Time for Mothers
By: ioanhoratio
Spoilers: Season 5 (and slight reference to 3X2)
I have no idea what the time line actually is on the show. They have been vague at best but that works for me because it makes it easier to get everything to fit the way I want it too ;) This story assumes that everything is happening in real time meaning Baby Messer was born the Wednesday before Mother's Day.
Thank you to Southerngurl1227, Sweet LIL loz, CSI Unbreakable, 4vr17Vi, laurzz, webdlfan, and Catty. You guys are wonderful and thanks so much!
*Taking a deep breath* and here goes…
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"Yo, Mac. Hold up a sec."
Mac turned as he heard the familiar New York accent. Danny was jogging up to him from the elevators.
"Hey, what are you doing here? You aren't supposed to be back at work yet," Mac pointed out to the younger CSI and new father.
"Yeah, yeah—look I need your help. You got a minute?" Danny looked almost frantic. Mac was immediately worried and motioned for Danny to follow him into his office.
Once the door closed Mac turned and quickly began his interrogation, "What's up? Everything alright with the baby? Lindsay?"
"What? No. They're fine," Danny paced the office and shook his head several times.
Mac's patience began to thin, "Well then do you want to tell me what's going on?"
Danny stopped moving and turned to his boss, "Yeah, o.k. so Lindsay sent me out to get some groceries and I'm at the store right when I see this big sign that says 'Fresh flowers in time for Mother's Day,'" Danny paused and looked at Mac expectantly. When Mac just stared back at him confused Danny continued, "Don't you understand? Mother's Day is tamorrow! With everything that's been goin' on, the labor, bein' at the hospital, havin' a 3 day old infant I completely forgot. It is Lindsay's first Mother's Day and I got nothin' for her. What am I gonna do?"
Mac took a deep breath. He was glad nothing was wrong with Lindsay or his goddaughter and he tried his best not to chuckle at Danny. Obviously the man was sleep deprived. Mac began cautiously, "I'm not sure this is quite the emergency you are making it."
Danny immediately began to protest but Mac kept going, "What about the flowers you saw at the store or how about a nice piece of jewelry? Claire always enjoyed expensive chocolates. You have a lot of options Danny."
"No I know, I know but I've already thought of alla dat. My mom suggested the same kinda stuff but none of it will work. I want Lindsay to know that what I give her means something. Candy is out because if I brought home chocolates Lindsay would kill me. She was pretty upset that she didn't give birth to a 24 pound baby. I mean I think she's beautiful ya know but what can I do? She's on the war path. She's already thrown out anything sweet in the house and sent me to get 'healthy' food. I kinda screwed myself on the jewelry front because I already told her that I don't see the big deal with diamonds since they are just an allotrope of the element carbon. She's gonna know that it didn't really mean much plus Lindsay doesn't really wear jewelry. It just isn't her. I can't do flowers because all flowers look the same to me. I mean sure they are different colors but that is about all I see. Not to mention this woman gave me a daughter. Seriously? 'Hey, thanks for you know givin' me the greatest gift of all. Here are some flowers that I don't know anything about that smell funny and will be dead in a few days' I mean come on. I don't know what to do here. Ya gotta help me Mac," Danny finished pleading with the man who had guided him so well in the past.
For a moment Mac simply stared at him. Several years ago he had taken a risk hiring Danny but he had fought to have him on his team. He saw what Danny could accomplish in his life and who he could become. And there he was standing in front of Mac—the man Mac had envisioned; a man who lived more for others than he did for himself. Mac realized this was as big a deal as Danny saw it.
"O.K. let's figure this out," Mac said.
"Thank you," Danny let out a grateful sigh, "A'right. What ya got?"
"When I wanted to do something special for my wife I would always ask myself two questions: what is it I am trying to tell her and what do I know she would appreciate. You want to give Lindsay a Mother's Day gift. What exactly do you want to tell her with that gift and what would make the day special for Lindsay?" Mac watched as Danny absorbed his words.
