Disclaimer: I don't own CSI: NY or any of its characters and central plots. I'm just writing this because I like to write. No copyright infringement is intended.
Possible Warnings: May cause squee related fatalities.
Lindsay had spent the entire day getting ready for….god knows what! Danny had given her just enough information to let her know he was up to something, but not enough to let her know what it was.
"You have your salon appointment at three, so you need to have your dress, shoes and, whatever else you'll need to go with it, picked out by then. I've arranged for a limousine to pick you up at our apartment at seven o'clock, so don't be late for that! "
"What am I not supposed to be late for," she called from the nursery where two-year old Lucy wasn't cooperating with getting dressed.
"For the Limo," she could hear the smirk in his voice from down the hall.
"I could have figured that one out myself you idiot," she mumbled and Lucy giggled at Daddy aggravating Mommy. "What kind of dress should I swear," she'd succeeded in getting the toddler in her brown and pink jumper and walked into the living room with her husband.
"A pretty one," he said simply, knowing she wouldn't take that as an acceptable answer.
"How vague," she rolled her eyes. "You know, in the right frame of mind a potato sack could be considered pretty."
"I'm sure you'd look stunning in that as well; but for this you might want to go for a more semi formal look," he answered cheekily.
"I hate you," she didn't mean it and he knew that, she was just aggravated with him, which is kind of what he was trying to do. After all, their relationship had sort of been built off of him aggravating her.
"You better get going if you want to pick out your dress in time."
"Yeah, yeah. I'll see you two later. Don't get in too much trouble," she said as she kissed her husband and daughter.
"We love you," Danny said as she opened the door. "Bye Mama," the toddler's voice caused Lindsay to look back at her family and smile. "Bye Luce. I love you. I love you too," she said to her husband and daughter before letting the door close behind her.
And that was the conversation which led to her currently being sat in the back of a limousine, wearing a new, black lace, sheath dress; that cost more than she cared to admit , and matte silver heels.
Suddenly, the car came to a stop, and after a moment her door was opened. Accepting the gentleman's hand to help her from the vehicle, she arose and took in her surroundings. The first thing she noticed was that they were in Central Park; more specifically, on the East Side. The next thing she noticed was that, the driver had not opened her door, but Danny had.
"You look beautiful," he said sincerely, taking her hands in his.
"You look handsome yourself," she took in his black suite and light blue button down shirt with a dark blue tie to match.
He led her to the Loeb Boathouse, both remaining silent, just enjoying each other's company until they were seated.
"So what is the occasion? Or am I not allowed to know yet," she asked as she looked over the wine list.
"I wanted to thank you," Danny said as he cleared his throat.
"Thank me? For what?"
"After Luce was born, and I was shot, even knowing that the odds of me walking again weren't that great; even knowing that you were going to have to take on most of the physical responsibility for Lucy, and me, for an unspecified period of time, you never left. You always there, believed in me, even when I didn't believe in myself. Thank you."
"Danny," taking a moment to wipe her eyes and compose her thoughts at his unexpected speech, "when I saw that blood on your hand, I was scared to death. Here we were, just married with a new baby, and I could see it all being taken away from me right there on the floor of the bar. I knew that, no matter what happened, leaving you wasn't an option," Danny reached across the table to wipe a tear from her cheek just as the waitress came over to take their orders. "You're my husband and the father of my daughter. When I said those wedding vows: 'for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, as long as we both shall live', I meant every word Danny. When I was growing up, that's one thing my parents and grandparents taught me; don't say those wedding vows if you don't mean them."
"You are an amazing woman Lindsay Messer. Have I ever told you how much I appreciate you?"
"I'm sure you have, but it's always nice to hear it again," she said with a shy smile as the waitress reappeared with their meals.
"I do appreciate you Lindsay. I don't think that I would be alive right now, let alone out of that wheelchair if it wasn't for you," Lindsay just looked on and let him continue. "After Ruben died I really took a downward spiral, emotionally and I know I hurt a lot of people, especially you, in my self destruction. If it hadn't been for you giving me that wakeup call in our office by telling me that you'd fallen in love with me, and refusing to let me treat you like that anymore, I can't say that I would have come out of my funk and not eventually gone completely off the deep end otherwise."
Lindsay didn't need him to say the words for her to realize that he meant he was getting to the point of depression where he was suicidal. She didn't want to hear those words; not from her Danny. "Danny…", he reached out and took her hand before continuing what he was saying.
"When I was shot, I knew I had been hit, but my first concern was you and if you were okay. It really wasn't until I was released from the hospital that the seriousness of my injury started to sink in. Needing you to help me do everything from get into the shower, to getting dressed was horrible! I'm so used to being able to do everything myself, that not being able to help you with things like making dinner or even taking care of the baby, I really got depressed there for awhile," he confessed as the waitress took away their empty plates and the check with his credit card.
"I could tell," she admitted, thinking back to how he'd let his personal grooming go on both occasions.
"But you stuck by me, and didn't give up. You didn't let me give up, and for that I thank you." Danny stood up slightly and leaned across the table to kiss his wife sweetly.
A few moments later, the two walked back to the waiting limo.
"It's been an interesting couple of years: trying to get our relationship back on track after everything that happened when Ruben died, finding out that I was pregnant when our relationship still wasn't that stable, getting married, then having Lucy. And then all that happened with Jess being killed, the bar shooting, you being in the wheelchair and all the hardships that came with that.
"Now Flack is doing better, our relationship is stronger than it's ever been, and our little Lucy is a toddler," Danny took her hand to help her back into the car as the driver held the door open for them.
Once they were back on the road, Lindsay spoke softly, "everything we went through; all the pain, heartache, tears, blood, sweat, sleepless nights, frustration, sadness, failures and, triumphs; I wouldn't change any of it."
"Me either. All of that, the good, the bad, and the ugly; it got us where we are today, and right here is a wonderful place to be," he looked at his wife her eyes glistening with tears. "I love you Mrs. Messer."
"I love you too, Mr. Messer," and their lips met in a kiss filled with the emotions from the past, and the hope of the future.