Title: Falling Down
By: Tiffany F
Pairing: Danny/Mac
Rating: AO
Series: Names, Names, Phobic, Dating Game
Summary: Fourth in the Sassy series. Things get worse between Danny and Flack. Mac decides that he needs to take matters into his own hands. I don't own them and don't make any money from these.

It was a rare occasion that Mac was able to leave the lab before Danny. Normally Mac had more paperwork that had to be completed, but for once he finished early. He dropped a note on his lover's desk and went shopping so he could cook dinner. Mac loved to be able to spoil Danny and he knew his young lover was having a really hard time with Don Flack. Neither Mac nor Danny had realized the young detective was homophobic when they decided to reveal the true nature of their relationship to him. And now Danny was suffering the pain of losing his best friend.

Mac carefully opened the door to Danny's apartment and flipped on a light before he went any further. He was concerned when he didn't see Danny's cat, the silver tabby they'd named Sassy.

"Sass, hey Sassy," Mac called as he shut the door and picked up the bags he'd slid into the room. "Here kitty, kitty, kitty." He caught sight of silver fur in the middle of the bed, the lack of reaction showing exactly how the cat felt about being called a kitty. Mac just grinned, shook his head and continued on into the kitchen. He knew the cat would move when he filled up her dish.

Not used to the silence, Mac turned on the TV so he could listen to the news while he cooked dinner. Keeping his priorities straight, Mac filled up the food dish by the fridge, laughing at the thud from the direction of the bedroom. "What has your tail in a knot tonight, Sassy?" he asked as the cat joined him in the kitchen. "Are you picking up on Danny's mood or is it because we left you in the bathroom all night?"

Sassy settled down at her dish and flicked her tail into place at her left side. Mac just shook his head and started fixing dinner, his thoughts straying to the previous night.

~*~*FLASHBACK*~*~

Danny leaned against Mac and snuffled closer when his lover's left arm lifted and wrapped around him. Mac kissed the top of Danny's head gently, his attention still on the movie they were watching. He loved being able to hold his young lover, to show Danny that he was adored and loved or so many levels, and just be able to be physically close to Danny. The younger CSI was so obsessive about his personal space at work, or even in public, that he really only let his guard down in his apartment. It was one reason of many that Mac was spending less and less time at his own apartment. He loved seeing Danny relaxed and happy.

A single finger trailing along his lower abdomen caught Mac's attention and he glanced down. Danny had managed to silently undo Mac's belt and slacks and was just running a finger slowly back and forth over Mac's boxers. With a small smile Mac caught the finger and brought it up to his lips for a gentle kiss. Danny turned his head and nuzzled against Mac's chest, almost unerringly finding a nipple. Mac gasped as Danny's mouth opened and sucked his nipple and two layers of fabric into the moist heat.

"I thought you wanted to watch this movie," Mac said. He arched up into Danny's touch, eyes fluttering closed.

"I'd rather play," Danny replied. He glanced around and saw Sassy in the recliner. The cat was daintily washing one of her front paws, ignoring her fathers on the sofa. "Be right back." Danny stood, scooped Sassy up and shut her in the bathroom. Then he went back and straddled his lover's hips, leaning in for a kiss.

~*~*END FLASHBACK*~*~

Mac's musings on one of the most passionate and loving nights he and Danny ever spent together was interrupted by the front door opening and a cough. His eyes widened when Danny stumbled in supported by Adam Ross. "What happened?" he asked hurrying forward.

"Careful, Mac, he's got a couple of fractured ribs," Adam said before Mac could wrap his lover in a hug.

"Danny," Mac whispered.

The younger man snuggled up carefully against Mac and wrapped his arms around his lover. Mac rested his own hands on Danny's head and lower back, being careful of the more obvious injuries. "Adam, what happened?" he asked.

"Flack," Adam replied. He went over and started emptying his pockets, putting prescriptions bottles onto the coffee table. "He was coming up the stairs and Danny and I were starting down and Danny tripped. He grabbed Flack's arm to steady himself and Flack punched him. Danny went down the stairs and into the locker room. Fortunately Hawkes was there."

It was all Mac could do to keep his breathing slow and even. "Danny, come on, let's get you into bed and we'll see about dinner," he said. "I've been cooking some of your favorites."