"What do I wanna to tell her? What would make it special for her?" Danny quietly asked himself. He seemed lost in thought for a moment. Mac could almost see Danny's mind weeding through his options. "What do I wanna to tell her? What do I wanna tell her? How can I tell her?" Danny asked himself again. Mac watched as he saw Danny's face finally relax and his eyes widen.
"I got it!" Danny exclaimed. He jumped up and ran for the door but just before he stepped out he turned back, "Thanks Mac. Sorry to run but I gotta a phone call to make."
"Send my love to Lindsay and…" Mac shouted out but Danny was already gone.
Mac leaned back in his chair and smiled. His smile faltered slightly as he allowed himself a moment to think of his late wife and the missed opportunities. The moment ended when he saw Adam waving at him furiously from outside his office. As he headed back to work he made a note to ask Danny later what he had finally decided to do.
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"A'right. Thanks buddy…yeah just text me when you get here…o.k…thanks, bye." Danny slipped his cell phone into his back pocket as he walked out of Lindsay and his bedroom. After his conversation with Mac yesterday Danny had done all he could to get everything done. It was still pretty early in the morning but Danny didn't want to waste anytime on Lindsay's first Mother's Day. He couldn't believe how nervous he was. He hoped she was going to be surprised and delighted. He really wanted this to be a good day for her. She deserved it. He wasn't much into the romantic stuff but he was going to do whatever it took to make sure Lindsay understands how important she is to him.
He found her sitting on the couch feeding their daughter. He watched her for a moment. Danny didn't want to be a jerk but if he was honest with himself he would admit that he was always a little uncomfortable around a woman breastfeeding but Lindsay perpetually seemed to turn everything upside down. Watching Lindsay breastfeed was magnificent.
Danny shook his head. 'I really need ta spend an hour with Flack or maybe just grill some'in'. I've turned into a sap. I think I'll clean my gun later. Yeah that is manly," Danny thought as he headed toward his family.
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Lindsay could hear the soft sound of her husband's sock clad feet on the floor. She knew he was up to something. Yesterday the quick trip to the grocery store turned into 2 ½ hours. When she had asked if everything was alright her adorable and oh so sly husband had quickly replied "of course" and then immediately pointed out how hilarious their daughter looked all wrapped up in her blanket calling her a "baby burrito" which tickled Lindsay into laughing and then she was lost staring at her amazing baby. By the time she realized he had completed diverted her attentions he was in the shower.
She wasn't a dumb lady. In fact she was a rather successful CSI. Detective work was her forte. She knew about Mother's Day and decided to let Danny have his fun. Truth be told Lindsay had actually forgotten about the holiday until she saw a Hallmark commercial that made her cry…damn hormones. If Danny wanted to surprise her with something she wasn't going to push him for details. She was going to sit back and enjoy the show.
"You done baby girl?" Lindsay asked looking down at the infant. She had begun to doze and Lindsay rubbed the bottom of her foot encouraging her to wake up and finish eating.
"She is not my daughter," Danny joked as he sat down next to his wife,
"a Messer would never fall asleep during a good meal." He reached out and gently ran a finger down the baby's cheek.
"She's yours alright. I mentioned taking her to see Montana and the country one day and she began wailing," Lindsay teased back.
"Hey, I don't cry at the prospect of visiting the country," Danny defended himself half-heartedly. He didn't cry but he wasn't exactly excited about the prospect. Danny had heard things, things about country life; bugs, animals, crazy people. Give him a block of side walk any day.
Lindsay just rolled her eyes. "Did you remember to call your mom?" she asked him.
"Yep. You call yours?" He shot back.
Lindsay nodded but then explained, "It went to voice-mail. She'll probably call me back in a few minutes."
Danny nodded back at her. He looked down at the now totally asleep baby girl. He took her from Lindsay and did his best to burp the unconscious child. He was rewarded with a rather loud sound.
"Yeah, she is definitely your child," Lindsay laughed as she re-arranged her shirt and made to get up.
Danny stopped her with one arm. "Where ya goin'?"
"I was going to go fix us some breakfast," Lindsay informed him.
"Nope. Breakfast is special today but that will come later. You. Sit," Danny tugged her back down. He moved the sleeping baby to the crook of one arm, "I got somethin' to give you."
