Another one-shot! I just had this idea in my head and thought I'd type it up and share. What if Danny had wished Aiden Burn had never been fired? What would that mean for Lindsay and Lucy? Well he's about to find out...
Backwards Wish
It was that time year again. Lindsay dreaded it she knew that the effect of this day led Danny to think of some of the worst days of his life. It was the anniversary of Aiden Burn's death.
"Hey Danny" Lindsay said walking into his office buttoning up his jacket
"Hey Linds" he said not even looking up at her
"I'm going to head home you're off shift too right? So I thought we could grab dinner then get Lucy" Lindsay offered
"I really want to get all this paperwork done" Danny said still not looking up at her "But I'll see you at home"
"You can't do this every time you know" she told her husband who finally looked up at her
"Do what?" he questioned
"Blame yourself for her death, for not being there. Because then it just makes you think of Louie and Ruben" Lindsay told him "None of it is your fault"
"Look I really don't want to get into this now" Danny sighed "I'm fine so don't worry"
"I just-" she started
"Lindsay I told you I'm fine!" he told her a little harsher then he had meant too but it was just one of those days Danny didn't feel like defending his feelings or talking calm about it.
"I know what you're thinking and believe me I lived like that for years and it wont help you and it wont bring them back" Lindsay told him
"It's a little different Linds" Danny sighed running his hand over his face "You went through one tragedy I've been apart of three and I'm not ready to move on and forget them"
"I didn't say that" Lindsay defended
"That is what you're saying if you're asking me not to feel how I feel" Danny shot at her and she sighed
"I never asked you not to feel I asked you to let me help you" Lindsay reminded him
"I don't need your help" he told her coolly "But thanks"
"Fine suit yourself" Lindsay replied then turned and walked out of the office leaving Danny to wallow alone in his own misery
After another of hour of getting lost in his thoughts and not being able to concentrate he headed to a familiar spot.
He walked into the cemetery and stopped at the same spot this time every year. He looked at the headstone that read:
Aiden Burn
1980-2006
That's all the headstone read and Danny was always bothered by it. He could have filled that headstone with a hundred different things he would have put on there. But Aiden would have liked it: short and to the point.
"Aiden" Danny started "I can't tell you how much I miss you. I can't help but wonder how different the team and my life would have been if you didn't go. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you but believe me I wish I could go back and change this for you. Talk to you before you worked the Pratt case maybe worked it with ya so you wouldn't have made those mistakes, I could have saved you and I'm sorry" with that he left one single flower on top of her headstone and decided to head back to the lab.
Crime Lab
As Danny walked into the Crime Lab he was greeted by Mac
"Danny how are those reports coming?" Mac questioned
"Almost done" Danny told him and Mac just smirked and walked away. Both he and Mac knew those reports were not close to be doing. First thing Danny wanted to do was call Lindsay and apologize for the way they ended their conversation earlier he pulled out his phone and dialed her number
"Sorry I missed your call leave a message and I'll get back to you" he heard her familiar voice state but hung up deciding leaving a message wasn't the best way to apologize. He sighed and headed back to his paperwork. The quicker he finished the quicker he'd get home to his girls and he'd be able to properly apologize.
"Hey drinks later?" he heard a familiar voice ask
"Nah Flack I have some making up to do" Danny told his friend who chuckled
"Screwed up again Messer?" Flack asked taking a seat at Lindsay's desk
"Yep" Danny smirked
"Alright well if you change your mind you can meet us at Jakes" Flack told him
"Jakes?" Danny questioned
"Yea the new place Aiden's been talking about" Flack said
"I haven't heard of-" Danny started "Did you say Aiden?"
"Uh yea" Flack nodded confused "You know medium height, long dark hair happens to be your partner from time to time"
"Aiden's dead" Danny told him
"Really? Because I just passed her in the break room and she seemed to breathing to me" Flack laughed "What's with ya?" he asked but instead Danny just stood up and rushed to the break room and there she was just as Flack told him. Aiden Burn was standing at the counter pouring herself coffee.
