Title: Gut Feeling
Author: Jaxson K.
Characters: Don/Jackson, Mac/Danny, others from the lab, and Mike Phillips a.k.a. Allan Welles (OC)
Rating: NC-17
Summary: Jackson comes face to face with someone he hoped never to lay eyes on again...
Warning(s): past domestic abuse, non-con, physical trauma, etc.

***

"...Danny, I'm telling you there's something not right about Mike Phillips....."

"What are you basing this on? You barely even know the guy....."

"I'm going on gut feeling, and the fact that every time I see the guy alarms go off in my head. I'm telling you something ain't right!"

"Jackson, what does Don think about all this?"

"Mac, he laughed when I told him how I was feeling. He said I was just being silly and that I'm jealous because he spends so much time with him....."

"They spend much time together?"

"All the blessed time! They're either going to a ball game, or watching sports on television together. If he isn't at our place, you can bet your ass that Don's across the hall at his place....."

Mac could tell that all the questions about this Mike Phillips were upsetting Jackson. He decided to diffuse the situation by asking Jackson and Danny where they wanted to go for dinner. They all decided to go to Rosie's Diner and go for a drink after at Code Red, a new bar that had opened near Rosie's.

Dinner went well and the three men headed to Code Red. Mac had to admit that he enjoyed these outings with Danny and Jackson because they helped get Jackson's mind off his problems with Don, and gave Danny a chance to be shown off by Mac.

Once inside the club, Jackson found them a table and Mac went to get their drinks. While Mac was at the bar he saw Don and Mike walk in. Don spotted Mac and did a double take. He made his way through the crowd and stood next to Mac.....

"Hey, Mac..."

"How's it going, Don?"

"Good....good..... Mac, this is Mike Phillips. He lives across the hall from me and Jackson....."

Mac and Mike shook hands, and Mac immediately understood what Jackson was talking about. The guy gave him the creeps! Mac told Don that he was going to join Danny and Jackson and Don said he would join them shortly. Mac saw the look that crossed Mike's face when Jackson's name was mentioned and it made him curious.

Once back at the table, Mac told Danny and Jackson that he'd run into Don and Mike and that they would be joining them shortly. At the mention of Mike's name, Mac saw the disappointed look on Jackson's face and vowed to make sure that his friend had a good time, no matter what. When Don and Mike joined the table, Mac had fixed it so that Don had to sit by Jackson, who was confused because Don and Mike were supposed to be at a ball game, and Mike had to sit across the table facing everyone. Both Mac and Danny could see that Mike didn't care for the seating, but he was just going to have to deal.

At one point one of Jackson's favorite slow songs came on and Don asked Jackson if he wanted to dance. As the two headed for the dance floor, Danny couldn't help but notice the dark look that crossed Mike's face as he watched the two men dancing.

As the evening wore on, everyone could tell that Mike was used to having Don all to himself. Every time someone asked Don to dance or acquaintances stopped by to say hello, it was obvious that it made the guy angry. Mac had noticed it from the very beginning, but decided not to say anything for the moment because now wasn't the right time.

Mac got his chance a few days later when he found Mike waiting for Don at the lab. He walked up to Mike and asked him to come to his office. Mike explained that he was supposed to meet Don at the elevators to go to lunch. Mac explained that it wouldn't take long. Mike reluctantly followed Mac and sat down in the chair facing Mac's desk.

Mac wasted no time in giving Mike a friendly reminder that Jackson was Don's husband. Mike explained that he was aware, and Mac told him to find his own man, and to leave Don Flack alone to be with Jackson because his presence was starting to cause friction between the two men. In other words: Back Off!

Mike actually laughed at Mac for being concerned. Mac was so angry, but an ugly scene was averted when Don knocked on the office door to collect Mike for lunch. As a parting shot, Mac asked Don if he thought Jackson might like to have lunch with his husband every now and then.

Don and Mike decided to have lunch at Pressman's Deli, and while they were eating, Danny and Jackson came in. Don was hoping that Jackson wouldn't see him because he'd lied about being busy for lunch. His luck didn't hold out because Danny saw him and Mike and waved. Don groaned as Jackson looked over and saw him. Don caught the look on his partners' face and immediately felt like shit.

