirming kiss.

And for Don Flack, Jr., as he entwined his hands in Danny's and shut his eyes to unite with his other half in sleep, it was enough.

***

Chapter 28

Detective Danny Messer returned to full-time work after a leave of over two weeks, much to the delight of many female lab technicians, as well as a few male ones who were prudently hushed about it. Who knew how the notorious playboy of the labs would react to finding out even men had crushes on him? They weren't about to risk getting their face pummeled by the post-absent CSI or his chummy friend, Detective Don Flack, Jr., whom most of those male lab technicians also adored.

On the evening of Danny's first day back, he was seen being towed around by the wrists by a very pink-suited Flack, who was adamant he had left behind his mobile phone in one of the laboratories and wanted to retrieve it. Danny seemed in a hurry to get them both the heck out of there, something about wasting precious time and being in the mood to dance the horizontal tango.

The shorter detective tolerated Flack's hustling up to the point they were right in front of the closed lab door, where he threw a verbal petit mal befitting the queen of all drama queens. Five seconds later, when Flack coolly pushed open the door, the resident drama queen of the lab was red enough to defeat any strawberry of the same color, mouth agape.

"WELCOME BACK, DANNY!"

Mac, Stella, Hawkes, Lindsay, Hammerback and so many other co-workers were crowded in the room decorated with colorful tinsel and balloons. Even the other two semi-regular MEs, Adam Pino and Zhao, were there. Everyone erupted into a raucous, merry round of cheers as Flack led a stunned Danny into the lab turned party pad. Some of the tables plus equipment had been cleared away so there was more space. An expansive banner stretched across the wall facing the laboratory door, bearing the same words that were yelled only moments before. On one side of the room was a table packed to the edges with an assortment of western and eastern dishes and drinks. And on the other side, Danny had to blink twice at the sight of a karaoke machine attached to a television set.

Danny glanced up at Flack, whose smile gave him flutters in his tummy. The taller detective made a happy face, wrapped an arm around his neck and playfully knuckled him on the head. Danny laughed. Stella then stepped forward and hugged the shorter CSI, giving him an affectionate peck on his temple.

"Welcome back, Danny. It's good to have you back." Stella flashed him one of her brilliant grins.

"Thanks, Stella." His face was so warm he swore he could see the heat waves coming off him. He also swore the muscles of his face were going to be permanently etched in a jolly smile. He had good reason to be so happy apart from the surprise party too.

The last few days before he had to return to work were well spent with his longtime best friend and new lover in his own apartment, mostly making love and replenishing their bodies with food and water when it was necessary. The only time they weren't out restocking on food was while Danny went for a haircut. After what he experienced in those days and nights, Danny was never ever going to look at Flack's fingers or tongue the same way again. One way or another, he was going to discover where exactly Flack'd learnt to deep throat that good.

Mac and the others came forward to give him their own well wishes and hugs. Hawkes shook his hand and embraced him in a friendly hug. Lindsay practically hopped like a bunny and while throwing her arms around his neck, compelling an amused cackle out of Danny. He'd never seen Montana that hyperactive before.

It had been somewhat awkward that morning when Danny met up with Mac, not knowing how his supervisor was going to react to him in light of what occurred at Nobu. He had been satisfyingly surprised at the older man's lack of uneasiness or tension, as well as his composed but pleased greeting at both him and Flack. Obviously, the two men had made peace over their short-lived brawl in front of the reputed Japanese restaurant. Danny reminded himself to bug Flack about what the homicide detective had gone around doing while he'd been asleep and recuperating for nearly four days.

Now, Mac smiled broadly at him, slapping him on the shoulder. "What, you didn't think we were just going to let you off without a big party, are you?" Mac's smile widened. "Hope you got a speech ready, Danny."

Danny groaned. His grin didn't waver one bit. "C'mon, I'm no good at those things! Can't we just eat and get drunk already, huh?"

Mac laughed. "Sorry. That's what you get for making me say them at every annual dinner."

Another twenty minutes passed while Danny received more well wishes from the other people at the occasion. He particularly enjoyed catching up with Pino, whom he'd been acquainted with for many years. A part of Danny was slightly disconsolate that a cherished face from his past was not there. He knew it was highly unlikely she would attend given that she didn't even work there with him and the others anymore. Still, it wasn't wrong for him to wish she could be there.

Flack guided Danny to the food table, where a very exclusive cake sat. Many of the people there were highly entertained by the cake shaped like gigantic, ridiculous breasts. Even so, they couldn't quite get why it would make the star of the party laugh so hard tears were streaking down his face and he was bowled over. It was an even stranger but amusing thing to see the usually stoic Detectives Taylor and Flack jumping into the hilarity and laughing just as much. Whatever it was, it must be some in-joke only Detective Messer and his close co-workers knew.

Once he got himself under control, Flack made Danny sit on a stool and handed him a thin magazine. "Here. Thought you might like to see this too."

Danny took one look at it and burst into another round of loud, shocked laughter at the cover of the tabloid magazine. He displayed it to the rest of his friends around him, and they too laughed their heads off at it. The other partygoers didn't really get what was so funny about the great actor Al Pacino photographed with what appeared to be a very well-endowed woman in a low-cut, black dress and heels either. Maybe they knew the identity of the unknown woman who was covering her face in the picture.

"Oh CRAP, where did you get this!" Danny wildly flourished the tabloid between his hands then whacked it on Flack's chest.

Flack wiped at his eyes. "At the grocery store near your apartment. Think I scared the shit outta the cashier girl when I saw it."

Danny grabbed Flack by his jacket lapels and shook him. The tabloid magazine flapped crazily in Flack's hand. The homicide detective was still wracked by bouts of giggles. "Pleasepleaseplease tell me this is the only tabloid with the picture in it!"

"Actually, this one's got a great shot of yer ass too." Flack laughed out loud again at Danny's outraged reaction of screaming and pulling his newly shorn, blonde-tinted hair at the double-page spread showing off his backside and his previously well-developed chest.

"I think it'd be a fantastic idea for you to frame it and hang it somewhere in your house," Hawkes said cheerfully, resting an arm around Danny's shoulders.

"Yeah, and we can get you a high-resolution print of that photo I took with my mobile phone!" Lindsay added with a toothy smile.

Flack took out his mobile phone from his jacket pocket, to Danny's chagrin. "Which reminds me, I oughta set that image as my wallpaper."

"Hey Hawkes, was it just me or did one of you stick a print of that photo on the notice board outside the break room?" Stella chewed on a fried spring roll.

"That's funny, I thought it was a picture of Danny in nothing but purple flip-flops and a towel." Oh geez, even Mac was making fun of him with relish. He hoped to God Lindsay didn't send Mac a copy of the photograph she took too.

Danny mock glared at all of them, face heated. "I hate you all." His statement was completely ruined by his contorting lower face attempting futilely to not turn into a grin.

Hawkes patted him on the head like he would a puppy. "Oh, we hate you too." He then cuddled Danny like one as well.

Danny's face lost the battle and he smiled radiantly.

The ringing sound of a spoon tapped against a glass quieted the whole room.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let's welcome the VIP of this party to make a short speech!" Mac gestured with his head and a smile for Danny to stand up and address the people.

Amidst some whoops and encouragement, Danny reluctantly got up, scratching his head and looking debonair in a tight, black short-sleeved top and dark khaki trousers. He licked his lips then used a finger to shift his spectacles higher up his prominent nose.

"I, uhm, I'd just like to thank everybody for bein' here." He cleared his throat. "It's great to be back, and I appreciate you guys settin' all this up for me. Know you're all probably starvin', so, ya wanna welcome me back in the best way? Knock yourselves out on the food and get drunk for me, ah?"

There was a unanimous roar of agreement all around, especially from Flack who sat next to him on another stool. Danny felt the other man explicitly rub his thigh against his.

"I'm starvin', a'right." Flack's blue eyes stabbed Danny deep.

"Don, we're in public." Danny's face warmed. The other guests were already convening around the table, digging into the food and even brushing by them while they were at it.

"Sure didn't stop ya when we were in that alley behind the bakery." Flack smirked wickedly.

"That was your fault!" Danny stuck his tongue out. "Who the hell asked ya to eat that cream puff like that?"

"What, did it look like I had somethin' naaaaughty on my face?"

"Ya fucker," Danny said good-humouredly, ready to punch Flack in the shoulder.

"Excuse me, Detective Messer?"

Both men swiveled on their seats to see a young, short-haired brunette woman in a red evening gown standing behind them. Her hazel eyes were wide with nervousness and anticipation. Neither Danny or Flack had ever met her before.

Danny smiled in politeness. "Hey, how ya doin'?"

"I-I'm sorry, I know we don't know each other but …" The young lady smiled back. "I'm the one who gave you that blue teddy bear. When you were still at the hospital."

Danny grimaced inwardly. Oh.

Flack had gone totally motionless and straight-faced. His silent friend fiddled with the tabloid magazine in his hands, awaiting the outcome of this conversation.

"I hope I-I didn't offend you or anything," she continued quickly.

"No, of course not! I thought it was sweet. Thank you." Danny's smile morphed into a bigger one. "I never knew how handy a teddy bear was."

Flack looked away, but Danny detected his patented smirk. Danny would bet a million dollars Flack was thinking about how Danny'd buried his face into the teddy as he cried out over and over again under Flack's adept … handling. By the time Flack was through experimenting a variety of dildos inside him, there was a massive damp patch on the teddy bear's body where he'd bitten to muffle his screams.

"Well … I was wondering … would you like to go out for drinks sometime?"

All of a sudden, to Danny's ears, the chatter of the guests surrounding them faded away. He could merely hear Flack's slow breaths, as well as his own thundering heartbeat. His hands and arms felt chilled. He could sense Flack's whole being was, right now, attuned only to him. Danny didn't dare to glance at the man, keeping his eyes on the anxious woman who'd just asked him out.

Their decision to not see any other men was undisputed from the moment they became lovers, but they hadn't discussed anything about dating women. Danny had no clue what Flack's stance was on that. It was okay. He knew what his own decision was long ago.

Danny smiled apologetically at her. "I'm sorry, but I hafta decline. My boyfriend, he's a real possessive bastard, if ya know what I mean."

Flack's eyes were on him like a pair of lasers.

"Oh." The woman appeared visibly disappointed, but interestingly enough, she didn't even bat an eyelid at Danny's admission. "That's okay, really. I'm glad you liked the teddy bear." She walked away and left them alone.

"Boyfriend, huh?"

Danny finally returned Flack's resolute stare. "Yeah. Unless you'd like me to officially call ya possessive dumbass instead, that's fine with me too."

Flack stayed deadpan for another five seconds. Then, his handsome face was lit brighter than the Milky Way by an ear-to-ear beam.

"Boyfriend. Ya called me yer boyfriend."

Danny's tongue flicked out. He thrust one balled fist right in front of Flack's grinning visage. "Don't make me put this where the sun don't shine, pal."

A mischievous spark showed in the homicide detective's blue eyes. "And how do ya know I don't want ya to, huh?"

Danny scrunched his eyes shut and took a deep breath. Oh fuck, that was not a decent image to have in his head when he was enclosed by at least fifty people all around. Co-workers too. He swiftly sat down so his lower body was hidden from view by the table. He was damn thankful he'd chosen not to wear one of his tighter trousers.

Flack hooted, then whispered into his ear, "Don't worry, Messer, you'll get ta find out 'xactly how it feels tonight after the party, hmm?"

