A/N: Well this is the fanfic to which "Feisty" was the preview. You don't have to have read Feisty, but it is briefly linked to this story. I just want to mention that I know there are a few Messer Family fanfics floating about these days, and this is just my take on it. I hope that you enjoy it. It doesn't have Messer children having free reign of the lab, because that just doesn't seem very "realistic" to me. So here goes.
Disclaimer: CSI:NY and its characters belong to its creators and CBS. I sadly do not own them. This story however is mine and Joni and Kit are also my creations.
You Don't Mess With A Messer.
Danny was quite prepared to admit that he had underestimated the realms of fatherhood. He was also aware that it was all his fault, he was the one who had wanted children so early, not that his wife minded, it was just that they had gone from co-workers to fiancés in a matter of three years, they had gone from fiancés to parents within another two.
He could honestly say that he had never met a girl like Joni Messer before. Her brown curly hair and her pretty little face were reminiscent of her mother-the love of his life- but her eyes were his own mischievous blue. At three Joni was loud, excitable and messy, like any other three year old but was incredibly curious and smart; traits he was sure she had inherited from his wife.
It was seven am when Danny was woken by his daughter crying "Good Morning!" and jumping up and down on her parents' bed. He groaned, rolling onto his back, next to him, Lindsay began to wake, yawning, she looked over at their daughter.
"Mommy! Daddy!" she yelled.
"Jeez…" Danny murmured. He kissed Lindsay, shoved back the duvet and grabbed his daughter around the middle, carrying her off out of the room. Squeals of glee erupted from the child. Lindsay smiled to herself to think she had almost turned all this down, she couldn't imagine her life without Danny and Joni now, they were her life. Well them and The Bump.
Lindsay got up to find her husband and daughter in the kitchen. Joni was sitting up on the worktop, her legs swinging back and forth as she watched her father make pancakes, cheekily swiping a fingerful of batter. Danny chastised her, receiving a giggle and a grin in reply. She may have my face, but that is Danny's grin. She thought, her eyes took in the sight of her husband. He is so irresistible…she noted as she eyed his butt in his pj bottoms.
She moved towards them, her arm snaking around Danny's waist, she snuggled into his back, breathing in his smell.
"Mornin' Montana." His New York drawl still heavy with sleep.
"Good morning." she kissed in-between his shoulder blades through his t-shirt, then unwrapped her arms from him to gather her daughter into a hug.
"Mon-tana!" she bellowed, her mother quickly hushing her.
"We'll be back, Little Miss here needs to be washed and dressed before breakfast today."
"'Kay." Danny mustered, briefly kissing his wife then yelping as she pinched his butt. You still got it Messer he chuckled to himself.
Fifteen minutes later they returned, Joni now wearing a denim pinafore dress with a long sleeved white tee underneath, unfortunately her shoes were swinging from her hands, Lindsay had obviously not succeeded on that part.
"You can wrestle with the shoes!" Lindsay declared as she wandered back through. Danny finished laying out pancakes on three plates.
"Eat." He demanded, "I'll go shower, you can go after me."
No matter how good a system Danny and Lindsay had for getting ready in the morning, Joni was sure to disrupt it somehow. This morning she fought with her father when he tried to help her with her shoes, she fought with her mother when they attempted to get her in her car seat and she cried bloody murder when she forgot her bear, Andre. Danny had to go back for him.
"Do you think she resents us for working so much?" Danny pondered aloud after he and Lindsay had dropped Joni at her nanny's and were settled down in their office, ready to do the paperwork that was mounting on their desks.
"She is three, she has yet to learn what resentment is." Lindsay replied, ogling her husband, "She sees us every morning and we are with her all night and on our days off…"
"But she is always sleepy by night time." Danny almost whined Lindsay sympathised with him, she truly did. She too felt bad that both of them worked long shifts but the moments of utter joy they had together almost made it worthwhile.
"Danny…she spends her days running about like crazy with two other children under the watchful eye of Maeve, she is happy…"
"I know…I just feel like we are missing out on her childhood." Lindsay could feel her heart breaking.
"We aren't missing out Danny…"
"You could work less." He said abruptly.
"We talked about this when I was on maternity leave." She stated.
"You seem like you don't want to--"
"Don't you dare Daniel Messer!" her voice a fierce growl.
"I--I didn't--" he cowered under his wife's glare.
"Why don't you work part time?"
"I--what?"
"Well you are the one who is worried and it will give you time to bond with her" Like we really need that… "Besides, I will be on maternity leave in another few months then she will have me all day every day, until I come back here again."
"Are you serious?"
"You are clearly worried Danny, I do what is best for us and our family."
"You're serious." He grinned, standing up, he leaned over her desk and kissed her.
"Well…so long as you are prepared to give The Bump as much attention--"
"Oh, the bump will get attention…" he growled seductively, his hand resting on her barely protruding stomach. Her hand rested on top of his, he resisted the urge to jump her right there. "So…I will go have a word with Mac then?"
"You do that, leave me in peace to get some work done for once." She winked at him.
"Messer women…" he grumbled, exiting the office, Lindsay smiled.
"Hear what your daddy is saying about us Kit?" she said, addressing The Bump.
"Kit?" came a voice. Lindsay spun around to see Hawkes standing in the doorway.
"We are trying out names, believe it or not, and Kit seems nicer than calling her The Bump."
"Her?"
"It might not be, but I have a feeling Kit is the next daddy's girl."
"Who knew all it took to soften Messer was a country girl and their offspring?"
"Hey! You don't mess with a Messer--"
"Cos you aint ever gonna win." Sheldon quoted "Honorary Messer."
"Carrying a Messer." She added.
"That too." He winked. "I'm going out to a scene; it's my shout for lunch, anything you want in particular?"
"Meatball sub?"
"I will try." He grinned and turned on his heel, setting off out of the lab.
Mac Taylor looked up as he heard a knock on the glass door of his office. Danny poked his head around the door, the rest of him followed, closing the door behind him.
"Can I have a word Mac?" He didn't like the sound of that, perhaps Danny was going to get overprotective of Lindsay again and request that she was kept indoors like last time. Lindsay had not been pleased.
"Sure."
"I—um." Danny faltered. "Lindsay and I have been talkin'…and we are a little worried that Joni may resent us."
"Danny…" Mac started, a smile rising- it was clear Danny was the one with such worries, not Lindsay- she seemed so laidback, knowing her daughter would turn out to be a good kid because she was raised right.
"Please, hear me out Mac." He interrupted, "I was wondering if I could work part time, just until M—Lindsay's maternity leave kicks in."
Mac eyed him, respecting him for putting his family first and to think all those years ago Danny had been petrified at the talk of marriage and love. Though it would be a little bit of a blow, losing Danny for twenty hours a week, he understood.
"I'll see what I can do for you Danny." He smiled.
As of the following Monday, Danny worked 25 hours a week, his shifts broken into five 5 hour segments, though he knew that sometimes he would not be able to leave promptly, at least he would see more of his daughter. Sadly, he would see less of Lindsay. The price one paid for ones children…
A/N: Well I hope you liked it! Please review. Chapter two will be up shortly, once I have finished rereading it and made corrections and such. I don't know if 25 hours a week would be part time or what, so if you don't find it believable, then my apologies, but thats just the way the cookie is going to crumble.