In the world you know, Danny and Lindsay live happily ever after while my Austin and Flack have this insane relationship right? Not in this story and in One Turtle Dove's parallel 'We Weren't Crazy'. In these stories Messthorne (Danny & Austin) and Moss (Adam & Lindsay) rule. Hate us, that's okay.

Disclaimer: I don't even like the show half the time, I don't want to own it. (Except for Austin, she's mine... and I'd like to own Carmine's biceps)

Be a best friend, tell the truth,
And overuse 'I love you',
Go to work, do your best,
Don't outsmart your commonsense,
Never let your prayin' knees get lazy,
And love like crazy...
-Lee Brice's 'Love Like Crazy'

"I can't believe people." Austin Hawthorne fell into the seat beside her best friend stealing a drink from his Pepsi before handing it to him and taking a big bite off her hot dog, "I got my butt smacked by some drunk Mets fan tryin' to teach me a lesson."

"Say it, don't spray it, Darlin'." Danny chuckled as he watched the Yankees take the field, "I'm assuming you didn't murder him and that's why we're eating instead of me bailin' you out of lockup?"

"I just flashed my badge and sent him tumblin' back to his buddies." She huffed and leaned into him the best she could in the cheap seats. He played with the tips of her hair as she held the hot dog to his lips and he stole a bite as the game continued below them.

"A-Rod is in fine form tonight." Austin murmured offhandedly as she played with Danny's calloused fingers.

He chuckled and pressed a kiss to her tousled dark brown locks, "You and A-Rod's fine form, Graceless, you're gonna give me a complex."

"Shuddup." Her elbow dug into the space between his ribs and he hitched in a breath. The bright orange sun was fading into the pink fall sky over Yankee stadium as they watched the Yankees beat their hometown rivals. They had been coming to home games in the Bronx since they were little kids and Danny's father would bring them on Sundays – back when they had owned the borough from the Concourse to the Stadium.

Growing up, Yankee Stadium had been their church, baseball had been their religion, and the Bronx Bombers had been their saints. Sitting in the upper tiers of the stadium sipping Pepsi and eating coney dogs with clothing displaying their pride and a foam finger sitting between their worn Converse - they were children again and nothing could touch them. For just one moment more, they were free.

The game ended with the Yankees beating their crosstown rivals seventeen to eleven. Austin and Danny waited til most of the people had left the stadium before they made their way down the cement steps. Their fingers interlaced, Austin leaned into his shoulder as they stumbled down, "I cannot believe that you bought a foam finger."

"What?" Danny lifted the hand that was encased in the blue and white support for his team, "You don't like?"

She giggled and kissed the stubble that had gathered on the underside of his chin, "It's cheesy."

"You did not just insult the finger."

"Baby," Austin paused and looked at him, "people are gonna be giving us an entirely different finger if you don't get rid of that thing."

Danny pouted, "But it's got multiple purposes!"

"Like what!"

"Like!" He jumped at the chance to save his purchase, "We're watching a game at home and we get really excited when Sabathia strikes out a Philly and we knock over one of the beers – and by we, I mean you – we can use the finger to mop it up."

"You had me til you insulted me, mister." Austin huffed teasingly, removing her hand from his and crossing her arms.

"Don't pout."

"It's me or the finger." She turned away from him, "Pick, Messer."

"But, Baby, please..." Danny pulled at her arm, looking longingly at his foam finger and then at his friend.

Austin glanced at him over her shoulder, "Pick me now or lose me forever, Daniel."

"Fine," Danny growled as he tossed the finger into the nearby trashcan before scooping Austin into a bridal hold, "Happy, Princess?"

"Elated." She smirked, her arms encircling his neck as she pressed a quick kiss to his lips.

Danny's smile returned as she released his lips and he adjusted his grip on her, "So, are you going to walk or do I have to carry the princess to the car?"

"Piggyback ride?" His heart melted slightly as she looked up at him with big green eyes and her lower lip jutted out like she had just gotten scolded.

Danny growled against her neck as he placed her feet against the ground, "If I could learn to say no to you it'd save my back and bank account a world of trouble."