Danny released the punch he'd been holding back straight into Flack's lean stomach. Flack was more than prepared for it, stiffening solid abs that softened the blow. Flack chuckled again, squeezing Danny's hand in his. In any other circumstances, there was no way they would be able to touch each other like this in public without arousing suspicion.

"Gettin' predictable, buddy."

Danny bared his teeth. "Yeah, ya keep that attitude up and you're not gettin' any ass tonight."

"Nah, I'm happy just as much as with the front. Or any other part of you. S'long as I get ta be with ya." Flack winked. Before Danny could reply, Flack snatched up two paper plates and shoved one at him. "Food, Messer. Then I'll show ya why they call me the King of Karaoke."

Danny made an extreme, comical face of dread. "Wha, first you're the Jackhammer and now you're the King of Karaoke?"

Flack munched on some chow mien and fried chicken. "Noooooo, the big guy down there is the Jackhammer. I'M the King of Karaoke."

Danny's comical expression intensified. "Oh my God. I'm in love with a guy who thinks his dick is a separate entity from him."

The two men suddenly shut up and stared at each other for a few moments in wake of Danny's confession. Danny was the first to break eye contact, mumbling something about getting food from the other side of the table and stumbling off his seat to avoid explaining himself to Flack. The homicide detective appeared kinda ridiculous with a few strands of noodles hanging from the corner of his mouth with a shell-shocked look. As he sucked in the noodles and watched a red-faced Danny mingling around with gleaming eyes, he quietly smiled to himself.

Don Flack, Jr. was a patient guy. After all, he had all the time in the world to hear Danny say the three words to him for real.

OooooooooooooooooooooooooO

Flack was true to his boast.

Sure, he was a first-rate homicide detective. But he never specified to Danny whether he was a good or bad King of Karaoke.

Unfortunately, he was turning out to be the latter.

"I know ya like meeeee -"

At least, a drunken, ebullient Flack crooning into a microphone with his jacket thrown off somewhere, his tie askew, sleeves rolled up and hair messy made for a very entertaining Flack.

"I know ya do - That's why wheneeeeeeever I come 'round he's all over yaaaa -"

Flack threw his arms around Danny's and Hawkes' shoulders, crushing them in a big hug that forced their faces together around the microphone Flack held. "C'mooooon, sing with me!"

"And I know ya waaaant ittttt - It's easy ta see -"

The trio swayed dangerously in front of the television that was showing an odd video of a woman running around on a beach trying to look pretty for the camera. The lyrics to the song they sang streaked across the bottom of the screen, but nobody was looking. They were ad-libbing their own words into it anyway. Flack had appointed himself as lead singer, while Danny and Hawkes were the high-pitched back-ups.

"Oooooooohhhh, don't cha wish yer boyfriend was hot like me - Don't cha wish yer boyfriend was round like me -"

Flack pivoted around and stuck his butt out, swinging it side to side with the expertise of a professional belly dancer to the song.

"Don't cha wish yer boyfriend was raw like me - Don't chaaaaaa -"

Danny and Hawkes broke into boisterous laughter at Flack's antics. Danny even blatantly smacked the guy on the ass for good measure. Stella and Lindsay sat on chairs a dozen feet away, laughing hysterically and clapping their hands when Danny and Hawkes accompanied Flack in his hypnotic dancing. Mac looked stuck between wanting to shield his eyes and guffawing along with the women.

It was far past midnight. Most of the party guests had already left, leaving the CSI team plus smashed homicide detective to their musically-inclined merriment. Whether it was the lateness of the hour or Flack's singing that persuaded people to retire for the night was something to be debated at another time. Some of the lab technicians who attended were very nice to assist in clearing up the leftovers and used utensils.

The three men in front of the television and karaoke set sang a couple more songs, intent on finding out just how many raunchy pop songs it was going to take to make Mac shut his ears and thump his forehead on the table. Then, Flack abruptly tumbled over from an overzealous dance move and landed head over heels on his toosh on the floor. And after much laughter at Flack's expense, it was an undivided decision to conclude the festivities at long last.

Mac was the first to head for home, saying farewell with some ambiguous explanation about meeting an old buddy early in the morning for breakfast. As Stella didn't drive that day, Mac offered to bring her home. Hawkes was the next to go after them, stating that he had plans for the next twenty-four hours of his day off with a giant smile.

"Haaaaaaaah, you're datin' that bouncer from The Seventh Gate, AREN'T YA!" Flack exclaimed with wide eyes and an open-mouthed grin, pointing one finger dramatically at Hawkes.

Hawkes blushed and tried to calm a now overly-energized Flack. "Now, Flack, you shouldn't judge her by her lo-"

Flack had a very funny laugh similar to that of cartoon dog Muttley when he was high. "Aahhhh, I'm right! Oh, she's gonna snap ya like a TWIG!"

Hawkes became even more red. "I'll have you know she can be very gentle!"

This only made Flack laugh even more, sliding down the chair he sat on until he nearly fell off. Danny insisted on knowing who Hawkes' mysterious date was, and after Flack effusively described her, Danny stared at Hawkes with a comical, horrified expression.

"She calls ya Hershey Kiss? And she's nearly a head taller than ya?"

Hawkes sputtered for a second. "It doesn't matter if I'm shorter than her! I like her, so there!" When the former ME finally figured out Flack and Danny were simply getting him riled up for fun, he threw his hands up and did his best not to smile. "Forget it, Curly's leaving so you two Stooges enjoy yourselves beating each other up."

"Don't worry, Doc! I'll make sure yer epitaph is the best in the whole world!"Flack clamped an arm around Danny's shoulders, a mock look of grief on his mien. Danny instantly caught on and did the same.

"To the Doc," they said in unison. "Who Went … With a Bang." They sniffed.

"Good night, Flack, Danny." Hawkes had already turned away and was promenading out towards the elevator, waving his hand. Even from behind, the man's grin was obvious.

"Byyyyeeeeeee, Doooooooooc." Flack waved back erratically, vertical only because Danny was supporting him. Danny snickered and held onto his friend, savoring the closeness between them.

Lindsay giggled at seeing this hidden, playful side of the homicide detective. She stood next to them, patting Flack on the head. "We should get Flack drunk more often, Danny."

"Yeah, sure, if ya take the responsibility of dealin' with him in the mornin'." Flack nipped Danny on the ear for his comment. The taller detective wasn't worried about Monroe's response to that. Flack had his discussion with her over many things when she came over to Danny's apartment the second day of his recuperation. Flack had been just as shocked as Danny'd been at discovering who Lindsay's current significant other was. It might be a while before he admitted to Danny that the image of Lindsay and Aiden together was kinda hot.

Lindsay's mobile phone beeped. She read the message on the LCD screen, then glanced pointedly at Danny. "Hey. I think there's someone who wants to see you both."

"Huh, who might that … be."

Flack trailed off as the clicking sounds of heels on the unyielding floor reached their hearing. A memorable figure materialized at the doorway of the laboratory. She was attired in a low-cut burgundy dress with a black jacket over it. Her dark hair was tied into a fancy top knot braid that dangled down to her upper back. Two golden hoop earrings framed a rosy, beaming visage that caused Danny's heart to skip a beat or two.

"Hey, ya numbskulls."

The intense New York accent was like enchanting music to Danny's ears.

"Aiden."

Flack shot to his feet so swiftly Lindsay was taken aback. For a moment, Danny feared Flack was going to react really, really badly to their former peer's sudden appearance.

"!"

Flack hollered with exuberant joy and rushed to glomp the former CSI in his long arms, swinging her around in a circle while she squealed along. Danny couldn't help smiling. Man, Aiden looked breathtaking.

Aiden slapped Flack on the arm once he put her down, sniffing then wrinkling her nose. "Geez, Flack, how much have ya been drinkin' tonight?"

"'Nough."

Aiden snorted. They chatted for a short while. It was obvious to Danny how well his lover and Aiden may have matched each other. They were both fire breathers in their own ways, and didn't take crap from anyone. Hell, if Flack didn't exist, Danny could actually see himself being with Aiden instead. But, a life without Flack was one he hoped he'd never have to experience, not for a very, very long time yet.

Aiden's smile faltered just a little as she locked eye contact with Danny. He could see the apprehension and guilt in those bright, brown eyes through his own misty, blue ones.

"Hey, Danny." She stood before him, awaiting his judgement. In the white lighting of the room, her eyes seemed moist too.

They stared at each other, face to face and silent for nearly a whole minute. Lindsay was biting one of her fingernails, watching them with concerned eyes. Flack's drunkenness seemed to have vanished into thin air. His blue eyes were amazingly alert for someone who'd consumed more than a dozen cans of beer.

Without a word, Danny tugged Aiden into a snug embrace, closing his eyes and breathing in the sweet-smelling perfume she always wore. Aiden clutched onto him just as hard, leaning her head on his shoulder. His eyesight blurred more. He heard her sniffle.

"You're such a girl, Burn," he rasped.

"Yeah, who's the pot callin' the kettle black, hah?" Her arms tightened. She sniffed again.

Danny pulled back to look her in the eye. He maintained his grasp on her elbows. He had to blink a few times before he spoke.

"You didn't even say goodbye."

Aiden's face crumpled slightly. "I know. I'm sorry, Danny." She squeezed his arms gently. "I never meant to leave you hangin' like that." She gazed at Flack. "Any of you."

"Aiden," Lindsay said. "They still don't know why Mac fired you."

Aiden looked back at Danny. "So … Mac never told you guys what happened?"

Both Flack and Danny shook their heads. Danny sent her a wordless appeal for enlightenment with his blue eyes.

Aiden sighed heavily, nibbled on her lower lip. "I planted evidence. Or at least, I nearly did." She hurried on at Flack's and Danny's flabbergasted expressions. "She was raped twice. By the same sonofabitch. I-I didn't know what to do anymore, Danny. I felt so helpless, ya know? I couldn't imagine how she felt. I thought … I thought maybe, if it meant putting this asshole behind bars, it was worth it."

"But … after I cut open that evidence bag … I couldn't go through with it. I couldn't let you guys be hurt too." Aiden ran a hand over her hair. "So I put the evidence back. Mac eventually found out what I tried to do. Told me he had to fire me, and I resigned."

There was something akin to anger in Danny's eyes. "Why didn't you tell us this earlier? Ya think I'd judge you so easily for this?"

Aiden understood where he was going with his questions. "Danny, what happened with you and the subway shooting was somethin' else entirely. You didn't choose to be stuck in that situation, and it wasn't your choice either to shoot at a cop. I chose to do it, ya understand? I knew what it was capable of doin' to the lab and everyone in it, and I still nearly went through with it. Mac was right in firing me."

She looked at Lindsay with warmth in her brown eyes. "Yeah, it seemed like the most awful thing that happened to me, but if it hadn't, I wouldn't have met her. And you guys are okay. So, it was a good thing."

The deep emotion was still there in Danny's eyes, but it had somewhat softened. "It doesn't change the fact I still miss you."

"And me," Flack added almost petulantly.

Aiden smiled luminously. "Aww, I missed ya, snark-master. I miss you too, ya drama queen. Things just aren't the same without yer whining and complainin'."

"Hey, I do not whine."

Flack cracked up at Danny's protest. It was what broke the tense atmosphere over them. The four detectives laughed together. It felt like the good old times, even with Lindsay's presence.

"Danny and I are bonking each other, by the way."

