Lindsay sat in her living room alone. She had just gotten her mail and was sitting on her couch, staring at a box addressed to her from Stella Bonasera. She knew what was in the package, and hesitated before carefully opening it. There was a small piece of paper atop a pile of photographs. The paper said, 'Thought you'd like these – Stella.' Lindsay slowly pulled out the pictures and looked at the first image, smiling at the memoir of the specific day.
"Everyone welcome to the annual lab football game!" Don shouted as Mac, Sid, Hawkes, Adam, Danny, Lindsay and Stella all lined up. "The team captains will be Messer and Ross."
Danny cheered and Adam's mouth dropped. Sure, he was an okay built guy, but Adam was a pure city boy. He only knew about football what he saw when Kendall watched football at their apartment.
"You can pick first." Adam said, trying to get on Danny's good side.
"Don." He said. Don cheered as he walked over to Danny.
"Hawkes." Adam said. Once the teams were chosen—Danny, Don, Mac, and Lindsay against Adam, Sid, Hawkes, and Stella—they began the game.
About an hour and a half later, the score was Adam 27 – Danny 21. Lindsay had tried to get Danny to listen to some of her plays, but he refused.
"Messer, just fake a handoff to Mac, and throw the ball to your left." Lindsay said, staring straight into Danny's bright blue eyes. He was about to argue when Don interrupted him.
"Danny, just do it." Don said, slapping a hand onto Danny's back. "We only have ten seconds left of the game."
"Fine." Danny said, putting his hand into the middle of the huddle. "Montana's play. Break!" He said as they all clapped their hands and lined up. Stella was blocking Lindsay, Hawkes was by Don, Sid was in front of Mac and Adam was in charge of Danny. "Montana 32, set…hike!" Danny said as Don snapped the ball to him and the play began.
Danny faked a handoff to Mac, and Sid tackled him as planned. Danny looked to his left and couldn't see Lindsay anywhere, so he just pulled his arm back and threw a perfect spiral. He closed his eyes as he watched to ball sail towards the five-yard line. When he opened them, he saw Lindsay come out of nowhere and catch the ball. Stella was all the way on the other side of the field, staring at her young friend as Lindsay ran into the end zone.
"Montana!" Danny yelled as he ran with the rest of his team towards Lindsay. "How…?"
"Danny, I know football." Lindsay said, shrugging. Danny smiled hugely at her and stared into her chocolate brown eyes. "What?" She asked, chuckling at his face. Suddenly Danny bent over and picked Lindsay up over his shoulder and began to run around the field. "Messer, put me down!" She squealed, getting the attention of the entire team. Everyone laughed, and Stella pulled out her cell phone.
"Messer!" Stella yelled, making Danny stop in his tracks. He spun around, still smiling with Lindsay over his shoulder.
"What?" Danny asked. Stella stuck her phone in front of her and laughed.
"Say 'cheese'." Stella said. Danny turned slightly so Lindsay's face could be seen and smiled at the phone along with Lindsay.
Lindsay sighed and glanced towards the clock. 2:30. She took a deep breath and looked at the next photograph.
"Lindsay, its not that hard." Stella complained as Lindsay once again turned her head away from the camera as they stood in the break room.
"Yes it is." Lindsay whined. Stella had been trying to get a picture of Danny and Lindsay together for the past hour, and every time Stella brought her camera up, Lindsay would look away.
"Montana, just humor her and smile for the camera." Danny said, casually putting his arm around her shoulders and pulling her close to him.
"But Dan…" Lindsay began. Danny put his finger on her lips and gently turned her head towards the camera.
"Just smile." Danny said. Lindsay sighed and smiled as Stella pulled up the camera.
"Ok. 1, 2, 3…" Stella counted. When Stella said three, Danny turned towards Lindsay and kissed her cheek as the flash went off. Lindsay's mouth had dropped slightly just as the photo was taken.
"What the…" Lindsay said, glaring at Danny, her mouth still agape. Danny just shrugged and left the break room, a smile on his face.
"That will be a priceless photo." Stella said.
Lindsay smiled at the memory as she recalled Stella's words. Stella was right that the photograph was priceless. Lindsay shook her head slightly as she flipped the photo over and looked at the next one.
Don was about to open the door to Danny and Lindsay's office when he was tackled from his right. As he lay on the ground, he looked up at his attacker.
"Stel?" Don asked, groaning from the slight pain.
"Sorry Flack, but I didn't want you to ruin the picture." Stella said as she stood up and grabbed the camera she had set down before jumping on Don.
"What are you talking about?" Don asked, standing up and brushing himself off.
"Look." Stella said quietly, pointing through the glass walls towards Danny and Lindsay's couch. Don followed her gaze and smiled.
Danny and Lindsay were asleep on their shared couch, Danny's arm slung around her shoulders and Lindsay's head resting on his shoulder with her arm wrapped around his waist.
"Well this was a long one." Don said, referring to the weeklong murder case they had just solved. "They deserve a bit of rest." Don said as Stella took the picture, smiling the whole time.
Lindsay yawned while she smiled at the picture. If she remembered right, she had fallen asleep across the couch from Danny and woke up entangled with him. Lindsay then set that photo aside while she took a quick glance at the next one. When she did, her eyes became watery.
The entire team sat in a restaurant on a Sunday evening after solving a particularly difficult case as Danny excused himself from the table. He and Lindsay had been dating for a year now, and were both extremely happy. Lindsay smiled, then listened to the rest of the team talking before the singer of the band spoke, making Lindsay's head snap to the stage.
