Title: Decision
By: Tiffany F
Pairing: Danny/Mac
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: Don't own, don't claim, no money made here.
Series: 1) Names, Names, 2) Phobic, 3) Dating Game, 4) Falling Down
Summary: Part 5 of the Sassy series. Danny is healing and asks his lover for a favor. Sassy is as underfoot as ever, at least until water is involved.

***

Danny was in bed when Mac got to the apartment after work. "Hey."

"How are you feeling, Danny?" Mac asked, looking around. "Where's Sassy?"

"Under the bed, I think," Danny replied. "I've been asleep for most of the day. I really want a hot bath, but didn't want to risk it by myself with these drugs in my system."

"Let me start the water and we'll get you settled," Mac said. He almost tripped over Sassy when he stepped into the bathroom. "Sorry, am I interrupting?"

Sassy just blinked at him and walked out with her tail held straight up, jumping onto the bed and settling down on Danny's feet. Danny chuckled. "She's got attitude to spare, don't she?"

"She's a cat, I think they're usually like that," Mac sighed. "Are you up to sharing the bath or do you need to be alone?"

"Wouldn't mind using you as a pillow," Danny said with a yawn. "How long do I gotta take these pain pills, Mac? I'm tired of sleeping all day and want to get back to work."

"You see the Doctor on Friday," Mac said, raising his voice a little to be heard from the bathroom. "If he says your ribs have healed enough, you can come back and work in the lab until you get your cast off."

"Mac, I dunno if I want to go back out into the field," Danny said. He wrapped his arms around Mac's shoulders and let himself be lifted from the bed. "Would it be okay if I just took some time and worked in the lab, did what I love?"

"Is that really what you want?" Mac helped Danny into the bathroom and settled him on the closed toilet to undress him. "You're one of my best CSIs, Danny, and I know I can depend on your eyes in the field."

Danny nodded slowly. His concussion was mostly healed, but he still got dizzy if he moved too quickly. "I'm not asking to stay out of the field forever, Mac, just for a couple of months while I heal and get my head back in the right place. I'm still asking lots of questions 'bout Reuben and what happened there and I think it'd be good for me to just be in the lab. 'Sides, it'd let Adam get out in the field more and I know he's been wanting to do that."

"I want you to be where you feel safe, Danny," Mac said. "Here, sit forward while I get undressed. Sassy, your dad's clothes are not a bed."

Sassy looked up from the nest she was making out of the t-shirt and sleep pants Danny had been wearing and meowed. Danny snickered. "They gotta be washed anyway, just let her. Sass has been clingy since this whole mess happened. I think she's worried about me."

"We all are, Danny," Mac said. He climbed into the tub, turned off the water, and then helped Danny settle carefully back against him. "Stella's been wanting to bring you dinner for the past few days, but I told her to hold off until after your next doctor visit so you would be able to stay awake and talk with her for a bit. Hawkes has asked twice daily if there's anything he can do to help and, you won't believe this one, Lindsay chewed Flack out."

"Wait, what?" Danny asked.

"I don't know the whole story, but apparently she overheard a comment Flack made about you dating a man and put the pieces together," Mac replied. "She has turned into one of your biggest supporters at the lab and said to call if either of us need anything."

Danny leaned his head against Mac's shoulder and turned slightly to look at his lover's profile. "I gotta admit, I wasn't expecting that."

"I wasn't either," Mac said. "Turns out one of her best friends from high school is gay and Lindsay has always supported both him and his partner. I guess this shows that you can't anticipate everything in life."

"I'll give her a call in a day or two, tell her thanks," Danny said. "Specially now, her support means a lot."

"I know, Danny, I know," Mac said. "Sassy, didn't anyone ever tell you that cats hate water?"

Sassy sat on the edge of the tub and meowed again. Danny reached over to pet her and got swatted instead. "Right, water," he said. "Sass, I'm gonna be fine. Just take time."

"She is not what I thought cats should be like," Mac said with a fond smile.

"Course she ain't, she's ours," Danny replied. "Any cat we have is gonna be smart, Mac."

"She's definitely protective of you," Mac said. "Anyway, I suppose my point there was that you've got a lot of support waiting for you when you come back to the lab, and there's going to be a new detective assigned to work with the lab as well. Flack may claim he doesn't need help with his case load, but when I brought it up with the brass, they agreed that a second detective would be good for everyone concerned."

"They didn't hear nothing about what he did, did they?"

"I don't think so, but it's possible Hawkes might have said something," Mac said. "We had to file an incident report along with an accident and injury report on your fall, Danny. I didn't mention Flack punching you when you tried to use him as a break, but Hawkes might have."

"I just don't want Flack in trouble," Danny said. "He's got his beliefs and we should respect them."

"Even if one of them is stupid?" Mac asked. He started to use his hands to pour hot water over Danny's chest, very glad his lover had a water-proof cast on his wrist. "Love is love, Danny. It doesn't matter what shape it comes in, as long as both participants are of legal age, of course."

Danny snickered and coughed. "Love with an amendment. That's my Marine."

"You have to agree it's a valid point," Mac said.

"Yeah, course it is," Danny said. He sank down a little, trying to get more of his body covered in hot water. "Can you dig out my heating pad for me when we get outta here, Mac? The heat feels good."

"Sure, but you know you're probably going to have to fight Sassy for it, right," Mac said. "Cats love heating pads."

"It'll be worth it," Danny said. "Mac, I'm sure about not wanting to go back in the field for a while. I don't know when I'll be ready, but I want to just stay in the lab for a while. I know the lab is safe."

Mac kissed Danny's shoulder. "You can stay in the lab as long as you need to, Danny," he said. "If there's an emergency and you're needed in the field, I'll make sure you're with me. How does that sound?"

"Sounds good," Danny said. "I'm about to fall asleep again."

"Then lets get you out and back to bed," Mac said. "I'll make something light for supper and we'll have an early night."

"Mac, I love you so much," Danny said. "Don't know how I'll ever be able to show it."

"Just heal and be happy, Danny. That's the best way I can think of."

The moment was ruined by a loud yowl from the kitchen. Sassy had heard the word supper and, apparently, was past ready for hers. Danny sighed and started laughing. "I think Sassy's a human in a fur coat, Mac."

"She's a spoilsport is what she is," Mac grumbled. "Shift forward. Let's get you back to bed."

***

Next story in series - From out of the blue.