Danny gasped and kicked Flack in the shin, earning himself a yelp from the taller detective. Aiden smirked, then turned to Lindsay and said, "Geez, can you believe these numbskulls, Linds? Took them this long to get around to it."

Danny gaped at her. "Wha … whaddaya mean by that?"

Aiden's smirked transformed into a full-blown grin. "Hate to burst yer bubble, Messer, but you're about the only person in the world who didn't have a clue Flack was so totally crushin' on ya. And what the hell took ya so long to tell him, ah, Flack?"

Flack made a face. "Aww, ya know what he's like, Aiden. He's like a skittish puppy. Ya gotta be all nice and slow with him." This time, Flack was quick enough to avoid Danny's second kick.

"Least ya finally got around to it. Anyway, Lindsay and I oughta head home. We gotta catch up over drinks," Aiden said. She hugged Flack and Danny once more, looking happier than Danny'd ever seen her. Letting go of the past had a way of making people like that.

"I'm gonna call ya over and over until ya pick up, Burn," Flack replied. "Messer knows where ya live too." He waggled his eyebrows.

Aiden sniggered, linking arms with Lindsay. "Hey Flack, feel free to join us there anytime, ah?" The two women laughed at Flack's irrepressible flush. Flack stuck his tongue out at them. Damnit, how did they figure it out! Women were scary creatures.

Flack enfolded his lean arms around Danny's midriff once they were alone. He bowed his head on top of Danny's. "You okay, Messer?"

Danny looked bemused. "Shit, if she knew all along about you likin' me all this time … doesn't that mean … everyone else might too?"

Flack chuckled. "I'm pretty damn sure the others know by now."

Danny twisted around in Flack's embrace and nuzzled his face against Flack's chest. The smaller detective was quiet for a moment, then asked softly, "What took you so long to tell me anyway?"

"What? That I love you?"

Danny nuzzled deeper into Flack's chest, arms tightening around the homicide detective almost painfully at the words he'd longed to hear for so long. Danny nodded.

"Well, I wasn't jokin' to Aiden 'bout ya bein' like a skittish puppy. 'Cos ya were. Are. And it always seemed like you had a thing for Mac."

Danny shifted his head from side to side, hiding his face in the wrinkles of Flack's dress shirt. "I dunno. Maybe I did. But now … he's more like my dad. And you …" Danny looked up, smiling tenderly. "You get under my skin so bad, Don."

"Ohh, I'd say I've done waaaay more than just gettin' under yer skin." Flack snickered and took Danny's punch in his side like a man. "Man, this goes on and I'm gonna hafta grow skin and muscles like Superman."

"Thought you said you were Superman."

"Yeah, Superman the King of Karaoke with his sidekick, the Jackhammer!"

Danny pounded his forehead against Flack's chest until Flack had to take him by the shoulders and shake him silly.

"We gotta think of a good name for ya," Flack said, leading Danny out of the room by his hand. "'How 'bout … Four Eyes?"

"I'm so gonna kick yer ass for that."

They closed the door behind them and sauntered into the hallway. They had to let go of each other's hands since some of the laboratories were being used by the night shift and could easily observe them through the transparent glass windows.

"Just wait till this weekend, Danny. Then we'll see whose ass is more sore."

Danny grinned at that. It was the special one that was reserved only for Flack.

"Thought we were gonna home and get my ass sore by tonight."

Flack gazed meaningfully at Danny while they waited for the elevator. "Home. I like the sound a' that a lot."

Danny licked his lips. "Yeah."

A ding signaled the arrival of the lift.

Flack and Danny remained intimately silent all the way down to Flack's car, holding hands and stealing kisses whenever the need hit them. There was no necessity at all for them to say aloud to each other what their hearts knew by now.

Wherever and whenever they were with one another, they already were home.

***

Chapter 29

Flack was turning out to be a total romantic nutcase, and that was just fine with Danny.

The CSI sure wasn't going to moan about having all his drinks and food and other expenses being fully paid for by the homicide detective that Saturday. On their first official date. But hey, he didn't mind Flack making him moan in other … pleasurable ways, no, sir.

The two detectives were going to spend the sunny, clear morning playing golf.

Miniature golf, that is.

"Told ya I'd take ya out on a date over a round a' golf, didn't I?" Flack had said to him as he picked Danny up outside his apartment building.

"No, you said ya wanted us to talk 'bout that urban golf case over a round 'a golf. And ya said golf. Not miniature golf." Danny took off his glasses and leaned over in the passenger seat to let Flack kiss him. He was now officially more addicted to the tall, dark-haired man's kisses than cigarettes and beer put together. Anyone who said he was a crazy sonofagun for thinking that apparently never got a taste of Flack in the morning. Or the afternoon. Or the evening. Or in bed after a frenzied bout of love making. Not that Danny was about to let any other human being get a savor of his lover anytime soon.

Heh. Maybe after a thousand years. Not.

"Whatever, Messer. Same difference," Flack answered with a smirk, pink lips warm and tasting like mint and black coffee.

Danny's chuckle and mischievous rejoinder was drowned out by Flack's enveloping mouth and tongue, and the CSI was more than happy to shut up. Fifteen minutes flew by in a spine-tingling session of wrestling tongues and sliding, moist lips and muted moans on the front seats of Flack's car. Danny laughed at the supremely dazed but content expression, which prompted Flack to kiss him again. Danny had to reluctantly extricate himself from his lover's octopus grip and smack Flack on the shoulder to provoke the guy to driving them anywhere that morning.

The smiling, shorter man was feeling so high he didn't give a damn if anyone saw the two of them together. They would probably be simply jealous he got to have an amazing guy like Don Flack, Jr. as his significant other. Danny smiled fondly at Flack as the other man started the car, looking like a tiger who just had his fill of delicious cream.

Wow. So this was what it felt like to be truly happy.

Flack drove them to Randall's Island Golf Center, arguably the best driving range on the island of Manhattan. Throughout their journey from Danny's apartment building in Queens to the Triboro Bridge and on to Randall's Island, Danny was squirming in his seat. Squirming, and trying his hardest to not to show any reaction to Flack's large hand under the jacket on his lap, over his groin.

"Whassamatter, Danny? The leather seats not to yer likin'?" Flack said with a wicked grin. Danny sunk pearly teeth into his lower lip hard and clamped a hand over his mouth. Flack's hand moved sinuously over the growing bulge in his pants. The CSI bit back a moan when Flack squeezed him.

"Don … if ya don't …" - Danny panted - "… take yer hand off …" - Danny clutched Flack's wrist under the jacket - "Ya better hope ya brought an extra pair of pants!"

Flack snickered, blue eyes warm like the early sunshine. "Nah, don't worry, I'm sure we can talk to the folks at the golfing range to let ya play naked from the waist down." Flack flashed another naughty grin. "What with you lovin' to moon people so much-"

The taller detective's snigger transformed into an all-out, choked laugh at Danny's freaked out response of wrapping his hands around Flack's neck and mock strangling him like cartoon character Homer Simpson did to his son, Bart. "Hey, quit it! I'm drivin' here!"

Danny punched him in the arm and flopped back onto his seat, face red and smiling luminously. "I am not interested in playin' miniature golf half naked or walkin' 'round a golf course with a freakin' hard on, okay, Flackie?"

"I told ya not to call me that." Flack had that faraway look of his whenever he fantasized about Danny. "Mmmm. Half nude Danny runnin' 'round on the green grass with an erection. Now that's an … intriguin' image."

The dark-haired, handsome man closed his mouth after seeing Danny's warning glower. Flack strained to maintain a straight face for about five minutes, then said casually, "Naked."

"Don."

"Naked. Running. Green, green grass."

"Doooon."

"Sprinklers. Wet and glistening." Flack licked his lips. "Lying down. Legs spread, me on top." His voice got hoarse. "Thrusting. In and out."

Danny gasped. His head slammed back against the seat's headrest, eyes closed tight. "Oh fuck, DON!" Danny punched the other man in the arm again, then hunched over in his seat, forehead resting on the dashboard. "Oh shit, you're makin' it worse …"

Flack broke into another peal of amused laughter. From the sound of it, Danny wasn't the only one who was affected by the imagery. "Me and my big mouth, ah?"

"No shit." Danny laughed along with his lover. "We haven't even gone that far yet."

Flack's big, blue eyes gleamed. "Yeah, well, we're gonna rectify that problem tonight."

Danny's expression was a mishmash of a pout and a tremulous smile threatening to break into a full cat grin. "Did ya just attempt to make a lame spoof of the word rectum?"

Flack shot Danny a comical, indignant look. He scrunched one eye shut, then spoke in a droll, pirate captain-like accent. "RECTUM? Aarrrr, ye dirty-minded SCOUNDREL! I oughta spank ya and smack ye eeeeevil ways outta ye bum!"

Danny curled up in his seat as he laughed. He never knew what to expect from his lover sometimes. "I didn't know my eeeeeevil ways lived in my ass. And by the way, I hear pirates suck at golf."

"Yaaarrrr, really now? I'll show ya a thing or two on the course!" Flack parked the car in an empty space in the vast parking lot, close to one of the entrances to the golf center.

Danny glanced pointedly at Flack's groin. "Well, I sure hope there's more than a thing or two, or you're missin' some preeeetty important bits there."

Flack hauled Danny closer, chuckling. "Well, I'm sure ya got a nice view a' my … thing or two last night." He affectionately pecked the now bespectacled man, then made a dramatic act of thinking really hard about something. "Ohhh, wait a minute … ya couldn't have looked at it for long since it was in yer mouth and all -"

Without a word, Danny clambered out of the car and headed straight for the golf center. The homicide detective ended up pacing behind the CSI, snickering softly and pleading loudly at the same time for a slyly smiling Danny to forgive him for being such a naughty boy. Of course, both men never quite made it to the doors until over a half hour later. It was very convenient the lavatory was nearby. It certainly gave both men the privacy needed for Flack to demonstrate again to Danny just how well-accommodating his mouth was. Not to mention how skillful Danny was also getting in said activity. Flack was a fine teacher.

The relief was only temporary. Danny could barely concentrate on the game, too busy staring at Flack's bottom encased in close-fitting, light blue jeans as the guy swung his club again and again. He could feel Flack's intense gaze on him too while it was his turn.

"C'mon, Danny, sink the ball into the hole."

Danny's eyes closed at the comment. Oh crap, so this was why Flack insisted on golf, of all the sports they could've played that day. He looked at Flack, who grinned unashamedly at him.

"Miniature golf, Messer. Looooong, hard objects, balls and hooooles. What's not to like 'bout it?" Flack waggled his thick eyebrows.

Danny slapped a hand over half his face, lips twitching. Flack was in Naughty Pun mode.

Uh oh. Danny was in big trouble.

OooooooooooooooooooooooooO

Morning turned into afternoon in a haze of really corny, sexually-charged puns from Flack, stolen caresses and fondles and quick kisses when they were alone. Alone time was rare, since it was the weekend and kids were all over the place on the miniature golf course. However, the moment they were on their own, Danny was a wild horndog who leapt on Flack like a cheetah going after a tasty gazelle. The combination of happy, horny Flack, super snark and constant allusions to a certain portion of the male anatomy was perfect for bringing out the sex maniac in the usually non-demonstrative CSI.

When Flack started on the art of polishing balls and handling the oh-so-hard-and-long club correctly to aim straight for the hole, Danny gave up on holding himself back and literally dragged Flack caveman-style to a thicket of verdant bushes close by. Once again, Danny proved Flack's theory of Lots of Humping equals Danny Moaning like a Sailor's Harlot was still watertight. Unfortunately, it also proved humping in a public place where anyone could stumble upon two gorgeous men doing it was risky business was just as true.