"This next song is dedicated to someone's special someone." He said as Danny stood next to him on the stage. Lindsay's mouth dropped, along with the rest of the team's. Except Stella and Don, that is. They knew exactly what Danny was doing.
"This is for you, Montana." Danny said as he took the microphone and began to sing.
This
time, This place
Misused, Mistakes
Too long, Too late
Who
was I to make you wait
Just one chance
Just one breath
Just
in case there's just one left
'Cause you know,
you know, you
know
[CHORUS
That
I love you
I have loved you all along
And I miss you
Been
far away for far too long
I keep dreaming you'll be with me
and
you'll never go
Stop breathing if
I don't see you anymore
On
my knees, I'll ask
Last chance for one last dance
'Cause with
you, I'd withstand
All of hell to hold your hand
I'd give it
all
I'd give for us
Give anything but I won't give up
'Cause
you know,
you know, you know
[CHORUS
So
far away
Been far away for far too long
So far away
Been far
away for far too long
But you know, you know, you know
I
wanted
I wanted you to stay
'Cause I needed
I need to hear
you say
That I love you
I have loved you all along
And I
forgive you
For being away for far too long
So keep
breathing
'Cause I'm not leaving you anymore
Believe it
Hold
on to me and, never let me go
Keep breathing
'Cause I'm not
leaving you anymore
Believe it
Hold on to me and, never let me
go
Keep breathing
Hold on to me and, never let me go
Keep
breathing
Hold on to me and, never let me go
Danny had pulled Lindsay onto the stage and had the microphone in one hand as he reached into his pocket with the other.
"Montana…Lindsay…there's so much I could say to explain what I'm about to ask you, but I don't think this nice man wants me wearing the batteries on his microphone out." Danny began as he got down on one knee. "Lindsay Monroe, will you marry me?"
Lindsay drew a shaky breath and stared straight into his big blue eyes. She instantly smiled and actually chuckled softly as the tears flowed down her face.
"Yes."
Lindsay sniffed and quickly flipped to the last photograph, hoping it would calm her tears. It didn't.
"Do you, Lindsay Monroe, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?"
"I do." Lindsay said, standing at the alter with her soon-to-be-husband.
"I now pronounce you man and wife." The priest said, smiling at the young couple. "You may kiss the bride." He told Danny, who wrapped his arm around Lindsay's waist and pulled her to him. Right before their lips touched, Danny paused and spoke.
"I love you, Montana." He whispered.
"I love you too. Now kiss me so we can make tracks, cowboy." Lindsay said before he crashed his lips onto hers.
Lindsay's tears were now falling down her face freely as she set the box on the table in front of her and crossed her arms. She looked out her window and smiled, gazing at the beautiful blue sky outside her home. Lindsay jumped slightly when she heard the front door open, but smiled instantly when she realized who it was.
"Mommy!" Madeline and Daniel-John Messer squealed as they ran into their mother's arms. Lindsay looked behind her children and saw Danny entering their apartment, carrying their five-year-old's backpacks.
"How was school, guys?" Lindsay asked as she stood up and walked into the kitchen. Danny set down his children's bags and followed his wife.
"Good." Maddie said as she received a cookie from Lindsay.
"What do you say?" Danny asked, crossing his arms and looking into his children's bright blue eyes.
"Thank you mommy." Maddie and DJ squealed as they hugged their mother's legs, holding their cookies away.
"Daddy said that tomorrow is the lab football game, mommy." Maddie told her mother with a mouthful of cookie.
"Yeah, and Uncle Donny said that this year we get to play!" DJ shouted, sitting down next to his father. Lindsay's head snapped to Danny, who shrugged.
"Uncle Donny told you, huh?" Lindsay asked.
"Yup!" Maddie said. "Can we play?"
"Please, daddy?" DJ asked, linking his hands together and pouting his bottom lip out to his father. Danny chuckled and ruffled his son's wavy brown hair as he stood up.
"Mommy, can we?" Maddie asked.
"I don't know…"
"But mommy, Uncle Donny pinky promised." DJ said, holding his small pinky out as if to prove his point.
"Well…" Lindsay said.
"If Uncle Donny pinky promised." Danny said as Maddie and DJ cheered.
"Let's go get our uniforms ready." DJ said as they ran to their respectful rooms, smiles on their small faces. Lindsay waited until her children's doors closed before she spoke.
"Danny, did Uncle Donny talk to the twins all by himself?" Lindsay asked, stepping closer and closer to Danny.
"Uh…of course?" Danny said meekly as Lindsay stood inches from his face.
"Don't lie to me, Messer." Lindsay whispered.
"Ok, maybe I just told Flack to tell Maddie and DJ that because I wanted them to be able to play this year." Danny said quickly.
"Maybe?" Lindsay asked.
"Ok, yes." Danny said. Lindsay smiled for a brief moment, and then jumped on Danny, sending them both to the floor. She began tickling his ribs, and he eventually got them to switch places, so that he was standing up. She stood up and Danny ran at her waist, picking her up over his shoulder.
"Daniel Ryan Messer!" She screamed. She couldn't see anything except for Danny's rear-end, so when she heard Danny talking, she became quiet.
"This is like déjà vu." She heard Stella's voice. Lindsay put her hands on Danny's back and pushed herself up. Danny turned slightly and Lindsay looked at Stella and smiled just in time for her to snap the picture.