When it came to the New York Police Department, they knew that the middle of the night was one of their busiest times. Not everyone that was out was a bad person, but there were some things that they just didn't let slide. Mac Taylor and Don Flack were busy patrolling the area around Central Park knowing that they had to monitor everything. Mac was about to say they could move on before he noticed a group of kids. "Kids out at this hour? It's almost 2 in the morning," Flack responded confused. Mac nodded knowing they had to go speak with the kids and get them to go home. With children that looked like they were no older than 12, it meant they probably were out without their parents knowing. As they approached, Flack could hear it. "What do you think Miss Max? Think we should stick around? Have a little fun?"

"No, if we know what's good for us. We split," she answered and Mac looked at the girl they were talking to and noticed she seemed to be the ring leader yet looked to be the youngest. She spat her gum into the garbage and looked at the two officers. "Scram. I got them," she promised. As the other kids took off, Mac and Flack didn't bother. It was clear that they had who they needed still in attendance. "Problems officers?"

"Yeah. You look to be under 12, it's 2 in the morning and you're still out. Your parents know where you are?" Flack was very aware that the area he was in, was not the best for even the park. Children often didn't even stay outside after 8 PM in that park. He then looked at her. "Now let's make this easy. Come with us and we'll get you back to your-," he began before she ran. "HEY!" He and Mac began running after her and she certainly knew the area as she was taking them through the entire park and then out of it. Mac and Flack followed her into the alley and then glanced around. "She can't be gone."

"She's not. She's in hiding," Mac answered before he glanced behind him and he could see what looked to be a backpack. He wasn't going to say anything until he could grab her perfectly. As he walked, he saw her shirt and grabbed her and she groaned as she tried to fight back but he landed 3 sharp swats to her behind.

"What the fuck?!"

"You will watch your mouth and start cooperating or I will give you what your father should have years ago," he warned her and she froze. He then made her bend over the car and held her still as he noticed something move and she even looked to be reaching for something before he grabbed her. "Flack, pants pockets," he informed. Flack was quick and didn't do anything but procedure and pulled out a pocket knife and then a wallet to look at it.

"Rebecca Max. 11 years old and an honors student at New York Prep," Flack read as he showed the knife. "Where she got this I don't know," he informed and Mac turned her around after cuffing her hands since she'd need her arms free to run.

"Where'd you get the knife?" She looked at him as if he was asking the dumbest question in the world. "I'm not playing any games. Where did you get that pocket knife? No child should have that in their pockets," he warned her.

"It's my dad's," she answered honestly. He looked at her and then uncuffed her knowing she wouldn't run. Not with the fact that Mac and his partner had the knife. The child truly seemed concerned about what would happen if she didn't get the knife back to her house. "I wasn't supposed to have it but I'm a native New Yorker. You can't be too cautious on the streets at night," she answered.

"You're almost 12. Children are supposed to be home in their beds sleeping," Mac answered and he then looked at Flack. "Call it in to the station and let them know our last task of the night is bringing a child home that we managed to keep pace with," he informed. As he put the knife in his pocket, he looked at Rebecca and then faintly saw her lip was split. He pulled out a latex glove and placed it on his hand before examining it. "Did we manage to hurt you?"

"No. That's an old injury," she answered wincing as he swiped the latex over it. "It should heal soon," she dismissed. He nodded and let her get into the back seat of the car and then noticed Flack was still on the phone so he'd take advantage and question.

"Did your parents know you went out?" She shrugged and then looked at him as he waited a few seconds. "I need to have an idea what I'm walking into when we get back to your home." She thought back onto the scene she saw when she left at about 10 that night.

"They were awake, and I wasn't exactly quiet about going out. But they seemed really out of it," she answered. He looked at her and she chuckled humorlessly. "You're a cop. Do the math. My parents aren't asleep, aren't dealing with medical conditions. Yet they're out of it. I think you can guess."

"Alcohol?"

"More than likely. But I'll save the other stuff for when you see them. It'll be obvious," she answered before looking in thought. "Though I really do advise just giving me back my dad's knife and letting me go in quietly. They'll be asleep."

"I'm personally taking you to them and filling them in. You're an honors student. Meaning you aren't a bad kid. You just made a bad choice," he answered before looking at her student card to get an address. When Flack returned to the car, he glanced back through the mirror to see that Rebecca was exhausted. Arriving in the Northern area of the city, Flack helped Mac walk Rebecca to the door and as they pounded, they heard sounds before Rebecca winced as the door opened. Mac and Flack both had to hold back the urge to vomit. Rebecca had warned Mac, but the odor was clear. Marijuana.

"What do you people want?! Do you have any idea what time it is?!"