"Aiden" Danny said slowly walking over to her
"Yea?" she asked confused "What's with ya? You look you've seen a ghost or some'n"
"I can't believe it" Danny said throwing his arms around and pulling her into a tight hug "I don't know how this happened"
"What is going on with you" Aiden said pulling away "You alright?"
"Am I? Am I alright?" he asked with a laugh causing Aiden to stare at him even more "You're alive I'm fantastic"
"When wasn't I alive?" Aiden questioned
"What's today date?" Danny questioned
"January 23" Aiden told him
"The year" Danny clarified
"2011" Aiden told him even more confused
"This is wrong" Danny said shaking his head "You died"
"You're starting to freak me out here Dan" Aiden told him "I'm not dead I'm alive and well"
"I just went to your grave" Danny said to her
"You hit your head or something?" Aiden questioned sincerely "Maybe you should go to the hospital-"
"No, no" Danny said stepping away "I'm just so happy to see you"
"Well I'm glad to know that if I did ever did I you'd be affected by it" Aiden smirked "How about you go finish those reports before you forget how to do them"
"Yea" Danny said still very confused
"Drinks later?" Aiden questioned "You could tell me how I died and how many people cried" she teased
"No, no I need to go see Lindsay" Danny said to her
"Whose Lindsay?" Aiden questioned with a smirk "Another new girl? You're going to have to start numbering em' because I can't keep track" she laughed
"Wait you don't know Lindsay?" Danny asked her
"Not that you've introduced to me to her" Aiden shrugged "Why? Should I know her?"
"She's my wife" Danny told her and Aiden's eyes widened
"You must have hit your head because I know you aint married" Aiden said seriously "Maybe we should-"
"No" Danny said pulling away "Where is she? And Lucy?"
"Whose Lucy?" Aiden asked getting more confused
"My daughter" Danny told her
"You don't have a kid Messer" Aiden said to him "Why don't you sit down and I'll call Doc over-"
"I can prove it" Danny said pulling out his cell which was loaded with pictures of Lucy he went into his pictures and couldn't find one of Lucy "That can't be right"
"You're scaring me here Danny" Aiden said as he continued to look at his phone then he looked down and noticed his wedding band was gone
"My ring is gone" Danny mumbled looking at his left hand "No, no this can't be right"
"Danny!" Aiden yelled "What is going on?"
"You died" Danny told her "And then Lindsay came and we got married and had Lucy. Lindsay works here"
"There is no Lindsay that works here Danny" Aiden told him "Not while I've been here anyway"
"She's from Montana" Danny said and Aiden just continued to look at him with a mix of confusion and worry
"You really think you're married and have a kid" Aiden said to herself realizing Danny wasn't kidding he looked absolutely frantic
"I don't think I know" Danny told her "Lindsay and I got married on March 11,2009 and Lucy was born May 6,2009- I know that I was there"
"Well I wasn't" Aiden told him "And no one else for that matter because it never happened. You're not married you date Cindy and sometimes that Kim chick from the coffee shop"
"Mac is Lucy's godfather he was at the wedding with Stella" Danny told her "Is Stella still in New Orleans?"
"Yea" Aiden nodded then started to walk away "I'm going to get Mac"
"No I'll get Mac" Danny said frustrated and he stormed into Mac's office
"What's going on?" Mac asked looking up at Danny and Aiden who followed him into the office
"I think Danny hit his head" Aiden told him
"You alright Danny?" Mac asked
"You know Lucy right?" Danny asked "And Lindsay?"
"No" Mac said slowly shaking his head "Who are they?"
"Lindsay Monroe-" Danny started
"The CSI from Montana?" Mac questioned and Danny's eyes lit up
"Yes!" Danny yelled with a smile "You know her"
"Not personally but I've read about some of her cases she's a great CSI" Mac said to him
"And that's why you hired her when you fired Aiden" Danny nodded
"What?" Aiden questioned
"Aiden hasn't been fired" Mac said to him
"This isn't right" Danny said to them "Something is wrong here"
"What's the last thing you remember Danny?" Mac asked him calmly
"I remember going to Aiden's grave" Danny said to him
"Aiden was dead?" Mac questioned
"Pratt killed her!" Danny yelled "And I got into this stupid fight with Lindsay-"
"The CSI from Bozeman?" Mac asked
"Yes" Danny nodded
"I don't think you know Lindsay Monroe" Mac told him "I don't even know her, I don't even think she's a CSI anymore"
"She was here earlier Mac" Danny told him "She asked me to leave so we could both get Lucy"
"And Lucy is who?" Mac questioned
"My daughter" Danny said to him
"With the CSI from Bozeman" Mac added and Danny nodded "You really believe all this don't you?"