It took four very loud coughs from the amused female employee of the golf center standing beside them to snap the detectives out of their body-twisting activity. Although it was against regulations for couples, much less two men, to make out or do more advanced sexual acts, she could let them off this one time because they were cute. Flack and Danny used up a good ten minutes giggling like schoolgirls in same bushes after the young woman left. They tried not to think too much about how much she'd seen or why she was grinning like a loon when she went off.

The two detectives unanimously called it a day for miniature golf, and headed to their favorite pizza spot in Little Italy. There, Danny took his sweet revenge on his lover by driving Flack nuts through the sensual art of eating pizza the Danny Messer way. Which involved the straightforward technique of getting the tomato puree all over his fingers and then sucking on said fingers like they were the very part of Flack endearingly named the Jackhammer. The moment Flack grabbed his hand and began sucking on his fingers too, Danny figured it was the ideal time to crash at either his place or Flack's place until evening came.

Flack's apartment was closer. Danny was embarrassed and quite stunned to realize it was the first time ever that he'd stepped foot in the place Flack called home. Flack swiftly assisted him in putting away his feelings of guilt by carrying the CSI fireman-style to Flack's bedroom, where, after being stripped, Danny was free to moan and scream to his heart's content.

"Noooooo …" Danny's heartfelt groan brought Flack's head up. The taller, dark-haired man halted the movement of his fingers, which made Danny whine the same word in a higher pitch.

"What, Danny? Ya want me ta stop?" Flack smirked. His forefinger and middle finger were deep inside Danny, curved upwards so they stroked the gland within with every motion. Flack pressed his thumb hard into the other man's perineum, making Danny's supple body shudder.

"Nooooo, don't …" Danny tried to move his hips, but he was effectively trapped in position.

The CSI lay with his back bowed on the bed, knees on Flack's shoulders. Flack was leaning over him on his knees, right hand next to Danny's head to steady himself and the left between Danny's legs. Flack had pushed a folded pillow beneath Danny's hips to ease any ache in the shorter man's back. Danny's flat belly was already covered with white rivulets and blobs of semen. The smaller man came twice, while Flack came once as he stroked his cock and watched Danny orgasming hard the second time. Danny was seriously sensitive down there.

"Don't what? Don't move, don't stop?"Flack grinned, arching his two fingers and rubbing the prostate gland. A soft cry escaped Danny's sucked-in lips. The rippling muscles in Danny's abdomen fascinated and hypnotized Flack. The CSI tossed his head from side to side, pants and moans becoming more erratic the more Flack moved his fingers.

"C'mon, buddy, ya gotta be more specific here." Flack tilted downwards to lick a long trail along the circumference of Danny's neck from below one ear to the other. He nibbled one earlobe, breathing in Danny's pleasant scent.

Danny's hands shifted from where they were coiled in the folds of the blanket under the two men, onto Flack's shoulders, skimming over the smooth skin. "More."

Flack raised his head until they were touching foreheads and noses. "More fingers?"

Danny nodded. Flack kissed him, then tentatively pushed in another lubed finger into the constricting passage. Danny tried his best to stifle it, but Flack heard the pained whimper anyway. When Danny's thighs involuntarily closed, Flack pulled out all his fingers to the other man's dismay.

"Why -"

"Hey." Flack brushed at the hair near Danny's temples. "We can take it easy, okay? Pain's never part of the plan." At Danny's disappointed expression, Flack could virtually hear Danny berating himself inside his head. He removed the pillow from under Danny and lay down so their bodies were skin to skin from chest to toes. He nuzzled into Danny's cheek. "Hey, it's okay."

Danny looked so much like an innocent child without his glasses and his blue eyes wide with trust and something Flack ardently hoped was what he was feeling right then too.

"I know," Danny replied in a small voice, "It's just … I … I really …" The CSI turned bright red. "I really want you inside me."

Flack stared in wonderment. Whoa, his heart must have burst, because he sure was feeling higher than a kite and he didn't even need a single drop of alcohol to do it. An elated smile spread across Flack's features. "Yeah?"

Danny looked away, nibbling on his lower lip. "Yeah, but … I, uh … I want our … our first time at my place." His blush became an even deeper red.

Flack swore his lower face had to be all teeth in the biggest smile in the world. "Yeah?"

Danny glowered at Flack. "Yeah, and I've already got stuff ready so it had better be there!"

Flack chuckled jovially. "Wow. You've prepared for it."

Danny's lips twitched. "Don't make me punch ya."

Flack's massive grin morphed into a tender smile. "I wasn't teasin' ya. I meant to say, I'm touched. It means somethin' to you and to me. You can bet I'll make it a night to remember for a long, long time, Danny."

Danny's cerulean eyes were crystal clear in the afternoon light. The CSI's lips slowly curled into the smile Flack would deem the one he could truly claim as his alone. It was the one Danny would use to speak of sunny mornings and gentle kisses and love in their future days together.

"I'm lookin' forward to it, Donny," Danny said in a faint, husky tone. Flack really liked the sound of his name like that coming from Danny's lips.

Their lips met in yet another moist kiss. One of Flack's hands crept down to their erections, grasping them in a fist. Danny's hips instinctively thrust forward, rubbing their hard cocks together and drawing groans from both men.

"One last time … then I got some things to give ya, okay?"

Danny could only reply with a high moan.

Flack moved his hand up and down their erect shafts relentlessly and fast, wrenching a harsh cry from Danny. Their lithe legs intertwined, muscular thighs and shins caressing together as they strived for that burst of pleasure. Flack slid a hand under Danny's neck and head to kiss him and swallow his increasing moans. Danny was the only person whom he could ever kiss throughout an entire session of sex and not feel weird about it.

A violent tremor shook Danny's lean body. Flack felt Danny's cock in his fist jerk, then hot wetness spreading between their heated bodies. Danny threw back his head and moaned, leaving his bared neck for Flack to bite. Danny jolted at the additional stimuli of Flack's teeth and wet tongue on his neck. Oh fuck, he felt like he was going to come again. Flack's pants were getting louder, hand movements more irregular and weakening. Danny slithered a hand down and wrapped it around Flack's, yanking both hands upwards and downwards with renewed vigor. He flicked a thumb over the sensitive head of Flack's erection.

That was all it took for Flack to come. The homicide detective groaned piercingly, burying his face in Danny's sweaty neck as he spurted white seed onto Danny's stomach. Flack's hand unintentionally tightened around both their cocks. Unbelievably, Danny's body shuddered again in another smaller but just as gratifying orgasm. Only a single bead of come seeped from Danny's softening penis.

They rested together on Flack's bed for a long time, entwined so closely it was difficult to tell where one man started and the other ended. Danny intermittently nibbled on the soft skin on Flack's collarbones while he snuggled into the taller man's solid chest, safe and warm in Flack's embrace. Flack simply nuzzled Danny's hair, relishing the soft texture against his patrician nose.

Eventually, Flack got up and used some tissue paper on the side table to wipe his hand and their bellies clean. Then he groped around in his cupboard for whatever he promised he was going to give Danny. Danny grinned. He was already gifted with a wonderful view of Flack's bare bottom waving in his face.

"Here." Flack dumped some bags onto the bed.

Danny sat up and delved into the bag closest to him. "Don …" He pulled out what appeared to be a very expensive-looking pair of leather trousers, outfitted with an assortment of silver buckles and studs. A silver zip ran from front to back via the groin and nether region. "What is this?"

Flack snickered. "Turn it around."

Danny flipped it so he got a good view of the back. "Holy -"

Flack laughed aloud at Danny's aghast expression.

"Holy crap, where're the bits that cover the BUTT!"

Flack keeled over on the bed, laughing too hard to articulate an answer. Danny slapped Flack's forearm, the nearest limb he could get his hand on.

"That … that's the way the pants are supposed ta be!" Flack's laughter bordered on smothering him when Danny looked more horror-struck than ever.

"I'm not gonna wear this outside! Where the heck am I gonna wear pants like these!" Danny suddenly noticed the price tag was still on it. "Oh my G- … Don, these trousers cost nearly five hundred dollars!"

The taller man finally found enough strength to get up and sit closer to Danny, wiping away tears from laughing so much. "Yeah, well, they were worth it just for the look on yer face!" Flack chuckled a little more. "I was hopin' we could pay a visit to the Seventh Gate tonight. But, since ya wanna … ya know, we'll leave it to another night."

'You mean … that club you told me 'bout?"

"Yeah." Flack grinned broadly. "I got the inspiration to get these after I saw a guy there wearing somethin' like it. You'll definitely give him a run for his money, with an ass like yours."

Danny stared at his lover for a moment, and laughed, eyes crinkled. "I don't believe this. You went and got me five hundred dollar leather trousers just so I can walk 'round with my butt hangin' out. Ya nut."

"Hey, don't diss the ass." Flack pushed the other bags towards Danny. "C'mon, look at the other stuff. I got them while you were still stayin' over at Mac's hideout apartment."

Ah, that explained why Flack was incognito that day before Danielle's date with the IAB chief. With a little smile, Danny took out the items from each bag and laid them on the bed. His blue eyes were probably bigger than his head at the sight of the grand leather jacket with its meticulous stitching and well-formed pattern. There was no way that thing was cheap. Danny's jaws dropped even further at the semi-transparent, Goth-like tops and the cosmetic things.

"Oh, the eyeliner and the mascara and stuff?" Flack picked up the eyeliner as if it was the most normal thing in the world for him to do. "I always wanted to know what ya look like in it. And anyway, that time when ya wore makeup for that date don't count."

"Don … is there … is there somethin' you'd like to tell me?"

Flack abruptly looked very serious. "Yeah. There is." He inclined forward until his nose was an inch away from Danny's.

"I love you, Danny Messer."

Danny blinked. Nah, it was just the bright afternoon light making his eyes all blurry.

Flack seemed to smile lovingly in understanding, and gave Danny a gentle kiss. "There're lotsa things ya don't know about me yet, Danny. But the best part is, we always have today to find out 'bout each other, and every other today that'll come our way with each set and rise of the sun." The homicide detective ran long fingers through Danny's mussed hair. "All this stuff? It don't matter to me how much it cost. As long as it makes you happy, I'm happy. 'Course, if ya don't like it, I can always return it -"

Whatever else Flack was about to say was overwhelmed by Danny's moist lips over his. It was some time before Flack broke the kiss to hug Danny tightly in his lanky arms. "I think you'll make a fuckin' hot Goth."

Danny let out a wet chuckle as he rested his head where Flack's neck met with his shoulder. "S'funny. I was 'bout to say the same to you."

Flack smirked. "Heh. I know I am." He yelped at the pinch in his side. Well, at least it was better than a punch.

"You're reaaal modest, aren't ya?" Danny asked with a mock glare.

"Yeah. You musta rubbed off on me pretty good."

Both men sniggered at Flack's unintended innuendo. Flack nipped Danny lightly on the tip of his nose.

"C'mon." The tall detective tapped the eyeliner pencil and mascara on his palm, smiling mischievously. "Let's make ya beautiful."

OooooooooooooooooooooooooO

It was Daniel's muffled but joyous laughter that compelled Mrs. Belinda Penrose to saunter up to her apartment's front door. She had known the sweet if sometimes distant young man ever since he first moved to the apartment next door over five years ago.

