A/N: Here's chapter two. From what I've seen for those of us who have seen the beginning of season four no one likes Devon (Flack's girlfriend), well in this she's not his girlfriend anymore. I wanted him to have one yes, she's one of my own and while I had and still have full intention of using her in my story If Everything Hasn't Been Enough Already (Without A Trace section), i didn't want to make up a whole new girlfriend character for Flack in this one. I hope you enjoy the next installment. Also things in italics are messages, talk through doors, etc.

Chapter Two – Haze

Mac Taylor pulled up to the scene. Officers were unrolling the police tape and sectioning of the property as the neighbors gathered around to watch, Detective Angell was attempting to ask some of the neighbors questions.

Hawkes wondered as he got out of the vehicle from the passenger seat crime scene kit in hand, how long it would be before news crews started to show up. He followed Mac under the tape and up into the house.

Mac entered the house first, but only saw Victoria’s body surrounded by a pool of blood. Relief washed over Mac, but only briefly. He turned to an officer standing near by. “Were you the first officer on the scene?”

“Yes Detective Taylor,”

“Was there anybody else here? Any other victims?”

“No Detective, Victoria Flack was the only victim and the only person present when we arrived.”

“Maybe Flack hasn’t come yet Mac,” said Hawkes.

Mac put in his gloves and slowly walked over the answering machine. Detective Angell walked in. “I talked to the neighbors and for the most part everyone said they heard two loud bangs go off around eleven-twenty. Ms. Breckter say she immediately called 911, but neighbors are curios and worried about how safe the neighborhood is. Everyone knows the Flacks.”

“They scared and curios because it happened in the home of an NYPD legend. That alone puts the question of safety in everyone’s mind,” said Hawkes.

“HOLY SHIT! What the hell is going on here?” came a male voice from outside.

“You can’t go in there,” said an officer.

Mac Hawkes and Angell turned to the commotion to see a young man trying to push his way past an officer. “What do you mean I can’t go in? This is my parent’s place.”

Angell came over. “Officer Williams, I got it. Fredrick Flack?”

“Yeah, what’s going on? Is everything okay?” he said trying to look past Angell, when he saw Victoria’s body. “Mom! Mom!”

“Mr. Flack you need to stay back you can’t go in there,” said Angell.

“Where’s my dad? Where’s Don?”

“Neither of them were here when we arrived. Let’s step out and let the investigators do their work.”

“That was quite an escapade. Was that Don’s brother?” asked Hawkes.

Mac nodded his head and turned his attention back to the answering machine. The number one flashed on it and he pressed play with his gloved hand. “Friday eleven twenty-five AM. Hey mom it’s Don, we’re running late, but we’ll be there, so you don’t have to come looking for us and hunt us down. We’ll call when we’re on our way.”

“We’ll? Must be bringing a friend with him?” said Hawkes, but Mac stayed silent. “According to neighbors they heard shots at around eleven twenty, correct. So according to that machine that means Don left the message after his mother had already been shot.”

“But he was running late, so he could have easily have been here when this happened,” replied Mac.

“Mac do you think someone did this on purpose?”

“I’m not going to exlude it as a possibility.”

“Oh my God,” came the voice of Lindsey. “This is Flack’s mother.”

“Yeah,” replied Danny "and that was his brother ya saw outside. Mac any sign of Don or Sr.?”

“Don is still at his place as far as we know and his fa…father is unaccounted for.”

“Maybe this is a kidnapping gone horribly wrong,” suggested Stella.

“Maybe, Stella I want you to take charge here. Danny, Lindsey, process in here. Hawkes I want you to process the perimeter of the house, look for signs of suspicious activity. Whoever did this had to have come in and out of the house.”

“What are you going to do Mac?” asked Stella.

“I’m going to talk to Don.”

“Mac, maybe I should go. Do-”

“No Danny, I rather you stay here,” said Mac and left.

Stella noticed that something was affecting Mac, but she didn’t know if it had t do with the case or something else that may have come up in his life. She made a mental note to herself that she needed to sit him down and talk to him. “Do you know what’s up with Mac?” asked Danny to Stella.

“No, lets get to work alright.”

“Such a horrible thing to have happen right before Flack’s birthday too,” said Lindsey.

“You can defiantly tell he got his looks from his mother,” said Stella. “I’ve met his father and he looks nothing like the man. I mean there’s no resemblance at all.”

---

Mac came up to Don’s apartment. He heard voices on the other side. He hesitated knocking on the door. He had always wanted to tell Don the truth, but now was not the time in fact it was probably the worse time. Besides it was easier said then done. He would just tell him about Victoria. As far as he knew Don was not one to break down, in many situations he knew Don had been there for Danny, but there was no knowing what Don did in the privacy of his own home. News like this would hit hard and hopefully whoever the female on the other side of the door was would be there for him if he needed it. He finally knocked. “Drie can you get that?” came Don’s voice

“Yeah sure thing,” came the reply from an unknown female.

A few minutes later the door opened to reveal a young woman, her short hair was damp and she was dressed in a nice top and khaki pants. She was short, in stature, but fit. Mac couldn’t help but think he may have seen her somewhere else before. “Can I help you?” she asked politely.

“I’m here to see Don.”

“Sure, come in,” she replied and held the door open for him. Once he was in she closed it and walked off into another room. “Don, Mac’s here to see you.”

