Today was supposed to be a good easy day. Lindsay had the day off, she had called him three hours ago asking him if he wanted her to pick up anything, urging him towards Thai, since his kid had her craving Thai.
Now he stood outside said restaurant, Thai Restaurant & Velvet Lounge, her favorite Thai place, with a Kevlar vest strapped to his chest, along with half of the NYPD, his heart in his throat and his 6 month pregnant wife being used as a shield for the junkie how tried robbing the joint.
"Danny, you shouldn't be up here," Don said.
"The fuck I shouldn't! My pregnant wife has a fuckin' gun to her head, cus some goddamn junkie needs a fix!" Danny all but screamed at him.
Then all attention was diverted back to the restaurant when the door opened. Danny's eyes went straight to his very calm looking wife, the scrawny man's arm wrapped around her neck. From his quick visual assessment she seemed to be physically unharmed.
Her eyes locked with his, then her lip began to quiver, as if seeing him broke her iron will. He tried conveying with his face and eyes that he would get her out of this.
Voices began to shout and scream when the man began pulling her away from the building and down the alley. Then before he realized it his feet were moving, pounding against the pavement towards the man who held his wife captive.
The junkie turned his head when he heard the footsteps pounding towards, surprised to see a cop charging him. He panicked, took the gun off his hostage and aimed it at the cop, easily pulling the trigger.
Danny ran at the junkie full force, less than 10 feet between them, he felt the bullet hit his vest in the chest almost knocking the air out of him. But he couldn't stop; he had to get to her.
Lindsay watched in paralyzed horror as the junkie pulled the trigger, watched as the bullet hit her husband's vest in the chest, and then watched as he shook it off as if a bug had hit him.
Don watched as his best friend and colleague charged the guy who held his wife hostage, and the junkie reeled around and pulled the trigger. His finger was itching to pull the trigger, the rest of the officers waiting for his go ahead. But he couldn't, Monroe was still in the line of fire, Messer was too.
The junkie was shocked when the cop didn't go down, or at least slow down, the cop was less than 7 feet from them now. Out of desperation he pulled the trigger 4 more times, each of them hitting their target.
Danny couldn't slow down, his wife and son needed him. He felt each powerful blow, bruising his flesh under the vest, he wanted to fall to the ground in pain, but he couldn't. He didn't slow down until he got to her throwing her to the ground and covering her with his body.
Lindsay's heart almost stopped at the sound of the gun popping 4 more times, each blow hitting her husband in the chest. She had to close her eyes; she couldn't watch him die for her. She felt arms around her suddenly, gentle arms. Then she felt the solid ground hit her back and the back of her head.
"Montana," she heard his voice. She opened her eyes to see Danny lying on top of her.
"Danny," she gasped, trying to push him up off her so she could check his chest.
"Stay still baby," he said softly, "Ain't over yet."
Don watched as Danny took 4 more rounds to the chest, cringing at each pop, feeling his own chest ache. He watched as he threw Lindsay to the ground covering her with his body, leaving the junkie wide open.
"Drop your weapon!" Don yelled.
The junkie looked at all the weapons trained on him. He panicked, pulling the trigger again, one final time.
Don was the first to pull his trigger, hitting the junkie in his shoulder, sending him reeling back.
Lindsay began crying softly, the emotion of the day finally taking over. The sounds of the gun fire ringing in her ears.
"Shhh baby, it's almost over," he said softly. Smiling softly when he felt his son kick him; even through his vest he could feel it. His son's way of saying, 'what the hell is going on out there?'
Then suddenly silence filled the air.
"Messer!!" Don yelled, running towards his friends.
Slowly Danny rolled off of Lindsay laying flat on his back. Taking deep breaths, each one hurting like hell.
Lindsay sat up and hurriedly ripped the Velcro off him and pulled his vest off. Frantically pulling his shirt up examining his chest.
"Can't wait ta get home Montana? You rippin' my clothes off an' all," he joked softly.
"What the hell did you do that for?" she yelled at him suddenly, "You could have gotten yourself killed!" she yelled at him, wanting to punch him in the chest or stomach but not daring to.
"I'd do it again in a heartbeat," he said sternly, "if I had to watch that bastard hurt ya…" he trailed off, "I'd die for ya Montana. You and our kid," he reached his hand out and brushed her belly softly.
She bent down and kissed his lips softly, "That was still a jackass thing to do. But I love you for it."