In all that time, this was possibly the first time she'd ever heard him laugh like that. Like he had discovered his pearl in the field, at last.

She put one finger to her puckered lips and hushed her pet Corgi dog, Einstein, who woofed in curiosity at her. She had to find out who was responsible for bringing such happiness to Daniel's voice. Little by little, her apartment door creaked open until there was a tiny gap big enough to peer through. Ah, Daniel was there at the top of the staircase now. A beautiful smile graced her aged visage. Indeed, Daniel appeared absolutely vibrant and in high spirits in all ways.

"Heeeey, after all the things I got ya, least you could do is tell me what ya did!"

Mrs. Penrose's smile brightened significantly. Well, well, she was right after all.

Daniel laughed, agilely evading Donny's hands that were making a quick grab for him. "And I told you I'm not sayin' anythin'!"

As they approached, Mrs. Penrose saw that both men were dressed in what young people these days considered club clothes, as Daniel himself once clarified for her. Daniel had his usual faded and ripped jeans on, but his top was another story. If she was his mother and had any say about his choice of clothes, she would have immediately made him change to a less … transparent one. But, luckily, she wasn't. And it was very true that even in her old age, she could still fully appreciate the lovely aesthetics of the fit male body.

Mrs. Penrose chortled to herself. Why, Donny had a similar top on as well. The long sleeves were covered in some bizarre zebra-like pattern that was a different color scheme than Daniel's. But starting from the shoulders down, the semi-transparent mesh of the shirt, there was little left to the imagination. And goodness, were they both wearing black eyeliner and mascara?

"Belinda! What are you looking at?" Her best friend Magda of nearly sixty years lounged in front of the television set, petting Einstein on the couch. Magda was smiling in amusement at her antics at the front door.

Mrs. Penrose turned around and shushed Magda the same way she hushed Einstein. "It's Daniel and Donny. They must be back from a night out in town."

Magda's smile changed into a huge, excited grin. "Ohh, really! Won't you invite them in?"

Mrs. Penrose tittered affably, heading with her trusty cane for the kitchen. "I'll give them the chocolate brownies we made today, and see if they have a little time to chitchat with us."

"They're such lovely boys, aren't they?"

Einstein barked in agreement with Magda's statement.

Mrs. Penrose tittered some more. She carefully took the plate of brownies from her kitchen table and moseyed back to her front door. She hoped she didn't put too much sugar in them today; she knew Daniel didn't like to eat food that was too sugary. Donny liked her brownies very sweet though.

The unmistakable sounds that floated to her ears made her hesitate at the door for a second or so. No, it would be rude to intrude on them. She thought about waiting for a few minutes, and then changed her mind. She giggled. Ah well, she could always use the excuse of having bad hearing in her old age.

"Mmmm, Don … let m-lemme open the door."

The only way Mrs. Penrose could put it was that Donny had Daniel crushed against the wall next to his apartment door with his gangly body, running his large hands up and down Daniel's flanks. It was quite mesmerizing to watch the two fine-looking men kissing and getting lost in each other. There was something charming about the way Daniel had his arms folded around Donny's neck while the other man whispered sweet nothings between kisses. Some shopping bags were left abandoned at their feet.

After five minutes passed and the boys showed no indication of even knowing she was there, she cleared her throat once and said gleefully, "Oh, Daniel, Donny! How wonderful to s-"

Daniel virtually jumped out of his skin with a shriek and Donny bounded a good three feet backwards in fright at her voice. She couldn't help giggling at their shocked expressions, especially when they attempted to act like nothing had happened in the last five minutes or so.

"M-Mrs-MRS. PENROSE!" Daniel's voice had gone five octaves higher. "Heeeey, how ya doin'?"

Daniel spied the bags on the floor and instantly snatched one to hold in front of his lower body. He had a toothy grin of a little boy who just got caught red-handed stealing from the cookie jar. Donny hid behind Daniel, peering sideways to shyly wave at her and say hello too. They were so cute when they blushed as red as they did now.

"I'm sorry, boys, was I … interrupting something?"

The two young men immediately shook their heads wildly in disagreement, both saying, "Ohhh, nononononooooooo!"

"Noooooooo, of couuuuurse not!" Donny's voice was even higher than Daniel's. "We were just, uh, just … back from a night at the, uhm, local pub! Yeah." The taller detective grinned nervously.

"Ohh, I thought you boys might have gone clubbing instead." Mrs. Penrose glanced at Daniel's midriff through the see-through mesh of his top. Goodness gracious, she certainly didn't need to worry whether Daniel was taking good care of his body or not! "Daniel once mentioned to me that these," - she reached out and pinched a fold of the shirt above his navel - "Were club clothes."

Daniel turned a darker two shades of crimson. She had to forcibly stifle another round of chuckles at the young bespectacled man's deed of subtly draping an arm over his chest, right over his nipples. From the contortion of Donny's facial muscles, she safely presumed the other young man found it equally amusing.

"Uh, yeah, we went clubbing for a while, ma'am. See some new friends a' mine, have some drinks, dance, ya know," Donny said nonchalantly, hands on hips. He was still hiding behind Daniel. She smiled impishly. Oh, she was no stranger to what the handsome, dark-haired detective was concealing behind his friend. That's what she got for having married a lusty fiend like her late Gregory.

"Well, I won't keep you boys any longer since you've had such a long night." She gave them a kind and pleased smile, handing them the plate of homemade brownies. "I hope you won't mind having some of my chocolate brownies? Magda's over again, so we decided to make a big batch."

"Broooownies!" At the sight of the dark, scrumptious confectionary, Flack forgot about modesty and sprung forward to take the plate. He speedily pitched a rectangular piece into his gaping mouth and munched happily on it. "Shthank yuuh, Mirrshush Phenrossh."

Mrs. Penrose chortled. "You're very welcome, Donny."

Daniel, evidently, had also forgotten about modesty and was holding the shopping bag at his side, gazing at Donny with a suffering expression.

"You. Are such. A pig."

Chewing on his second piece, Donny stared back at Daniel with a humorous look of affront. "Whhhhaaaaaaaat? Shthey're ghhood!"

Daniel spluttered. "I mean … could you at least have waited until we went inside 'fore ya stuffed yer face!"

Donny swallowed and pouted. There were chocolate stains at the corner of his lips. "I was hungry."

Daniel rolled his eyes, but he was smiling too. "Refer to my pig statement, please."

The taller man's pout intensified. "S'not my fault I was blessed with magnificent metabolism."

Mrs. Penrose had to place a hand over the upper left side of her chest. Their banter reminded her so much of her own with her beloved Gregory in decades gone by, it made her old heart ache in a bittersweet way.

Daniel snickered. "I dunno why I put up with ya."

A profound, fond emotion materialized in Donny's bright, blue eyes. He was about to say something to Daniel when he realized she was still there with them. His blush returned in a jiffy.

"Thank you so much for the brownies, Mrs. Penrose," Daniel said warmly to her, giving her a hug and a friendly kiss on her temple. "They're the best in the whole world."

Now it was her turn to flush. "That's very sweet of you to say, Daniel." She patted his cheek. "Now you boys go on in and have a good night, alright?"

Both men thanked her again and waved goodbye before Daniel unlocked his apartment door. Donny was arguing with his friend over the correctness of branding him a pig even as they entered Daniel's apartment and shut the door.

Mrs. Penrose stood where she was, listening intently for any noises that filtered through the door.

There was a muted thud, like the sound of heavy shopping bags hitting the floor.

"Danny, whoa, wait! Lemme put these brownies down fir-"

A sharp clatter of something light and hard falling onto the floor.

Silence for over a minute.

Then somebody groaned loudly.

More silence for a few more minutes.

More thwacking sounds, of hurried, excited footsteps deeper into the apartment.

A very subdued slam of the door.

Mrs. Penrose smiled optimistically to herself, and thought about the days before when she saw how melancholy and lonely Daniel used to be. It was about damn time.

"Belinda! You're missing the show!"

"I'm coming, darling. Just hold on there." Mrs. Penrose took her time walking back into her own apartment, locking the door and cooing to Einstein as she collapsed contentedly on the couch next to her best friend. Einstein dived onto her lap and settled himself there like he always did for the last ten years since they were together.

"How are the boys?"

"They're doing just fine. Painted the whole town red tonight, it seems."

"Ah, sounds like they had lots of fun."

"Oh, you know how young people are like these days. The night isn't over until the sun is up."

Magda chuckled in agreement. The two old ladies sank comfortably into the sofa cushions, watching a Seinfeld marathon on the television. They drank tea from porcelain tea cups and chomped on some butter shortbread they'd baked along with the chocolate brownies.

A half hour passed.

Suddenly, an audible moan was heard. It came from opposite the wall of the living area they were facing.

A minute passed.

There was another higher moan.

And then the wall began to faintly vibrate, each tremor accompanied by a noisy, forceful thump.

Mrs. Penrose and Magda calmly watched the television as the thumping noises continued for almost twenty minutes.

When the second Seinfeld episode of the show's marathon concluded, Mrs. Penrose swiveled her head slowly to face her close friend.

"My dearest Magda."

Magda also pivoted her head to smile warmly at her.

'Yes, Belinda?"

Mrs. Penrose's benevolent, green eyes twinkled dazzlingly as she showed her companion the palm of her right hand.

"I do believe, my dear … you owe me one hundred dollars."

***

Chapter 30

It was the heavy sound of the shopping bags hitting the floor that made Flack halt in his tracks.

Then the slick sound of a moist tongue running over lips.

The homicide detective swallowed the final bite of his brownie and slowly craned his head to the back.

"Danny, whoa, wait! Lemme put these brownies down fir -"

The plate of sweet brownies flew from Flack's hand onto Danny's living room floor with a loud rattle. Three chocolate pieces tumbled off the plate and onto the smooth surface, only to be squished under one of Flack's shoes a second later.

Flack staggered backwards under the sudden weight of the CSI flinging himself on top of the taller man. Whoa, Danny was no lightweight. Flack barely avoided stepping on the rest of the brownies. He held on tight to Danny's waist and thigh as Danny wrapped his arms and legs around Flack's neck and hips, stealing his lungful of air away with one open-mouthed kiss after another. Danny's hands were almost frantically running through his shorn hair and down his shoulder blades, like he wanted to crawl inside Flack.

The back of Flack's legs banged into the armrest of Danny's couch, and both men tumbled onto the brown sofa. Danny never once released his hold, merely shifting his legs so he ended up straddling the homicide detective's hips. Flack couldn't emit a single sound with Danny's lips crushed over his. The CSI was making enough noise for both of them.

"Mmmm, fuck, I need ya so bad …" The tip of Danny's tongue ran across Flack's lower lip and the corners of his mouth, licking away the chocolate specks. "Ya gonna make me scream tonight, Don, hahn?"

Flack licked his own lips, blue eyes wide as they drank in the sight of a flushed, aroused Danny staring back at him with intense hunger. He grinned, running his hands down Danny's flanks to squeeze the man's pert bottom.

"If that's all ya think you're gonna do tonight … you dunno what the hell you're goin' into, Messer." Flack slipped his hands under the waistband of Danny's jeans. Oh yeah, Danny skin was much better.

The CSI snickered, eyes heavy-lidded. "Heh, and here I was thinkin' it was you who was gonna … go into things, instead."

Flack's grin turned wicked. "Careful what ya wish for," he said huskily. "Ya might just get it."