Danny looked from Mac and then to Aiden both looked very concerned for him and realized no one was going to believe to his story so he gave up.
"Got ya!" Danny laughed as both Mac and Aiden just watched him "It was a prank"
"Seriously?" Aiden asked
"Yea" Danny smiled and Aiden punched him in the air and then left Mac's office
"You sure you're alright Danny?" Mac questioned
"Yea I told you it was joke" Danny shrugged
"Funny" Mac replied deadpan "Get back to those reports- you do still remember how to do them right?"
"Sure, sure" Danny said "Sorry boss" then he left Mac's office and headed to his own to finish his paperwork
After work Danny headed to the apartment he shared with Lindsay and Lucy and ran up the stairs and unlocked the door hoping to find this was all a bad dream but the apartment was empty. No baby toys on the floor, the walls were the plain color of his old apartment before Lindsay had painted his pool able occupied where Lucy's toys kitchen should have been and his heart sank. There really was no Lucy or no Lindsay. There were no signs that either existed let alone lived there. He wasn't about to give up though he pulled out his cell and dialed a number
"Hey it's me" Danny started
"Sure what's up?" Flack asked
"I need you to run a check on Lindsay Monroe" Danny told him
"Sure she a suspect or something?" Flack asked him
"No and I need you to keep this between us no one could know not Mac, Aiden- nobody" Danny pleaded
"Um sure buddy" Flack said unsurely "You alright?"
"No" Danny told him "Just look her up and I'll meet you at the station"
"Alright" Flack said then Danny hung up and left his too empty apartment
Police Station
Danny rushed into the station and found Flack at his desk
"You got here fast" Flack noted
"Did you get it?" Danny asked as Flack handed him a file
"Yea everything I could get on Lindsay Monroe" Flack told him "She was CSI in Bozeman"
"Right I knew that" Danny said flipping thru the pages "She still there?"
"No she actually lives in New York now" Flack told him "She left Bozeman and there lab about three years ago"
"You got an address?" Danny questioned
"Yea her and her husband live at 105 67th street apartment 3c" Flack told him
"She's married?" Danny asked him in a tone that Flack had never heard from Danny
"Yea has been for three years she's got a daughter Lydia" Flack told him "How do you know her?"
"I don't know her" Danny shrugged "I used to"
"I've never heard you mention her before" Flack pointed out
"Thanks for this" Danny said ignoring Flack's last statement
"Where are you going? There's something you should know first about her husband-" Flack started as Danny walked away but again ignored him and kept walking
Lindsay's Apartment
Danny wasn't sure what he was doing there and how he was going to explain being there but knew he had to see Lindsay. He knocked softly twice and heard a familiar voice.
"Who is it?" she asked and he smiled softly for a moment
"Detective Messer NYPD" he told her after a moment he heard the chain come off the door and she slowly opened the door
"Can I help you?" Lindsay asked she looked about the same as he last remembered except a bit more tired
"Mind if I come in?" Danny asked her and she looked at her watch then opened the door more to let him in
"What's this about officer?" Lindsay asked closing the doors "Is this about the neighbors complaining again because I just spoke to an Officer Davis yesterday about it-"
"No it's not" Danny said and Lindsay folded her arms then backtracked "Well sort of"
"I don't know what else to say" Lindsay shrugged
"Just tell me your side" Danny said pretending to know what she was talking about
"Like I said the neighbors aren't used to a small family living in this building I suppose" Lindsay shrugged
"Could you be a little more specific?" Danny questioned
"The other night my husband came home late from work tripped over something and yelled about it which caused my daughter to wake up can cry" Lindsay said to him "That's it"
"Where is your husband now?" Danny asked her
"Work and he should be home soon" Lindsay told him "And you should be gone by then he doesn't want me talking to the cops"
"You used to be a cop" Danny told her
"How did you know that?" Lindsay asked surprised
"I um" Danny caught himself "I work for the Crime Lab and we've studied some cases you worked"
"If you work for the Crime Lab then what are you doing here?" Lindsay asked him but before Danny could respond a little girl came out into the living room. Danny's eyes lit up because it was Lucy.