"We're sorry to have woke you ma'am. But your daughter was just found outside in Central Park and when asked to go home she got into a confrontation with me and my partner," Mac began calmly and he then noticed her mother was looking at the knife. "She openly confessed she wasn't to have this and she only took it for if she got into a tight spot."

"You little," she began before Rebecca didn't even hesitate to punch Mac in the stomach and as he let go she hurried into the basement with Flack hot on her tail and as he got there, he noticed she was curled into a ball looking concerned.

Mac caught up as he didn't care there was a woman yelling upstairs. He quickly took the child and bent her over his knee landing 10 sharp swats to her bottom. "You do not try to escape someone by punching them in the stomach. Not when they're meant to help you," he warned her firmly making sure she was looking at him and she bit back a cry of pain and he shushed her softly knowing she hated the spanking but knew the words coming out next were to do with whatever was happening upstairs.

"I told you not to wake them up," she warned shakily looking at Mac. "She's going to wake him up and then it's going to get worse," she stammered. Looking towards the stairs concerned, Mac looked at her again. "She's angry and with the knife being found to have left the house-" she began before they heard it. A gunshot. "No," she panicked and she hastily pulled herself to her feet and ran to hide with Flack following her.

"Come out here you little bitch," the man responded gruffly. Mac and Flack wasted no time helping Rebecca sneak out of the house and they drove away. Mac noted the terrified look in Rebecca's eyes and turned to grab her hand and he looked at her.

"I won't let you get hurt like that again. I promise. We'll get you settled elsewhere," he promised. He then looked to Flack and sighed as he heard his phone. "Claire," he sighed in relief. He knew where to take Rebecca but he still had to tell her.

"Where are you? It's late," she informed sleepily.

"I'm sorry honey. I had a tight encounter and this one is ending a little differently. Can you get the pullout couch ready?" Claire made a sound of confusion and he chuckled at that. "I had a case involving an 11 year old girl. Her parents literally started to fire a gun when they found her out with a pocket knife that she took for her own assurance of safety. I'll explain the rest when we get there," he informed.

"How's the girl look?"

"Tired, a little dehydrated but I'm picking up a coffee on the way home," he began before he chuckled as Claire made a sound. "Alright. We'll both grab a water bottle on the way home," he answered and Claire chuckled at that. "I love you and we'll be home soon."

"I'll see you two then," she answered. When Mac saw the car pulled into the precinct, he helped Rebecca carefully move as he could see she was tired and ready to sleep.

He grabbed two water bottles from the lunch room and handed one to Rebecca who began to drink it down. "Easy," he whispered as he could see she was drained. "I thought you were kidding when you mentioned that we would see a whole side of your parents." She nodded rolling her eyes. "How much marijuana was in that house?"

"Honestly? No clue. I'm sure they hide it around the house," she answered as she yawned. When Mac was driving back, he smiled noting that she already had fallen asleep. He carefully picked her up and walked inside his home to see Claire smiling fondly.

"She's drained. We chased her halfway through the park, into an alley and then had to force her against the hood of our car just to do a pat down when we knew she was reaching for something. She attends one of the most prestigious prep schools in the area." Claire looked at him and he handed her the wallet. "New York Prep is known for creating some of the most intelligent students in the area. Meaning that Rebecca had to be invited to attend."

"That also means she's someone else at school than what you saw tonight," Claire answered. Mac nodded knowing the obvious truth. The little rebel that ran them through the entire park and into an alley was not who Rebecca Max was on a daily basis. Claire then looked over the small girl as Mac and her covered the body with a blanket and made sure her head was carefully nestled into the pillows. "She looks so angelic."

"She would easily dupe you then. She is good at hiding in the shadows," he responded as he gently dimmed the lights in the living room and made sure there was some sort of indicators that she was still with Mac. He left his badge and picture on the table where her head would face if she sat up so then a brief reminder of the night prior would come into play. "The girl threw one of the largest fits I've seen at 11. I had no choice but to spank her."

"How could you spank someone so adorable?"

"She's adorable but she has a good punch. When her mother was angered at her and me, she punched me so hard I actually had to catch my breath while Flack chased her into the basement. I could have charged her with assault on an officer, but instead opted to remind her of what she earned for it. I had to do it on two different occasions."

"She reminds me of the younger Mac Taylor," Claire mused thoughtfully. "Bold, bright and able to throw a punch should the need arise."

Mac chuckled and looked at Claire. "You can't ever tell me that I had the idiocy to try and punch a cop," he answered and Claire snickered at that. "I didn't. I served in the Marines as well meaning I know not to disrespect my elders."

"No, but I see something a little clearer. You like this kid don't you?"

"I think so," Mac answered with a small smile as he and Claire walked up to go to bed themselves. "Tomorrow I want to get paperwork filled for making Rebecca our child. I'm not letting her return to a house where she has to be afraid to be shot."

"I think we can arrange that," Claire answered smiling.