Mac wondered for a moment how she would know who he was, but then figured Don must have told her about him and the others he worked with. The woman came out followed by Don. “Mac, Audrie and I were just about to head out. I’m not working today.”

“Don, I’m not here to ask you to come to work a case. There was an incident at your parent’s house,” said Mac, he saw a flicker of something pass through Don’s eyes.

“Is everyone alright?” asked Don, it was the only thing that he could think of with out thinking of the worst.

Mac shook his head. “No, we found your mother deceased when we arrived and we don’t know yet where your.. father is.”

Mac saw something; he didn’t know what drain from Don. He knew Don was one of those guys who rarely showed their feelings on their sleeves, but most guys would be angry or upset that there mother had died. “She’s dead.”

“I’m sorry Don,” said Mac.

“Don, maybe you should sit down,” said Audrie.

Mac watched as the woman Don had called Audrie helped the disoriented Don to the couch. “Mac are you sure it was her. We were heading over there. I.. I was going to try and work things out.”

“If you want to ID her later you can, but we’re pretty sure it’s her Don,” said Mac. “Do you want to tell me what you mean by work things out with your mother.”

“I didn’t want to go to this thing they were going to throw me at first. I had a falling out with my mom and.. and my a dad I guess, a few years ago. I decided to go because I thought maybe we could work our problems.”

Mac wondered if this problem had anything to do with Victoria fascination to keep Don in the dark about who his real father was. He didn’t want to press Don to much, but just like with any other family of the deceased he had to ask questions. “Do you want to tell me what this problem was?”

“My a dad isn’t really my dad.”

“Do you know who is?”

“No, and my mom wouldn’t tell me.”

“Does your fa… Donald S… the man who raised you know that your not really his son?”

“As far as I know, he doesn’t. Mac there were so many times I wanted to find out who my father was, but I wigged out because I didn’t want to be disappointed.”

Mac saw that Audrie was holding on to Don’s arm rubbing it, whether it was to comfort Don or if she was getting uncomfortable because she wasn’t in on the conversation an might feel as though she shouldn’t be here while Don was being asked such personal questions, he wasn't sure. “Disappointed about what?”

“Come on Mac. That it just might be some sicko out there with a criminal record.”

“Don, maybe I should go and let you talk to Mac alone,” said Audrie. “I’ll just get my gear and go.”

“No, it’s alright Audrie, you don’t have to go.”

“I just don’t want you to feel like you have to say all these things in front of me. We haven’t known each other that long and I know you may not trust me with every detail of your life just yet.”

“Audrie, I trust you, you should know that and besides Mac here, your probably the only other one I’d trust with my life. It’s alright for you to stay. I don’t need you getting all frantic too.”

She let a small smile come to her lips and that was when Mac noticed a small scar on the right side of her upper lip. “Maybe I should leave you two alone for awhile and then come back,” she said.

“If you want to,” replied Don.

“Alright,” said Audrie she gave him a light kiss on his cheek and got up from the couch. She left the apartment leaving Mac and Don alone.

If Don knew that Sr. wasn’t his real father maybe now was the best time to tell him before it got to hard for him, Mac thought for a moment. “Don, do you know anyone who would want to hurt you mother?”

“No, maybe it’s like the recent case we had. You know the one where the woman’s ex-lover killed her and her husband.”

“Yeah, I know,” replied Mac, he knew Don had made a point and it reminded him that he really shouldn’t be working the case, but no one knew he knew Victoria.

“We suspect that.. how do I say this? That Donald is missing that whoever killed your mother may have abducted him.”

“Yeah it sounds like its probable.”

“We heard the message you left your mother. You said we’re running late. I amusing that would be you and ..”

“Audrie, she’s my girlfriend. Yeah that’s us.”

“What time were you suppose to be there?”

“Eleven.”

“Why were you running late?”

“Audrie got held up at work, called me when she was on her way over here, but she needed to shower and change. She came in my door about eleven-ten and got in the shower, but she can take long ones sometimes.”

“What does she do?”

“She’s an EMT.”

“That’s why you trust her with your life. Don did she know about your parents?”

“She knew I wasn't well off with them. Mac she didn’t do this she’s never even met them or they her. Today was going to be the first time they met. My mom and what I thought was my dad probably still think I’m with Devon. I never told them I got a new girlfriend.”

Stella had told Mac about this Devon girl. “You know I have to ask these questions Don.”

Don only nodded his head. “Don, I should go and get back to the lab. If anything you think of comes up you know what to do, I’m here for you to talk to. I’ll catch you did this to your mom.”

“I know you will Mac, thanks for coming and telling me.”

“Your welcome,” replied Mac.

Mac left the apartment building and wanted to kick himself. Don knew that Donald Flack Sr. wasn’t his real father it should have been easy to tell Don, to put things at ease for him. That his biological father was not a criminal, but like he had told himself before maybe now wasn’t the best time. Mac head for his vehicle to go back to the lab.

A/N: I hope it wasn't to bad and I think Flack may be a little out of character here, but he did just find out about his mother. Yes Devon is mentioned and the story of the break up may come in the next chapter. I also want to say today Jan. 14 an early happy birthday to Eddie who's birthday is tomorrow and Anna's baby who's birthday is today. (I only know this b/c of imdb. i was looking up the ages of the actors for the characters.). And i'm always nervous about my oc's and what people think of them and although you don't know much about Audrie yet, tell me what you think of her so far. Thanks StoryDreamer.