"Where's the fun in that?" Austin giggled as she jumped on without warning and locked her legs around his abdomen, "Giddyup, Danny."

"And we're off." Danny made his way down the steps and through the corridors to the parking garage where they had stowed the old car that was used only on trips back to the Bronx. Austin was giggling in his ear when they finally reached the old Oldsmobile and he dumped her unceremoniously on the trunk. She glared at him playfully and then kissed him lightly before hopping in the passenger seat.

The upholstery was torn and tattered, the fabric had been removed from the ceiling and they had written in the glue, the smell of stale smoke hung in every nook and cranny, yet they couldn't bring themselves to sell it. They had bought it together when Danny was working in the minors and Austin was working as a bartender – the last reminder of things before their lives fell together. Everything had changed dramatically over the last ten years and yet the two of them still found one another.

Danny turned the key over and the engine roared to life alongside the radio. The tale end of a Twisted Sister song was playing and Austin hummed the final few notes as they joined the string of cars leaving the car park. Windows were rolled down and Austin removed her shoes and rested her bare feet on the dashboard. When the disc-jockey introduced Kansas' most infamous hit. The two grinned before belting along, "Carry on my wayward son, there'll be peace when you are done, lay your weary head to rest, don't you cry no more!"

Danny drummed his palms against the steering wheel so hard they were turning red as Austin tapped her feet and played air guitar. Their voices were growing raw as they screamed along with the words to the song they knew all too well from their childhood spent listening to music with Austin's older brother in the Hawthorne garage while their dad was at work. As the song hit it's crescendo, they screamed with the band, "NO MOOOOOOOOOORE!"

"That was awesome," Austin rasped while trying to catch her breath, "I forgot how much fun it is to drive with you."

"See," Danny stuck his tongue out, "we don't always have to just meet there."

Smirking, Austin glanced at the light that had just turned red. She slid around the seat belt, leaning over the center console and breathing against Danny's lips before kissing him quickly. Their lips tangled for a few seconds before she leaned back into her seat, "What? You told me to kiss you quick and not to slobber."

"I should stick my tongue out more often." Danny laughed as he followed the traffic back toward Austin's Manhattan apartment.

She shrugged and settled back in her seat, tapping her fingers to AC/DC's 'TNT' as the night wind nipped at her nose and tangled her curls. She looked at Danny in the glow of the dashboard light and something turned inside of her and yanked at her heart. She didn't want the night to end when they got to her apartment. She was tired of stolen kisses and jokes about possible futures – she wanted something written in stone. Austin took a deep breath and let it go, "Hey, Danny?"

"Yeah, Aust?" Danny glanced at her then back at the road.

She picked nervously at the thread on her jeans, "This thing we're doing... you and me... I know we said that we weren't gonna question it. That it was just you and me being... you and me. I just.."

"What?" He took her hand over the console, "What is it Austin?"

"We've never been good at the serious side of things, Danny." She sighed and ran her free hand through her hair, "I mean, we could always either be friends or we could make out... we never could get the two things to go hand in hand. But that was when we were kids. Do you think... can we try?"

"Try dating?" Danny asked.

"Yeah," She sighed, "Having an adult relationship. No more screwing around. I mean.. at least I know for me... I always end up back here..."

"Yeah," Danny pulled up in front of her apartment, "We always end up back here."

"So, can we try being serious about the two of us for a change instead of using each other as a patch til some other idiot comes along?"

He nodded and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, "That sounds like a good plan, Brain."

"Glad you agree, Pinky." She smiled, her heart rate slowing to a semi-normal rate, "So, you still gonna come up?"

"Nope." Danny smirked, "I'll pick you up tomorrow at seven. We're gonna be grown ups."

"Where in the grown up code does it say you can't come up and kiss me senseless?" Austin tilted her head to the side and pouted, "Seven?"

"Seven." He kissed her lightly, "Dress pretty."

"I'm always pretty."

"You require a lot of work, Lady."

She giggled, "You're gonna take me on a real date tomorrow."

"It's gonna be today if you don't get out of this car!" He tweaked her nose playfully.

"Goodnight, Prince Charming."

"G'night, Cinderella."