"Who is this mommy?" the little girl asked
"Just a police man" Lindsay smiled "Can you say hello?"
"Hi" the girl waved and Danny kneeled down
"I'm Danny Messer" Danny smiled "What's your name?"
"Lydia Pratt" the girl Danny had known as Lucy told him
"Pratt?" Danny questioned
"Lydia why don't you go wash up for dinner ok?" Lindsay told her daughter who nodded and then left "Look I know you CSI's have a problem with my husband-"
"You're married to DJ Pratt?" Danny questioned unbelievably
"Isn't that why you're here?" Lindsay asked him
"I read about your career in Bozeman" Danny lied "You were a top CSI why did you leave?"
"What does this have to do with my husband?" Lindsay asked him
"Does he hit you?" Danny asked catching her off guard
"Excuse me?" Lindsay asked stunned
"Is that why your neighbors complain?" Danny asked her "Because when he comes home from raping women it's not enough for him and takes his anger out on you and your daughter?"
"I want you to leave" Lindsay told him opening the door "You don't know me"
"Sure I do" Danny told her "I know you're a survivor of a crime yourself and you would never ever get involved with a criminal"
"Then I suppose if you know that about me you know I couldn't testify against the man that did committed that crime" Lindsay told him
"What are you talking about?" Danny asked her
"I froze" Lindsay told him holding back tears "I was about to ID him and then I couldn't and he walked"
"So that's why you left Montana" Danny said piecing it together
"I couldn't face all the people I let down" Lindsay told him "I came to New York because it was my dream and I met DJ and he was great I didn't know he was accused of any crimes "she told him
"You can walk away" Danny told her "With me grab Lu-" he stopped himself "Grab Lydia and will go and you'll never have to come back again"
"I love my husband Detective" Lindsay defended "He's not perfect but who is? And why do you care so much?"
"Because you're a good person and detective" Danny told her "I'll help you and Lydia get away from him and I'll help you get a job you can work at the lab with me"
"I don't even know you" Lindsay told him starting to get angry "How do I even know you're for real?"
"Here's my badge and ID" Danny said pulling out his wallet "Please let me help you I can't leave you here"
"I'm fine Detective" Lindsay told him "I appreciate your concern but I don't need anyone's help" that's when the door opened
"What's going on here?" DJ Pratt questioned
"This Detective was just checking in-" Lindsay started
"He's not a Detective he's a CSI" Pratt practically spat
"I'm both actually" Danny shrugged
"I warned you people to stay away from me" Pratt told him "It's been years since I've had to deal with you guys"
"It's really not a big deal" Lindsay offered
"No one asked you" Pratt shot at Lindsay
"Don't talk to her like that" Danny said stepping closer to him. Even though Lindsay didn't know who he was he knew who she was and he was going to let anyone talk to his wife like that.
"Don't come into my home and tell me how to treat my wife!" Pratt yelled at him
"Daddy why are you yelling?" Lydia asked coming out of her room
"Get back to your room!" Pratt yelled causing Danny to grab him by the collar and push him against the wall
"You need to watch your tone" Danny warned
"Stop!" Lindsay yelled trying to pry Danny off of Pratt "Just go!"
"I aint leaving you here Montana" Danny told her
"Montana?" Pratt questioned "You know him?"