Mike had seen Danny and Jackson, and had also seen the look on Don's face. He was laughing his ass off on the inside because everything seemed to be going to plan. He was brought back to reality by Don telling him that he needed to get back to the precinct. Mike told Don he would see him later, and Don said maybe.....

Don made damn sure he was home early that evening because he knew he was going to have to face Jackson about being caught out in a lie earlier that day. He wasn't looking forward to it, but knew he needed to take it like a man because he lied, and he knew he'd hurt his baby by doing so.

Truth be known, he'd been doing that quite a bit lately. He knew he spent quite a bit of time with Mike, and had been neglecting Jackson, but Mike was a pretty cool guy and was interested in a lot of the same things Don was. Mike liked going to hockey games, Jackson didn't. Mike liked some of the same movies Don did, and so on and so forth. He was just an all-around good guy.

Jackson didn't seem to think so, though. He'd come to Don and told him that there was something about Mike that didn't set well, and that the guy gave him the creeps. Don just laughed and said that he wasn't giving Mike a fair chance.

Don was brought out of his reverie when Jackson closed the apartment door. The two looked at each other for a moment and Jackson went to the bedroom to change his clothes. He came back through the living room and asked Don if he wanted a beer. Don said he did, and Jackson brought one for each of them. Once Jackson was settled on the sofa, he looked over at Don and said one word: "Talk!"

"Baby, I'm sorry that I lied about lunch today. Mike had been asking me to have lunch, so I decided to get it over with. I really hate the fact that I lied to you to do it....."

"Don, you and I have been through a lot together, and as far as I know this is the first time you've lied to me. I don't appreciate it, and I won't stand for it. You know I don't like Mike, yet you're always going places together, hanging out all the time. If you aren't at his place, he's here. It's getting old, and I'm tired of it. Something's got to give....."

"So what are you saying? You want me to give up a good friend just because you don't like him?"

"YOU NEED TO START TAKING OF THINGS HERE AT HOME, YOU DUMB FUCKER!!!!!!!!!!!
You've neglected me for much too long, and I'm not having it! Either start taking care of me and things here at home, or go live with Mike!"

With that Jackson stormed from the room. Don heard the bedroom door slam and knew he'd really fucked up. Shortly after, he heard the bedroom door open again and Jackson went to get his coat from the hall closet. When Don asked where he was going, all Jackson would say was that he was going where he was wanted and where people actually gave a shit what he though and felt. Don started to ask Jackson not to go, but knew that it would be pointless because Jackson was madder than Don had ever seen him.

Not long after Jackson left, there was a knock at the door. Don looked through the spy hole to see Mike standing there. He almost didn't open the door, but did anyway for the company if nothing else. Mike noticed Don's dejected look and asked if he was alright. Don didn't feel like re-hashing the argument with Jackson and told Mike he wasn't feeling too well. Don could see the look of disappointment on his new buddy's face, and asked if he wanted a beer. Mike accepted, and Don explained that they would have to make it a quick one because he was due in court in the morning. The two talked of inconsequential things and Mike took off soon after. Don closed and locked the door and went to bed with a heavy heart.

Later that night Jackson arrived back home around midnight. He, Danny and Mac had gone to a movie and to Rosie's for dessert after the movie. He saw the beer bottles on the coffee table, and got an idea. He bagged both bottles and decided to ask Mac or Danny to run the prints on each bottle. He put the bottles in his work bag and got ready for bed.

The next morning, Jackson and Don didn't talk much. Don got ready for court and promised to take Jackson out for dinner that night. Jackson was still in a bad mood, and asked if it was going to be just the two of them or if Mike would be joining them. That hurt Don, but he didn't say anything.

Jackson stopped by the lab to drop off the beer bottles and ran into Mac. He gave Mac the bag, and told him what he needed. He explained that one bottle would have Don's prints, and that the other should have Mike's. Jackson asked Mac to run Mike's prints and see what turned up. Mac told him that he would call as soon as he found something.

At work, Jackson was a mess. He couldn't concentrate and kept making mistakes. Every time the phone rang, he kept expecting his assistant Lisa to call him to the phone. Around lunch time, Lisa told him that there was a call from Mac Taylor on line 4. Jackson pushed the button. Mac told him that he had something for him and to meet him at Pressman's Deli in twenty minutes. After the call was over, Jackson sat staring at the phone wondering what Mac had found.