"Gonna stay with me?" Danny asked.

"Until you fall asleep," Mac replied. "Then I'm going to have a talk with Flack."

"I'll stay," Adam said softly.

"Thank you," Mac said. "Come on, Dan; bed. You look like you're ready to pass out."

"Don't hurt him, Mac," Danny said. "Please don't hurt him."
********************

It took some searching on Mac's part, but he finally managed to track Flack down in one of the smaller sport bars he knew Danny liked. "Flack."

"Go 'way, Mac."

"Don't you even want to know how Danny is?" Mac asked. "Adam brought him home after he went to the hospital. Danny's got three fractured ribs, a concussion, broken wrist and a black eye where you punched him. What was your real goal here, Flack? We're you hoping he'd break his neck on the stairs and then all your problems would just go away?"

"He touched me," Flack replied.

"Oh please; being touched by a gay man doesn't contaminate you," Mac said. "And it sure as hell doesn't mean that he's hitting on you. The only reason I'm not dragging your ass out of here is because Danny asked me not to hurt you. He's refused to press charges and I'm going to honor his wishes because he's already been hurt enough. But I don't want to see you at the lab unless you have a damn good reason for being there. And I'm going to talk to the brass and get a second detective assigned to the lab."

"I don't need help with my case load."

Mac snorted. "I don't trust you to watch Danny's back in the field."

"I can still do my job," Flack exclaimed.

"Yeah, you really proved that today when you let your best friend fall down the stairs at the crime lab," Mac snapped. "Either you get your act together and prove yourself to me or I'm going to the brass. I'm getting sick of saying it; Danny is the same man you've known since he started working at the lab. Absolutely nothing has changed."

"He's sleeping with a man," Flack shouted.

"So am I," Mac said. "If you have any more issues, detective, you take them up with me. Until you're ready to apologize, stay away from Danny."
********************

Adam was pacing around the apartment when he came across two pictures on Danny's computer desk. One was of Danny and Mac together on the sofa and probably taken using the timer on the camera. The other was of Danny and Sassy. Adam wasn't sure but he thought the second picture had been taken when Danny was in bed.

Pressure against his ankle made him look down. "What do you want, Sassy?" he asked. "Shouldn't you be in bed with Danny?"

She just mewed at him and stood up, hooking a claw in his jeans. Adam shook his head and picked her up. "You're really the first cat I've been around," he said over the loud purring. "You can't tell me this is normal behavior for a cat."

"Is for her," Danny muttered. "Sass always knows who needs a hug. Where's Mac?"

Adam put Sassy on the bed and moved to help Danny sit up a little. "He went to talk with Flack," he said handing Danny a glass of water. "What do you remember, Danny?"

"Here, the hospital or the lab?"

"Pick one."

Danny grinned. "That's not how it works," he said. "You have to ask me specific questions."

"Are you sure you don't want to press charges?" Mac asked as he joined the pair.

"Yeah," Danny said. "But I don't want to work with him no more, Mac."

"You won't be," Mac said. "I'll take care of it, Danny. You go back to sleep and I'll be here when you wake up again."

"Do I gotta?"

"Yes." Mac kissed Danny gently and tucked him in. "I need you to get better, Danny."

"Kay."

"Adam." Mac said nodding towards the living room. "Thank you for taking care of Danny and brining him home. I'm not going to be in for the next few days, so can you keep an eye on everything for me?"

The younger man nodded. "The doc guessed that there was something up," Adam said. "Can I tell him the truth?"

"Only that Danny and Flack are fighting," Mac sighed. "I don't want anyone else at the lab to know for now. And I'll give Stella a rundown myself."

"All right, call me if there's anything else I can do."

"I will. Thanks again, Adam."

Mac locked the door behind Adam; made sure the apartment was secure, got his gun to put next to the bed and finally went to shower. Then he climbed into bed next to Danny and settled in for a long night. Sassy walked around both pairs of feet and back up to Mac's chest where she curled up and just stared at Danny. Mac ran his hand down her back. "Your dad will be just fine, Sassy," he said softly. "It'll just take time. But he'll be fine. I promise."

She glanced up at him and then rested her chin on her front paws with a sigh. And Mac wondered who he had been trying to convince – the cat or himself.

***

Next story in series - Decision.