"No" Lindsay said quickly "I just met him"
"Why does he have a nickname for ya then?" DJ asked her full of anger
"I don't know" Lindsay defended
"Get out of here" Pratt ordered Danny "Before I do something I regret"
"Do it" Danny encouraged "I'd love to place you in cuffs"
"Please just go" Lindsay told Danny in a softer pleading voice
"I can't just walk away" Danny told her
"Well you you're going to have to before I call the cops" Pratt warned him then there was another knock at the door and there stood Detective Flack
"Fantastic" Pratt mumbled
"Let's go Danny" Flack said to him
"I can't" Danny shrugged
"Get him out of here" Pratt told Flack
"Shut up" Flack warned Pratt "Let's go now Danny"
"If you need anything" Danny said pulling a card and giving it to Lindsay "Just call me"
"I wont be needing it" Lindsay said not taking the card but as Danny started to follow Flack he left the card on a table by the door
"Watch your step" Danny warned Pratt who scuffed and then Flack and Danny were gone
Outside the building
"What were you thinking Danny?" Flack asked him "You know all the trouble Pratt has given the lab and the NYPD in general for that matter- you can't just walk into his home like that"
"He's hurting his wife!" Danny yelled "And that little girl"
"Why do you care so much?" Flack asked
"It's our job to care!" Danny argued back
"Who is this girl to you?" Flack asked him
"You're going to think I'm crazy" Danny told him
"I already do" Flack shrugged
"Aiden died" Danny told him
"Again with that?" Flack asked with a sigh
"No just listen to me" Danny started "She was fired for the lab for considering tampering with evidence in the DJ Pratt case. Lindsay replaced her a few months after that we found Aiden's body and Pratt beat her to death and then burnt her. She left enough evidence to prove it was him and he was locked up for life. Lindsay and I fell in love and had a daughter named Lucy- that little girl Lydia up there is our Lucy! And earlier today Lindsay and I got into this fight about how I never let her in and I blame myself for what happened to Aiden and Louie and Ruben. I went to see Aiden like I have every year on her death anniversary and I wished she had never been fired. I went back to the lab and Aiden was there and Lindsay had never existed"
"That's some story" Flack said to his friend "But it's ridiculous"
"If I was making this up how would I know who Lindsay was?" Danny asked him
"I find it hard to believe you would ever get married" Flack smirked
"She changed me man" Danny sighed "She stood by me, she gave me a daughter and now it's all gone"
"Maybe it was dream" Flack shrugged "She's a former CSI right? Maybe you were reading about one of her cases and had a dream that's all"
"No this is a dream" Danny told him "This isn't real it can't be"
"You need a drink" Flack told him
"No I need to clear my head" Danny argued
"And drinking will do it for ya" Flack said "Come on"
"I need to think of a way to get them away from him" Danny argued again
"No you don't because she choose that life" Flack told him
"I love her" Danny said to him "I don't want to picture anyone else with her let alone that abusive rapist!"
"I know it seems real-" Flack started
"It is!" Danny yelled "What am I doing?" he said stopping "I'm not leaving with them"
"Danny I'll arrest you" Flack warned
"I'm not leaving my family at his mercy!" Danny yelled at him
"They're not your family!" Flack yelled back "You need to snap out of this. I'm going to take you to the hospital"
"The hospital?" Danny questioned "You think I'm crazy?"
"No I think you hit your head or something" Flack said seriously
"Alright" Danny said as they walked to the car "Maybe you're right"
"Ok" Flack said turning to unlock the car when Danny hit him in the back of the head with his gun
"Sorry man" Danny sighed putting Flack into his car and closing the door then ran back into Lindsay's building
Danny approached the door and heard Lucy or Lydia crying for her mommy
"NYPD!" Danny yelled with his gun out then kicked the door opened there was no sign of Pratt but Lindsay was lying on the floor covered in blood and Lydia was leaning over her crying
"She's hurt officer!" Lydia yelled. Danny quickly holstered his gun and checked for a pulse but here wasn't one her eye's were wide opened but not blinking
"Oh my god" Danny said
"Mommy?" Lydia asked
"Lindsay!" Danny yelled and then noticed the single stab wound in her stomach he pulled out his phone and called for help "Come on Linds come back" he said trying CPR that's when Flack walked in
"What the hell were you thinking!" Flack yelled then looked down at the sight "Danny what happened?" he asked him
"She was like this help her!" Danny yelled as tears fell from his eyes
"Where's your dad?" Flack asked the little girl
"I don't know" she shrugged "He went out over there" Lydia said pointing to the fire escape
"This is Flack I have a suspect fleeing on foot. DJ Pratt…." Flack said into his phone but Danny wasn't listening to Flack's words he just kept trying to get Lindsay's heart started again
"Danny man" Flack said trying to stop him "You're going to taint the evidence she's gone"
"She's not evidence!" Danny yelled at him "She's my wife!"