At the appointed time, Jackson arrived at Pressman's. Mac had a table, and he waved Jackson over. Danny sat at the table as well, a grim look on his face. Jackson knew something was bad wrong and decided to get to the point.....

"What's going on, guys?"

"I ran the prints like you asked me to, and Danny pulled the file that came up. We found out that Mike Phillips is not this guy's name....."

"It's not?"

"No, it's not.....Jackson, does the name Allan Welles mean anything to you?"

"Oh dear God........"

Jackson felt all the air leave his lungs, and fear bubbled up in his stomach. He hoped he'd never hear that name again. Allan Welles was one of the most evil men he'd ever met.....

"Yes, Mac, it does....."

"Do you know him?"

"I did at one point when I first came to New York....."

"There's more to this than you're saying, isn't there?"

"There is, Danny......I've only told one person about Allan, and that was Don......"

"Do you want to tell us about it?"

"Not really, Mac, but I guess I need to...... I also need to let Don know this motherfucker is back....."

"Not right now, Jax.....Let's get Don and Mike/Allan together and do it then. Mac and I need to be there for back-up and to show Don the records to corroborate your story....."
"That sounds like a plan, Danny. Thank you both for this......"

Don called Jackson and told him that he was cancelling their dinner plans because something had come up. Jackson told Don in no uncertain terms that he best have his ass home no later than 6p.m. because they needed to talk about some things that were pretty important. Don said he would be there and ended the call. He then called Mike and told him that he could go to the bar after work because he needed to get home. Mike offered to drop by for a beer if that was okay. Don started to decline, but decided he could use the company while he waited for Jackson.

Danny called Jackson and asked him to meet he and Mac at the lab after work. Jackson agreed and told Danny about his phone call with Don. Danny said that would be perfect. Jackson rang off and finished up his work for the day.

Jackson met Mac and Danny at the appointed time and they made their way to Jackson's apartment. When they arrived, Jackson wasn't surprised to find Mike having a beer with Don. Don rose from the table to greet Jackson, Danny, and Mac, but stopped when he saw the look on Jackson's face as he stared intently at Mike.....

"Baby, what's going on?"

"Sit down, Don.....there's something you need to know....."

"Why are Danny and Mac here?"

"They're here for moral support, and they have the proof that I'll be telling the truth when you hear what I have to say......"

Mike decided that was his cue to take his leave. He rose from the table but Jackson told him to sit his sorry ass back down.......


"You got no right to talk to me that way....."

"The hell I don't, Allan....."
When Allan heard Jackson call him by his given name, his head snapped up and he looked Jackson dead in the eye. The little bastard knew who he really was!

"Yes, Allan, I know it's you....."

"Babe, what are you talking about? I don't understand....."

"I know you don't, Don, but you're about to. The man sitting before you calling himself Mike Phillips is actually Allan Welles......"

"That name sounds familiar to me....."

"It should!!! This is the man I told you about who did all those horrible things to me that I was recovering from when you and I met......"

"This is the man who...."

"Yes, Don..... "

Danny was quick enough on his feet to get to Don before he lunged across the table at the man who called himself Don's friend.....

"This is the man who did put the scars all over my back and chest with a belt, who forced me to have sex anytime he wanted, who let his buddies have a go at me two and three at a time, and left me in an alley for dead after he tried to cut my throat....."

Allan asked how Jackson figure out it was him. Jackson explained about the beer bottle and the hit in CODIS. Mac showed Allan the file Danny had pulled up and Allan knew he was done. He stood up and Danny cuffed him while reading him his rights. Mac asked Jackson if he was okay and he said he was.

After Danny and Mac left with Allan in tow, Don and Jackson sat down in the living room.....

"Baby, I'm so sorry....."

"There's not a lot to be sorry for, Donnie......"

"But baby....."

"You didn't know, Don. I didn't either until I had Mac run the print on that beer bottle....."
"Why did he come back?"

"I think he wanted to get close to me again so he could finish what he started in that alley way back when....."

"And to think I let that man in our home, I hung out with him, and the worst part is that I neglected you for the man who abused you so badly....."

"Donnie, you didn't know. Just promise me that next time I tell you that somebody gives me the creeps, you'll listen....."

"I promise....."

END

***