*breathing in and out into a brown paper bag* OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When I saw the spoilers for this episode, I figured that we would probably get a D/L scene, but what we got, NEVER expected that. I thought it would be something at one of Danny's physical therapy session, but……….. I don't think I can accurately express how awesome that scene at the end was!!!!!!!!! And the one in the middle, come on, how great was that one too???????!!!!!!!!!

*turns down the incoherent inner fangirl* OK, so thanks to everybody who read and reviewed last week's post ep – you guys all rock!!!!!!! I wrote this one before last night's episode ran, so it doesn't have any particular spoilers related to 6.04, but yeah, I'll just put a spoiler warning on it to cover my butt.

I don't own CSI: NY, but TPTB can keep it for now, so long as I can still borrow the characters every once in a while. Mistakes are mine, though.

Enjoy everybody!!!!! *inner fangirl re-emerges, starts to run around house squeeing*

His Motivation

No matter what her husband might have been telling her, Lindsay knew full well that Danny was having some difficulties with his physical therapy. She was aware of the fact that he was being encouraged to try standing at home and if he felt up to it to try and walk very short distances, like from the bed to the dresser and back again while he was getting dressed, but Lindsay had yet to see him even attempt to get out of the wheelchair anywhere but during his therapy sessions. At first, she was willing to let Danny move at his own pace, but no longer. He was struggling, and whether he was willing to admit it or not, he needed her help.

That was exactly why Lindsay decided to show up early to pick him up from his latest therapy session, and she had brought her secret weapon to help inspire Danny to keep trying.

From the doorway, she watched as Danny took several steps on very shaky legs before shifting his weight to one support bar and visibly taking the brunt of his weight on his arms. She wanted nothing more than to go over to him and help him continue on, but she knew that he needed to prove that he could walk again to himself more than he ever needed to prove it her or anyone else. Thankful that his back was to her, she stepped out of the doorway and turned her focus to her secret weapon.

"Daddy needs us Lucy. Do you wanna help Mommy?" Lindsay smiled as her daughter began giggling and clapping. "OK, but we need to be quiet. Shhh." Placing her finger over her mouth to show Lucy, Lindsay honestly had no idea if Lucy would stay quiet, given her tendency to start squealing at the mere sight of her daddy, but Lindsay though it was at least worth a try.

Stepping back into the doorway with Lucy this time able to see into the room, Lindsay waited to see the little girl's reaction, and she was a little surprised when Lucy stayed quiet and just stared at her daddy's back as he once again took shaky steps. Catching the eye of Danny's therapist, Lindsay quickly shook her head and made her way over to the end of the support bars away from Danny.

Danny finally managed to make it to the end of the bars and he closed his eyes to the pain as he took a breather.

"Good job Danny, you're doing great. When you've caught your breath, I want you to turn around and walk back to the other end of the bars and then you'll be done for today," his therapist said to him, offering no hint of what was waiting for him at the other end.

Softly cursing under his breath, Danny did as he was told and turned around on the bars, his eyes still clamped shut. He hadn't fully recovered yet, but he was willing to push through it since he was almost finished. The therapist noticed that he was making his way back to the other end without his eyes opened, so she chimed in.

"How can you walk with your eyes closed? Look where you're headed."

Letting out a rough breath, Danny complied. His hands clenched onto the bars even more tightly, to stop him from collapsing, when he saw what was in front of him.

There was Lindsay, watching him with watery eyes and a wide smile, holding Lucy in her arms as the little girl started to giggle and squeal at her father. Danny just stared into his wife's eyes and felt his own eyes start to moisten as he tried to convey so many things with one look.

Tired of being ignored by her parents, Lucy began to squirm in Lindsay's arms, wanting to be put down. Certain she knew exactly what her daughter wanted, Lindsay lowered Lucy to the ground and held tightly onto her hands as Lucy began to take several shaky steps of her own in her daddy's direction.

Danny watched with pride and amazement as his little girl took several steps toward him before her legs gave out and Lindsay crouched down to secure Lucy between legs, leaving Lucy in a standing position. Both looked up at him and smiled, encouraging him to continue on.

Finding new strength, Danny closed the distance between them with firm steps and stopped right in front of his wife and daughter. Picking Lucy up, Lindsay stood up again and once again looked up into her husband's face. While she had sort of enjoyed not having to always crane her neck up to see his face, Lindsay had never been more happy to have to look up to see Danny and not look down.

The silence amid the group was broken when Lucy decided to start clapping. Though she liked to clap a lot, both Danny and Lindsay had no doubt that though their daughter didn't completely understand what was going on, her clapping had more significance than just amusing herself.

Though his legs were protesting, Danny dared to let go of the bars and was shocked when he remained standing, having nothing to support him but his own legs. Reaching forward, he pulled Lucy and Lindsay into his body and hugged them as tightly as he could without freaking Lucy out. He placed a kiss on Lucy's cheek and then turned his attention to Lindsay, who had once again started to cry. Snaking one of his hands from around her back, he brought it up to her face and wiped her tears away as he leaned down to lovingly kiss her.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Still standing in the background, the therapist quickly swiped at her own eyes, overcome herself by the emotional situation.

When Danny had first come to her, she knew he was not going to be an easy patient to deal with. He was stubborn and reluctant to push himself, probably out of fear that he could do further damage to himself. She knew that he had it within him to keeping moving forward, and she was right to assume that he just needed the right type of motivation.

Given what she had just witnessed, she was certain that he had all the motivation he would need already in his corner. Turning away to give the family a little more privacy, she knew that she wouldn't be working with Danny Messer for much longer.

Thanks for reading!!!!!!