"Danny stop this!" Flack yelled forcefully pulling him off her as other officers and EMT's arrived.
"Let them do their job" Flack said to Danny as the EMT's looked over Lindsay"
"She's gone" one EMT said to the other
"What?" Danny asked "No, no, no" He said trying to get back to her side but Flack held him back
"Mommy" Lydia cried and that's when Danny saw 'Lydia' crying over her mom and it broke his heart
"Danny" he heard the voice say
"Lindsay?" he asked calming down slightly
"Danny" she said again. He walked over to the window where he thought he heard her voice
"Danny what are you doing?" Flack asked him
"You don't hear that?" Danny asked him
"Hear what?" Flack asked trying to listen
"Danny come back" he heard her say again then there was a bright light and Danny closed his eyes and opened them again
"You're awake" Lindsay smiled
"Linds?" Danny asked looking around he was in a hospital bed
"How are you feeling?" Lindsay asked him
"Are you ok?" Danny asked her
"Am I ok?" Lindsay asked "I wasn't the one in an accident"
"You believe me?" Danny asked
"Believe what?" Lindsay questioned "Danny you were I an accident earlier today leaving the cemetery"
"It was a dream" Danny sighed and smiled he laid his head back and closed his eyes as a tear escaped his eye
"Are you alright?" Lindsay asked him concerned "I'm going to get the nurse-"
"No don't go" Danny said forcefully grabbing her hand
"What did you dream about?" Lindsay asked "Do you want to talk about it?"
"No" Danny said to her "I don't want to think about it ever again"
"Must have been some dream" Lindsay said holding his hand
"More like a nightmare" Danny told her "Where's Lucy?"
"She's with Adam in the waiting room" Lindsay said to him "I was scared to death"
"I'm sorry about how we ended our conversation earlier" Danny told her "I was wrong"
"It's ok I shouldn't have pushed like that" Lindsay told him then Mac walked in
"Lucy is looking for you Lindsay" Mac told her
"Ok I'm going to get her something to eat then bring her in here to see you alright" Lindsay told Danny
"Ok don't be long" Danny said to her and she smiled then left the room
"You look awful" Mac teased lightly taking Lindsay's seat
"I had the craziest dream" Danny told him "When I was at the cemetery I wished Aiden had never been fired then I was at the lab and there she was"
"Aiden?" Mac asked and he nodded
"Yea and no one knew who Lindsay was or Lucy. I found her living in an apartment in New York she was married to Pratt and Lucy was their daughter named Lydia" Danny told him "He killed her" Danny said looking at Mac "I was covered in Lindsay's blood as Lucy watched it was awful"
"Well I think that's your subconscious telling you that all the tragedies in your life have led you to Lindsay in some way or another" Mac told him "If Aiden hadn't been fired like you wished you wouldn't have known Lindsay"
"It was like some karmic balance" Danny said to him "Aiden didn't die at the hands of Pratt so Lindsay did"
"It was just a dream Danny" Mac reminded him "What happened to Aiden was a tragedy but I stand by my feeling that you and Lindsay were meant to be so whether things were different and Aiden were still alive and working with us I still think you would have ended up with Lindsay"
"You really believe that?" Danny asked
"Yea I do" Mac nodded
"Daddy!" Lucy smiled walking into the room
"Careful" Lindsay said carefully putting Lucy on Danny's bed and crawled over to him
"I'm glad you're ok Daddy" Lucy smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek
"Me too" Danny said to his daughter
"I'll see you tomorrow Lindsay" Mac told her "I'll see you in a few weeks Danny" he told him then left the room
"Are you sure you're alright?" Lindsay asked him "You look pale"
"I've never been better" Danny said grabbing her hand "I love you, you know that right? I wouldn't trade our family for anything in this world"
"Of course" Lindsay smiled back down at him "I love you too"