Danny fluidly moved to a sitting position, palms snaking down Flack's chest and abdomen. The semi-transparent top Flack wore did nothing to stop those hands from leaving blazing trails of heat in their wake. Danny's blue eyes were huge with the dark eyeliner around them and the mascara thickening his eyelashes. They remained locked with Flack's eyes, closing only when Danny languorously pulled his long-sleeved top over his head and left his upper body exposed to the taller man's perusal.

Flack's hands tightened reflexively on the other man's buttocks. Fuck, Danny sure hadn't been joking about going to the Y and keeping himself fit and trim. There was no way in hell Flack was going to let the guy go to the gym alone anymore.

Danny hurled his shirt onto the new coffee table he recently bought. Stretched his arms upwards, crossed his forearms, turned his head aside and curved his upper body backwards. It threw his muscles into stark relief under the ambient lighting of the living area.

Flack groaned loudly.

"Ya rat bastard, are ya tryin' ta kill me?" Flack sounded like he was dying.

Danny smirked. He knew how much this particular pose turned Flack on. He glanced at his lover with sultry eyes. His tongue flicked out.

"Wait till ya see the cock rings I got." Danny laughed at the astounded but thrilled expression on Flack's handsome visage. He could tell Flack was going to use them for all they were worth, alright.

He got off the couch, still maintaining eye contact with his lover as he unzipped his jeans and let them slide down his lean legs. He hadn't bothered wearing any underwear since that afternoon at Mac's other apartment. It was pointless given that Flack stripped him naked every chance the horny guy had. And for some strange reason, Flack was no fan of BVDs. The homicide detective preferred his Danny commando, or at most, in thongs.

Danny could feel Flack's eyes tracing their way down his body, lingering on his groin. He looked down at Flack's crotch. Oh yeah, he certainly wasn't the only guy who was rock hard and dripping right now. Smiling broadly, he toed off his socks too and stepped out of the rumpled jeans on the floor. Languidly promenaded to his bedroom door, even slightly swaying his hips as he did so.

Flack's breath hitched. He scrambled upright on the couch to see Danny leaning with his chest, arm and cheek on one side of the open doorway. His face was turned towards Flack, so the rest of his body was in profile. Flack's eyes inevitably fell on the round contours of the CSI's bottom. Thrust out the way it was, it was the most fucking beautiful thing he had ever seen.

Danny stroked a hand down the wood beneath his hand and pouted. "Ya just gonna sit there all night, or are ya gonna join me in here?"

The taller detective was already halfway across the living area to the bedroom before the last word came out of Danny's mouth, his heavy steps resounding in the apartment. He even managed to yank off his shoes before rushing into the room, slamming the door close behind him. He barreled into a cackling Danny, causing them both to fall and bounce hard on the bed. Danny was still laughing while he nibbled at the smaller man's neck and shoulders, and he slithered down and nibbled on Danny's nipples instead. Danny's cackles abruptly changed into groans.

Flack grinned and swiped his hot tongue over one dark nipple. "Don'tcha know it's bad to fire up somebody who knows all yer sensitive spots, Danny?"

The shorter man simply countered with a low moan. Then, in a surprise move, Danny shoved at Flack's shoulders. Flack glanced at Danny's face and saw that the CSI was mock glaring at him and trying not to smile.

"Strip."

Flack sniggered, but he hurriedly stripped off his top and clambered off Danny and the bed to take off his pants and socks. That was when he noticed the unlit candles scattered all over the bedroom table and shelves. And the bottles of lubricant and stack of condoms on one bedside table.

As well as the full-length mirror facing the bed.

Wait. Make that two full-length mirrors on both sides of the bed.

"Whoa." A huge grin spread across Flack's mien. "Babe, so this was what ya meant by preparation, huh?"

Danny's face was red. "You laugh and I'll kick ya between yer legs. I mean it."

Flack climbed back onto the bed on top of the other man, looming over Danny on his hands and knees. "What the heck are ya talkin' 'bout? I think it's fuckin' awesome ya got all this stuff here."

The homicide detective peered sideways at one of the mirrors. He stared at their reflection, noticing for the first time how flushed his skin was and how his pink lips were now swollen from all the kissing. How tousled his hair was. And most of all, how hot it was to see Danny staring at their reflection too.

Flack kept his gaze on the mirror as he carefully laid down on top of Danny, nestling his head under the CSI's chin. Danny's hands instinctively raised to ruffle Flack's hair and caress his shoulders.

"Man, it's like watchin' some kinda realtime porn of ourselves or somethin'," Flack said in a hushed tone.

"That's the whole point, Don," Danny replied, voice equally hushed. He was still blushing.

Flack smirked mischievously at his lover's reflection. "You are one kinky man, Daniel Messer."

Danny let his arms fall to his sides, and he rubbed his body sinuously against the taller man's. "Yeah, well … it takes one to know one, hmm?"

Flack answered Danny by getting up onto his elbows to kiss the man, grinding their hips and groins together until Danny was moaning non-stop and begging Flack to stop torturing him. Danny's erection was hot and hard next to his between their flat bellies, dark red and leaking white liquid.

"Fuck, please … Don … please …" Danny threw back his head and moaned audibly at Flack corkscrewing his hips hard. The friction was unbearable. Every jostling movement against his cock made pleasure pulse throughout his entire body.

"Please what, Danny?" Flack corkscrewed his hips again, holding down Danny's wrists.

The smaller man's eyelids fluttered. He had to catch his breath before he could respond.

"Please." The CSI's blue eyes were enormous, gleaming under the bedroom lights. "I want you to fuck me hard."

A shudder shook Flack's whole body. His aching cock literally jumped. His brain immediately committed that proclamation to memory, remembering everything from the warmth of Danny's bare body under him to the glistening wetness of the man's lips to the way those cerulean eyes gazed at him so openly. With such rare trust it made Flack's heart hurt.

But that wasn't what he was waiting to hear.

"Nope, wrong answer."

Danny's brows lowered in confusion. "Wha?"

"Please what, Danny?" Flack repeated softly. He touched their foreheads together.

Danny continued to appear puzzled for a few more seconds, then realized what Flack wanted.

"Please." The smaller man licked his lips, touching one of Flack's cheeks. "I want you to make love to me."

The homicide detective sucked in a wavering breath, blinking hard. He'd only ever heard Danny say that to him in his fantasies for so long, it was almost impossible for his mind to comprehend that, this time, it was real.

"I want ya to make love to me, Don." Danny was blinking too, eyes glossy. "Make me feel ya all over me, all around me, everywhere." Danny turned his head at an angle so he could whisper against his lover's parted lips. "Feel ya deep inside me, so big and deep and hard I can't think or feel anythin' else except you. Make love to me. Make me scream your name."

Whatever self-control Flack possessed vanished like a puff of smoke.

Danny's wrists were still gripped in Flack's large hands, and the taller man took the opportunity to tug Danny's arms downwards to his sides, effectively pinning Danny in his reclined position. Flack slid down until he was facing the CSI's groin, then enveloped the head of Danny's cock in his mouth, teasing the tip with his tongue.

Danny was yelling incoherently by the time Flack's nose was tickled by curly hair. The shorter man was giving all he had to break out of Flack's clutches, but Flack was stronger. Resting his upper body on Danny's thighs ensured Flack the other man wouldn't be able to move his legs or hips either. The homicide detective tightened his grip on the thrashing arms, bobbing his head faster and swiveling his tongue on the underside of the hot appendage. Oh fuck, Danny tasted so damn good.

It took Flack's lust-addled brain a little while to figure out something wasn't quite right. Danny wasn't trying to buck his hips in the direction of Flack's mouth. He was trying to move away.

"Nonono, wait … Don, no …"

What the?

Flack quickly lifted his head, and the throbbing cock popped out of his mouth. It curved up onto Danny's smooth stomach, still hard and dripping. Flack let go of Danny's wrists and clambered back up, suddenly anxious.

"Hey, hey, what's wrong, buddy?" Flack was bemused. Danny hardly looked like he was in any pain whatsoever, unless half-closed eyes glazed over with desire and soft moans of pleasure were included symptoms.

Danny had one hand wrapped around the base of his erection. "I - I didn't wanna come yet." His eyelids flickered for a moment. "Wanna come when you come inside me."

Flack swore he was going to keel over from a heart attack before the night was done.

That was it. Fooling time was over.

"Where're the cock rings, Danny?" Flack clasped the other man's lower jaw in one hand, making sure Danny looked into his eyes and understood the foreplay session was up.

Danny's blue eyes widened, and his wiry body jerked hard once. Oh yeah, Danny got the point.

"They - they're in the top drawer." The CSI motioned with his head towards the bedside table where the lube and condoms were.

Flack crawled to the side of the bed and got to his feet, bending down to open the bedside table's drawer. He smirked at the two black adjustable, leather cock rings, taking them out and testing them to see how wide they could stretch. Danny must have gotten them lately. Somebody of Flack's girth was going to need one way bigger than the regular size.

"Niiiice." Flack aimed his smirk at Danny, who turned crimson at the apparent amusement in Flack's voice.

It was ironic how people assumed Danny was some sort of pervy horndog simply because he had a whole string of girlfriends in the past. Having had multiple, short-term girlfriends was one thing. Having a boyfriend with whom he was fucking crazy about enough to start buying all sorts of sex toys was something else. Especially when the guy was also one of his closest and most trusted co-workers he wouldn't think twice about laying his life down for.

Danny got up onto his elbows as Flack picked up a lighter next to one of the red candles on the bedroom table.

"Our first time, Danny," Flack said, big blue eyes scorching hot. "I made a promise this afternoon to ya, and I intend to keep it."

One by one, all the candles in the room were set alight. Danny had placed them in appropriate, cleared sites on the table and shelves where they wouldn't make anything else catch fire. They had a rather pleasant scent when lit too. When Flack switched off the bedroom lights, the difference in the atmosphere was vast.

The whole room unexpectedly appeared as if a constellation of yellow, bright stars was floating all around them. The two full-length mirrors reflected the lighted candles, making it seem as if there were twice as many candles lighted. And whatever the scent drifting from the burning candles was, it was doing something good to Flack's senses. Was it even possible for him to feel even more turned on than before?

Twirling the cock rings around his fingers, the homicide detective walked back to the bed, a roguish smile curving up his lips.

"Move up the bed, Danny."

Danny swiftly did so, scrambling backwards until his head was on the pillows. His moist tongue flicked out once more, wetting his lips. His huge, blue eyes stared at the leather bindings in the taller detective's hand.

Flack's smile widened. Oh, someone was really looking forward to experimenting with the cock rings. He onto the bed and sat astride Danny's thighs.

"I'm gonna tie one around ya now, 'kay? Tell me if it's too tight."

Danny nodded.

Flack slipped one loosened cock ring down to the base of Danny's erection, and gently tautened it until it was snug around the engorged appendage. The sounds coming from Danny's open mouth reassured Flack it wasn't hurting his lover. He slid the other one around his own cock and did the same, letting out a low groan at the new pressure. It felt good. They were both rock hard, but they sure weren't going to come anytime soon thanks to the bindings.

Danny had already taken a pillow and pushed it under his hips, feet flat on the bed and legs drawn up and bent at the knees. Flack planted a kiss on the side of one knee, then leaned over between Danny's legs to grab a bottle of lube and a condom from the bedside table. His cock was aching so badly he figured it was going to virtually explode if he didn't get himself deep inside Danny in the next minute or two. He uncapped the bottle and poured a whole lot of lube onto one hand, slathering it all over his fingers.

