Danny Messer stepped out of his black pickup and walked to the front of the old building. He took a deep breath and walked up the steps to the front door of the apartment block. He was in look he saw a woman come out of the elevator and walk towards him. She smiled and opened the door for him and continued towards the street. He went to the elevator as he stepped in he heard a cry of,

"Stop, Please hold the elevator." He did so and saw a teenage girl and a small child enter the elevator. "Thank you so much" She teenager said smiling at him while lifting the child onto her hip. "Most people would have just let the doors shut." She said adjusting the child.
"Yeah, well you don't sound like you're from round here and I'm a cop so I like to help people." He said smiling at her back.
"Well, I am sort of, I have been living here for the past 4 years, but I still have the old accent." She said laughing and he laughed as well.
"Yeah, well what floor you going to?" He asked her.
"3rd, you."
"Same here, say do you know someone called Lindsay Monroe?" He asked. The girls face fell at the name I said.
"Erm, yeah I do. You aren't Danny Messer are you?" She asked hoping and praying she was wrong.
"Yeah I am, Danny Messer at your service." He held out his hand to her. With her free hand she held it out to meet his.
"I'm Cassie and this" she said moving the small child on her hip, "is Jess"
"Well nice to meet you Cassie and Jess" the bell of the elevator chimed.
"Well this is us," Cassie said. "Better get going, see you later, hopefully Danny" She stepped out of the elevator and started to jog/run down the corridor.

Danny stepped out a few seconds after and looked at the number of the first door, '12' it read and Lindsay lived at number '16' 4 doors to go. He walked down the corridor and as he went he heard a door slam, but he kept on walking down the corridor. Number '16' it said on the dark green front door. He stood back a bit then knocked on it. He heard footsteps leading up to the door and then he heard the click of the peep hole and the other click of the front door. He took a breath as it opened. But what he didn't expect was the face behind the door.

"Cassie, what are you doing here?" He asked her shocked and surprised.
"Erm, I think you better come in Danny." She said opening the door more and showing Danny inside. Danny looked around the apartment. He had only been in there once; they had been going out for 6 months. He heard laughter coming from the kitchen.
"Mom" Cassie shouted still looking at Danny.
"Yeah sweetheart." Came the reply.
"Erm, Mom I think you need to come out here." Cassie said still looking at the fixed expression on Danny's face. "Erm, there someone here to see you."
They heard footsteps coming from the kitchen and walking towards them. Then the footsteps stopped and there in the doorway stood Lindsay, Jess on her hip and another child who looked exactly like Jess next to her. Her facial expression one of shock.
"Danny" she whispered, "Cas, could you take them into the kitchen and finish the tea please." She said putting the child on her hip on the floor.
"Sure, Mom," She said walking toward her and the kids, "Come one you two lets go have tea." She smiled and held each of their hands.
"Yeah" came the reply from the two little girls.

They walked into the kitchen and Lindsay watched them go and then turned her attention to Danny who had been standing with a very shocked look on her face ever since Lindsay had stepped out of the kitchen.
"Danny" Lindsay said softly, walking up to him, "Are you ok? I know this must have come as a bit of a shock"
Danny just stood there until after a few moments he finally snapped out of his trance. "Erm... yeah I'm fine, erm..." He stood there looking at her.
"I know I should have told you, I know we have been going out for 6 months but..." She stopped and looked into his eyes and started to sob. "I'm so sorry Danny, I am so very sorry and if you want to walk out of that door right now and never come back I won't hold it against you."
She turned away from Danny only to be spun round and have her lips captured by his after kissing for a moment the stepped away and Danny looked at her.
"I know there must be a good reason why you didn't tell me about them and if you don't want to tell me you don't have to but I will not leave you because of this Lindsay, I..." she took her face in her hand, "I love you Lindsay Monroe" he kissed her again and after finally listening to their burning lungs they separated. "I love you too." Lindsay replied and went to kiss him again but as soon as their lips were about to touch again.

"Mommy and Danny sitting in a tree k.i.s.s.i.n.g" could be heard coming from the open kitchen door.
"OK you two" Lindsay turned around and looked at the twins. "For that I would run" she said as she started to dart after one of the twins. Following Lindsay lead Danny went after the other one and after what was about 5 minutes they had both been captured and thoroughly tickled by both Danny and Lindsay. Watching the scene the whole time Cassie had finally got to her room and slammed the door shut.
"What was that about??" Danny asked Lindsay who still both had a twin in their arms.
"I have no idea." Lindsay replied.
"Ok then who have I got here then??" Danny asked the small girl in his arms.
"I'm Maddie" the small girl said back.
"And I'm Jess but you have already met me" the small girl in Lindsay's arms stated. They sat there chatting for about 20 minutes and Danny found out all about the twins, that they were 5 years old and that they liked horse riding and dancing and swimming and drawing. And that Jess was the older of the two but only by 10 minutes. Then they heard the sound of a violin being played coming from Cassie's room. Lindsay told the twins to go to bed and they asked if Danny could help them which he gladly did. Lindsay made her way to Cassie's door and knocked on it. The playing stopped and she heard a faint "come in" so she entered. And she saw Cassie sat crossed legged on the bed facing the wall her violin in her hands.

"Sweetie, are you ok?" Lindsay asked walking up behind her and touching her shoulder.
"I'm fine Mom, just go back to Danny." She said turning round to face her Mom, her eyes were red and her cheeks tear stained.
"I know Cassie, I know it's hard on you whenever a new man comes into my life, but I promise you Danny is a keeper I know it." She sat on the bed and pulled the teenager into a hug.
"He's gonna have to know Mom" she said hugging her Mom back.
"I know hunni, I know" They sat there in a hug for a long time until a knock came on the door. "Come in" Cassie said and Danny walked into the room.
"The twins are asleep" he stated.
"Thank you Danny, they don't usually go to sleep unless I read them a story, they must really like you" she said smiling and standing up. Cassie did the same and went to but her violin back into its case on the chair.
"I'm sorry Danny, I didn't mean to storm out earlier" Cassie said following her Mom and Danny who were already making their way into the living room. "There's some things that you need to know about our past, all of our pasts and there are some things that neither of us can say yet." She sat on the chair next to the couch where Danny and Lindsay were sitting.

Lindsay turned to face Danny, "Ask us about anything you want, and we will try and answer it" She smiled at him and held onto his hand.
"Ok," Danny started, "Erm...where is your Dad, yours and the twins." At this their faces went pale.
"I can't tell you about my Dad Danny, I really want to tell you but it's not my story to tell, all you need to know is that my dad is dead." She turned to Lindsay who was still very pale in the face.
"Yeah, erm... The twins have a different Dad to Cassie, he died 5 years ago, I was 5 months pregnant and I was at work when I got a phone call." Her eyes started to fill with tears, "The man on the end of the phone said that he had been hit by a hit and run driver, he had died instantly and there was nothing they could have done. I was distraught, but I somehow managed to keep it together, Cassie helped and so did Uncle Mac and my Aunt and Uncle who are more like my Mom and Dad." She turned to face him. He looked scared stiff. "Danny what's the matter?"
"Did you just say Uncle Mac?" He replied, "Please don't say that our boss is your Uncle."
"Erm...yeah he is. Why is that a problem?" She said looking concerned.
"He's gonna kill me, I'm going out with his niece and he doesn't know about it, I'm a dead man" The look of sheer terror still in his eyes. Lindsay and Cassie then immediately started to laugh.