"Danny. If you've got any second thoughts, now's a good time to tell me 'bout it." He reached down between Danny's legs, seeking the entrance into Danny's body. "'Cos once I start, I ain't turnin' back."

"Don, if ya stop, I'll fuckin' strangle ya to death myself."

Flack snickered. Now that was his Danny right there. He caressed one of Danny's thighs with the hand that had been holding the bottle, now lying on the bed near them.

Without warning, he plunged in two lubricated fingers to the knuckles. Danny was still slick and not too tight due to their afternoon activities. However, the CSI let out a hoarse shout anyway.

"Ooohh, fuck!" The muscles in Danny's abdomen rippled visibly as the man contorted his body on the bed sheets, eyes scrunched shut and mouth wide open. "Ohoohhfuck, more …"

Flack twisted his fingers and rubbed at the gland inside. It was amazing how such a tiny organ was capable of reducing a full-grown man to a whimpering, moaning mass of supple muscle and flesh. Flack couldn't wait until it was his turn to find out just how pleasurable the sensation was. Tonight though, it was Danny's gratification that was top priority to him.

The taller man inhaled deeply, inwardly nervous. Danny may have tested out a whole variety of dildos and such, but they weren't very big to begin with. The biggest one was just a bit smaller than Flack's three fingers combined. Flack recalled it had taken a lot of relaxation on Danny's part and a great deal of lubricant to get that one in. And as for the Jackhammer … boy, Flack's cock was way bigger than three of his fingers.

Fuck. Flack frowned. Danny was going to feel some pain no matter how much Flack prepared him. He hated seeing Danny in pain.

The smaller man seemed to know exactly what Flack was thinking.

"Don."

Flack raised his head to gaze at Danny. The CSI was gorgeous under the illumination of the candles surrounding them. His eyes and blonde tints in his hair seemed to glow.

"It's okay. I can take more." Danny sent him a small but tender smile. "Just keep goin'."

Flack inhaled again, then cautiously pushed in a third finger, intently watching Danny's visage. As much as Danny tried to conceal it, Flack still detected the slight wince. The thigh under Flack's other hand tensed for a second, then relaxed. The pressure around his fingers inside Danny also eased. As the third finger sunk in all the way to the knuckle like the other two, it dawned on Flack that Danny was forcing himself to relax.

"Danny, am I hurtin' ya?" Flack carefully shifted his fingers to rub at the prostate gland once more. "Tell me."

Danny slowly shook his head from side to side. The man's wince had noticeably lessened. "N-no, it just … feels really full."

Flack stroked harder on the nub inside Danny, grinning in satisfaction at the returning pleasure to Danny's features. "That feel good?"

The CSI could merely nod his head erratically. He was biting the edge of one of his palms, face flushed and sweaty.

After a few minutes, Flack slowly pulled out his fingers. Danny let out an involuntary whine at the loss.

"Don't worry, babe," Flack said hoarsely. "The real thing's comin'."

The taller detective took out the condom from its wrapper, the ripping sound as the wrapper was opened loud in the bedroom. The only other sounds in the room were Danny's soft pants and throaty noises. Flack rolled the condom over his throbbing erection, now even darker in color after he'd tied on the leather cock ring.

Danny managed a rasping cackle at Flack dumping half the bottle of lube onto his cock. "Don'tcha think that's a bit too much?"

Flack stroked his condom-covered cock, covering it all in the slick substance. "I don't wanna hurt ya, Danny. But, seein' how big I am, there's still gonna be some burn."

Danny gulped. Flack wasn't boasting about his size. Even without his spectacles on, Danny could see just how big Flack was down there. But he'd rather die than ask Flack to stop now. He was going to know inside out how Flack felt like deep inside him even if it killed him.

"I'm scared shitless, Don. I mean, you're fuckin' huge, but I don't want ya to stop, okay? I want ya to keep goin' even if I'm hurtin'."

Flack scowled, and started to say something in reply. Danny's fingers on his lips quietened him.

"Please. I really want you. I think I'm gonna die if I don't feel ya inside me and up to my throat in the next thirty seconds."

Flack huffed, eyes lustrous with passion for the man lying beneath him. Damnit, he simply couldn't describe how much he loved Danny. At least, right now in this moment, he could show his other half how much.

"Lift up yer legs," Flack said softly.

Danny raised his legs and Flack helped him place them on his shoulders, knees on each side of Flack's long neck. Flack rearranged the pillow under Danny's hips to make him more comfortable, then leaned forward, resting one hand beside Danny's head. The homicide detective's lubed cock slid between Danny's buttocks, making the CSI's legs quake. Flack gazed into Danny's blue eyes as he used his other hand to guide himself into the other man.

"Ready?"

Danny stroked a hand down the side of Flack's handsome visage. He swallowed visibly, then gave Flack a brave smile and said, "Fill me up, Don."

Flack took a deep breath. And thrust in past the tight rings of muscle, pushing the head and the first three inches inside. Flack's breath caught in his throat at the intense, inner heat and the constriction around his erection. If it wasn't for the cock ring, he would have orgasmed right then and there.

Danny's high-pitched moan rapidly dragged him back from the brink. It was not one of the good kinds of moans. The shorter man's upper body was arching off the bed as much as it could, his head thrown back, tendons in his neck distended. His hands curled forcefully in the pillow under his head and the bed sheet. His eyes were squeezed shut, face knotted into an agonized grimace, mouth agape as another moan escaped. When Danny's eyes opened into slits, two tears streamed down his face, the thin rivulets glinting in the candlelights.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry …" Flack gently wiped away one tear, hating himself for every harsh pant that came out from Danny's lips. He began to pull out.

"NO!" Danny's panicked yell and hands frenetically clutching his head immobilized Flack. "No, please, don't pull out …" The CSI gulped hard, panted some more. "Just - just gimme some time, 'kay? Don't pull out."

Flack nodded, arms trembling wildly, teeth gritted. He was that close to losing whatever remnants of restraint he had left. He wasn't even halfway inside Danny yet, but the feeling was already incredible. He was right after all. He was going to explode into a million pieces before the night was over.

Danny's panting gradually slowed down. The powerful constriction around Flack's cock also slowly eased. Danny's attractive facial features started to slacken as the pain diminished. He blinked twice at Flack, moist, blue eyes wide with something akin to amazement.

"I'm okay." Danny licked his dry lips. "I'm a'right, Don."

The taller detective released a shuddering sigh. He resumed pushing inwards again, not stopping until he felt the round globes of Danny's bottom touching his groin and thighs. Flack couldn't help groaning audibly, and he bit his lower lip so hard it nearly bled. Fuck, he could feel his orgasm threatening to overwhelm him, and he hadn't even begun thrusting yet.

Danny let out yet another high moan, eyes so wide Flack could see the whites around the blue irises. Danny's hands were coiled tautly under his lower jaw and ears.

"Are ya hurtin'? Danny?" That moan wasn't like the first one, but Flack wasn't going to presume things.

Danny looked dazed. "No, it … feels so … full." The CSI blinked some more. "Gee, I shoulda … been more careful 'bout askin' to feel ya … all the way up to my throat, huh?" A small smirk curved one side of Danny's lips.

Flack was elated at seeing his lover's patented smirk. He sniggered.

And Danny threw his head back again and whined loudly.

"Ow, oh fuck, stop laughin'! I can feel every bit of it inside me! You're like … a fuckin' telephone pole!" The smaller man punched Flack in the arm. Danny's last comment only served to make Flack laugh harder. Danny began to laugh himself, and it seemed to magnify whatever sensations he was feeling within.

"Stop it! Owww .." Danny smacked Flack across the head, involuntarily alternating between moaning and laughing. "Ya feel fuckin' huge …"

Flack was seriously attempting to not laugh for Danny's sake. "Ya know … when I start gettin' phone calls via my dick … then we'll call it a frickin' telephone pole, 'kay?"

Danny's laughter and moans increased in proportion, as well as his smacks to Flack's head. "Stooooooop iiittttt -"

"And … and maybe - maybe, it only works like a telephone pole … when I'm inside ya." Flack giggled, eyes squinted and head bowed so the smaller man's harmless slaps bounced off the top of his head. "Like … you're some kinda receiver … or somethin'."

The homicide detective reached around to fondle Danny's cock, which had somewhat softened due to the pain. He closed his hand into a fist around it, then angled it towards his head and spoke to it. "Hello? This is Detective Flack here, I gotta report a 288 and a 314 occurrin' at -"

The rest of Flack's comment was drowned out by Danny kissing him and shoving his tongue into his mouth. Flack supported Danny's head with one hand behind the shorter man's neck, his eyes partially closed and his own tongue dueling with his lover's. The CSI was nearly bent double by their current position, his knees not quite touching his own shoulders. Flack could only imagine how uncomfortable the other man might be at the moment. It was a damn fine thing Danny was one flexible guy.

"Ya know, I kinda remember sex … involvin' a lot more movin' than talkin', Don." Danny gazed at him from beneath lowered eyelids. The eyeliner under those baby blues were a little smudged because of the tears before.

"Talkin' … is 'bout the only thing keepin' me from givin' the atomic bomb a run for its money … if ya know what I mean," Flack rasped, smiling.

Danny tentatively shifted his hips, moaning at the sensation of the hardened shaft inside him going deeper. "C'mon, move, damnit! Or am I gonna hafta do all the work here?"

Flack had closed his eyes when Danny moved his hips forward, body and limbs quavering anew. His higher brain functions were shutting down one by one, leaving merely a voice in his head that repeated one word over and over. Movemovemovemovemovemove …

The taller detective's blue eyes snapped open.

"Babe, ya asked fer it. Ya got it."

Flack pulled out until only the head remained inside, and in one smooth motion, shoved back in to the hilt. Again. And again. And again. Flack ground his teeth together every time he rammed his hips forward, a low groan escaping through his clenched jaws. Danny was deliberately tightening his muscles with each thrust, and fuck, it was mind-blowing.

"Uuuhhhh … ohoohhhohfuck, fuck, Don … uuggh …" Danny's body was flushed and shiny with sweat. He was biting at the pillow beneath his head in an effort to curb his cries and moans, head turned to one side, hands curled into fists into the pillow.

Flack batted the pillow away from his lover's mouth, forcing Danny to face him. He was hardly worried about the smaller man making too much noise. However, he did hope Danny's neighbors had lousy hearing. The bed headstand's constant banging against the wall didn't leave much doubt to what they were doing.

"I love hearin' the sounds ya make … don'tcha know that?" Flack accentuated each word with a grind of his hips.

Danny screamed at a particular deep thrust, intense pleasure zigzagging from his groin, up his back and through his whole body when Flack's engorged cock raked firmly across his prostate. He convulsed, torso stiffening, but the binding around his erection kept him from coming. Only a bead of come seeped from the tip, trickling down the shaft.

Flack had to stop moving. Danny had constricted so hard around him, it was very nearly painful. That, and Flack was remembering the full-length mirrors on both sides of the bed. He grinned like the Cheshire cat.

Oh no, the fun was just beginning.

The panting CSI let out an upset whimper at Flack slowly pulling out completely, eyes half-lidded and lower lip chewed.

"Turn over, Danny."

Danny struggled upright and rolled over. Now, with the pillow cushioning his lower belly and groin, his bottom was sticking out into the air. Just the way Flack wanted it.

The homicide detective scuttled backwards on his knees and hauled on Danny's hips to position the man lower down on the bed. Spread open Danny's legs and hurried back between them, tilting down to whisper in the other man's ear.

"Look in the mirror, babe. Look at us." Flack felt the smaller man shiver under his hands. Danny was staring at their reflection with large, stunned eyes, watching him direct his cock between those round globes.

Flack was shivering himself. He was probably going to remember the sight of his erection being swallowed up by Danny's body until the day he died. It felt just as good as it did the first time that night.

"Ohh man, ya feel so good, Danny …"

Immediately, his raw urges took over and his hips instinctively pistoned back and forth, burying himself up to the hilt repetitively then changing his rhythm to keep them both on edge. He was going in very deep, and the CSI under him felt it to the core.

"Aaahhh! OhGodohGod … uuhhh -"

Danny's upper body lay flat on the bed, his hips held up solely by the pillow underneath and Flack's strong hands. His face was turned towards the mirror, eyes glossy, moist lips parted. Flack was so hard and deep and good inside him he could barely breathe. The only sounds emitting from his mouth were high-pitched, rapid pants, bursting into a piercing groan whenever the solid shaft went especially deep.

The taller detective's eyes were humongous as he glanced at the mirror. He'd never seen himself in the mirror while he had sex before, much less seen a reflection of himself having sex with one of his best friends in the world who also happened to be a man.

"I can't sta … I-I … need to … please-"

His hands on the CSI's hips unconsciously clenched until Danny yelped. Staring at the mirror's reflection of Danny, Flack's movements faltered at the plea in those blue eyes. Oh yeah, Danny wanted to come as desperately as he did.

Panting harshly, the taller man enfolded one arm around Danny's midriff and heaved him to an upright position. It was scarcely fair Flack was the only one who got to behold their physical joining firsthand, and the homicide detective wholly intended to share the view with his lover. With Danny on his lap, he rotated them until they were facing one of the full-length mirrors beside the bed. Flack maneuvered his legs so that he sat cross-legged on the bed, Danny's legs spread wide apart over his thighs.

Sitting on Flack's hard cock the way he was, Danny couldn't help whimpering, winding his fingers into the other man's shorn, dark hair and biting his lower lip. The burn was so much more deep and intense. And with even the most subtle motions, Danny felt every inch of his lover within him. It was the most unbelievable sensation he had ever experienced. He avoided looking in the mirror, averting his face by nuzzling it into Flack's face and neck. His face was searing.

"Do ya know how fuckin' hot ya are, Danny?" Flack said huskily into Danny's ear. "Look at yerself in the mirror." Flack chuckled softly. "C'mon, babe, you're not goin' all shy on me now, are ya?"

The brown-haired CSI raised his head to look Flack in the eye. Flack could see the mortification on Danny's flushed visage, and it made him smile tenderly. Geez, after all this time, Danny still couldn't get it through his thick skull how good-looking he was. That was okay. The homicide detective had no plan of letting Danny go anytime soon. Flack was a selfish bastard who wanted Danny all to himself, and himself alone.

Flack placed one hand over Danny's sensitive genitals and the other down between their legs, tracing the slippery, hot region where they were joined together with his fingers. Heh, half a bottle of lube turned out to be just the right amount. Flack smirked, burying his face into Danny's exposed neck and nibbling the smooth flesh. He felt Danny shift his head. Then the smaller man gasped loudly, body jerking hard in Flack's arms.

"See what I mean?"

Flack used his hand and drew up his lover's genitals to better see in the reflection where his hardened cock was entering Danny's sinewy body. Danny jerked again, moaning low in his throat. The fingers in Flack's hair curled into a fist.

"Guess I'd be askin' fer too much if there was a camera tapin' all this, hahn?" Flack asked gutturally.

Danny released a tremulous cackle. "D-didn't think … of that."

Flack kissed the other man on the temple. "S'okay, babe. This is meant for our eyes only anyway."

After one last caress of the stretched, snug rim around his erection, Flack ran his hands across the lean muscles of Danny's inner thighs, savoring the silken vitality under his touch.

"If I recall right, somebody was complainin' 'bout doin' all the work here." Flack nibbled on Danny's nearest earlobe. "Well, babe, time to show me what these legs of yers can do."

The homicide detective watched Danny lithely shift his legs until they were bent at the knees and his feet were flat on the bed. Ah, he got what Danny was going for. He felt the other man lean backwards onto his sturdy chest, and he stretched his forearms forwards. Danny linked their arms, intertwining their fingers together for leverage.

"I'll show ya what these legs can do," Danny rasped, licking his lips.

The CSI pushed with his feet, raising his hips till Flack's cock was nearly out. Then slammed downwards, taking all of Flack. Both men cried out at the intense feeling. Flack's knuckles over Danny's were white as Danny commenced a fierce rhythm, using all the strength in his legs and arms to pump up and down. Flack wanted to scream so bad he bit the inside of his cheek and simply held on for dear life while his body was shaken by overpowering pleasure.

Danny no longer had such inhibitions. Strident, wordless cries poured out from the brown-haired man's agape mouth. His eyelids fluttered wildly, the muscles in his arms and legs going rigid and stark with the exertion. Sweat trickled down his face and torso. He couldn't stop rocking and seesawing even if he wanted to. It was as if he had lost total control of his body.

"Yeah, oh yeah …" Flack choked when Danny squeezed his muscles hard on his next thrust downwards. He was so close to the edge, all he had to do to come was remove the constraint of the cock ring around his swollen erection.

"Ohh, ooohhh … Don … help me … aahhhh …"

Through hazy eyes, Flack saw how red and engorged Danny's cock was. It continuously dripped pre-come, the fluid smearing on Danny's belly whenever the hard appendage slapped against it. Danny looked like he was going to blow up like a volcano.

"H-hold on to my legs," Flack murmured, carefully straightening his lanky legs..

Danny panted rapidly. His seesawing movements wavered and slowed. He moved his trembling hands down to hold onto Flack's thighs instead, freeing Flack's hands. His full weight was on the homicide detective's lap now.

"Don … I don't think … I can move." Danny collapsed onto Flack's chest, arching his head back onto the other man's shoulder.

He nuzzled the CSI's warm cheek. "S'okay, gorgeous, you did good, real good."

The taller detective slid one hand under Danny's arm and around Danny's throbbing cock, fingering the leather cock ring at the base. The other went below Danny's buttocks, to the cock ring around his own erection.

"Stairway to heaven, babe … just one more step."

Flack loosened both bindings, removing them and throwing them aside. Instantly, he grabbed the shorter man's hips, lifted Danny up, then pulled him downwards as he thrust upwards as hard and deep as he could.

Danny's reaction was instantaneous.

"Aaaahhhhh, DOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNN!"

Danny's body arched fiercely, one hand clamped tight over Flack's thigh and the other flying up to seize a handful of the taller man's thick hair. White, pearly seed erupted from Danny's cock, splattering all over the undulating swells of his abdomen.

The sudden, massive pressure around Flack's engorged cock, combined with the mind-shattering reflection of Danny rapt in his powerful orgasm, wrenched out his own so swiftly he had no idea what hit him. Flack howled helplessly while his whole body quaked and was wracked by wave after wave of extreme pleasure.

He must have blacked out for a while. When he regained consciousness once more, he was flat on his back on the bed, arms spread on the bed and head half hanging off the side of the bed. He got to his elbows and then sat up, pulling the wet condom off and tossing it towards the wastebasket that was always next to the bedside table.

And someone was sobbing.

"Danny?" Flack's body was still shuddering intermittently from the mind-blowing orgasm he just experienced.

Danny lay beside him, covering his face with his hands. The man's shoulder shook in a way Flack was familiar with.

"Danny, whassamatter, buddy?" He gently dragged away the hands covering his lover's face. Danny was openly weeping, breath hitched, two clear droplets rolling down his cheeks. His eyeliner and mascara work were certainly smudged now.

"I-I'm okay." Danny wiped his face with the back of his hand then sent Flack a wobbly but tender smile. "It was just … t-too much, ya know?"

Flack lay down on top of Danny, staying on his elbows to keep most of his weight off the smaller man. He smiled in return, his big blue eyes warm and affectionate and not a little moist. "I know, I know."

"I love you."

There was no pretension or bravado in Danny's eyes as he calmly said those words.

Flack's eyesight blurred. Maybe Danny wouldn't mind if he joined in the bawling fun.

"I'm not just sayin' that." Danny stroked Flack's cheek.

Flack blinked hard a couple of times. "I know," he whispered hoarsely.

Danny smiled at him again, then tugged his head down to kiss him. They snuggled together and simply basked in the afterglow for some time, Flack reclining on his back while Danny rested his head on one of his shoulders.

About ten minutes later, Flack reluctantly got up to search for a towel or tissue paper to clean both of them.

"Top drawer," Danny said with a smirk, gesturing towards the bedside table.

Flack opened it, and sure enough, there was a blue, medium-sized towel in there.

"Man, we oughta change yer nickname to Boy Scout," Flack said drolly. "Prepared for everythin'."

Danny stuck his tongue out and snickered.

The homicide detective deftly wiped Danny clean, making sure he didn't chafe the other man too much between the legs. Obviously, Danny's body thought it was too little.

Flack laughed, face crinkled. "Wha, ya still wanna have another go? I'm 'bout to drop here."

Danny also laughed, wrapping his arms around Flack's shoulders. "Nah … but I'd be a liar if I said that didn't feel good," he murmured into Flack's mouth.

Flack pecked him lovingly on the lips, then used the towel to wipe himself too. Danny drowsily crawled up the bed to lounge on the pillows, watching his lover with an amused expression.

"Geez, I can't believe all of that fit inside me."

The taller detective finished up, threw the towel where the other bottle of lubricant and condoms were, and went to blow out all the candles. Nope, they didn't need a fire flaring up in Danny's apartment. Flack's foot struck something on the floor, and he picked it up. Huh, it was the near-empty bottle of lube they used. He left it on the bedroom table and climbed back into bed.

"Yeah, well, maybe ya got some kinda black hole in there -" Flack sniggered at Danny's rough smack to his chest. "Where's the blanket?"

The CSI was already half-asleep, curled up on his side with his hands under his chin. "In the closet." He yawned. "Figured we'd be messin' 'round too much on the bed."

Flack grinned. He sure wasn't going to argue with that. He got off the bed again and went to the bedroom wardrobe to retrieve the dark blue blanket Danny favored. Flapped it open over Danny and the bed, then crawled under it, settling himself on one of the four pillows. The fifth one, which had been heartily used during their lovemaking, was now at the foot of the bed.

Danny immediately nestled himself on top of Flack, burrowing his face into Flack's neck and wrapping himself around the homicide detective like a boa snake. After five minutes of silence passed, he assumed Flack had fallen asleep. He sighed contentedly. His eyelids began fluttering close.

"In the mornin' … it's your turn."

Danny's eyes opened wide. "Huh?"

The robust chest under him shook with quiet laughter. "Wha, ya think I'm gonna let ya have all the fun, Messer?"

Danny nipped at Flack's neck, which only made the guy chuckle more. Danny couldn't stop the smile curving his lips either.

Another ten minutes of peaceful silence went by. Danny's eyelids gradually flickered shut. Then, Flack whispered again.

"Hey, Danny."

The CSI opened his cerulean eyes to slits. "Hmm?"

There was a little bit of cheekiness, some passion and a whole lot of fondness in Flack's low timbre.

"I love you too."

The happy smile on Danny's face remained until the dawn, and long after.

Fin.

***

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