Lindsay watched curiously as Danny jogged over to the hall closet. He pulled out a white box and then headed back over to her only this time he didn't sit next to her but he perched himself on the edge of the coffee table directly in front of her.
"Here," he said and stuck his arm out to her so she could take the box, "Happy Mother's Day."
He waited expectantly. Lindsay reached out and slowly took the box from him. It was much too big to be a piece of jewelry and it didn't have any markings to give a clue of what store it may have come from. It was surprisingly heavy and…
"Lindsay, don't investigate it just open it," Danny grumbled clearly impatient for her open it.
"Sorry," Lindsay blushed as she opened a flap of the box.
"Oh…" Lindsay didn't quite know what to say. She looked up at Danny slightly perplexed.
"Go ahead. Take it out," Danny instructed eagerly.
Lindsay reached in and pulled out the faded old baseball. Of all the things Lindsay imagined receiving her first Mother's Day a used baseball had to be pretty low on the list. Actually it was no where near the list. The grin on Danny's face however made Lindsay feel like she was missing something. 'Maybe the baseball is signed by a famous ball player and I can sell it and bye myself something nice with it,' Lindsay thought. She rolled the ball in her hands and noticed there was indeed something written on it.
"Danny Messer 8-18-1989," she read aloud. She looked up at Danny expectantly.
"Yeah, you see that is the first ball I ever hit a home run with. I knocked it clear out of the park. It was beautiful. It was the moment I fell madly in love with baseball. I knew then I wanted to play the game my entire life. I wanted to eat, breath, and sleep baseball. If you ask my mom that is practically what I did. There was no question how I was going to spend the rest of my life. I kept that ball because it was so important to me. I never thought I would ever find anything to replace it. I am giving it to you because I want you to know I was wrong," Danny explained.
"You were wrong?" Lindsay asked.
"Yeah," Danny said simply, "I found you."
"Oh," Lindsay couldn't think of anything to say to that.
"If somebody came up to me and told me I could have my career as a famous, successful baseball star in exchange for this life with you I would tell 'em to take a hike. Nothing compares to having you Lindsay. And because I have you I have her," he shifted the baby slightly then continued, "I know none of this started out like either of us would have planned but it turned out better than I possibly could have dreamed. I wanted to tell you how special you are to me—my wife, my best friend, and the mother of my child. I can't ever thank you enough." It was Danny's turn to look at her expectantly.
Lindsay leaned forward, placed her hand on her husband's cheek and gave him a light kiss on the lips, "Thank you,"she whispered, "its perfect." She deepened the kiss and poured her love for him into it. A sudden buzzing in Danny's pocket brought them apart abruptly.
Danny fished his cell phone out of his pocket and read the text message. His face lit up with a huge grin, "Perfect" was all he said before he handed the baby back to Lindsay.
"What?" Lindsay demanded, "What are you doing?"
"Your present is here," he said quickly.
"But I thought…" Lindsay trailed off motioning towards the baseball.
"Lindsay you thought I would give you a dirty baseball for Mother's Day?" Danny chuckled. He really did have an adorable wife. "That is only what I wanted to tell you. Here is what I got you to make this a special day for you." With that Danny swung open the front door. Standing in the hall was an attractive older lady whose eyes were as brown and her daughter's.
"Mom!" Lindsay exclaimed stunned. Danny watched as his wife's face went from confusion to elation. She jumped off the couch and as well as she could holding a baby threw herself into her mom's arms.
"What are you doing here? How? I mean when? What…"
"Lindsay darling take a breath," Mrs. Monroe chided with a smile on her face, "Your husband called yesterday and asked if he could fly me out to spend Mother's Day with you and my new granddaughter. I couldn't refuse!"
At the mention of her daughter Lindsay immediately smiled with pride and placed the baby in her grandmother's arms, "Mom, this is my daughter."
As Lindsay made the introduction between granddaughter and grandmother Danny turned to the man standing in the hallway. "Thanks Flack for pickin' her up. I really appreciate it."
"Not a problem Dann-o. But if you'll excuse me now I have a breakfast date to get to," the two men shared a grin and shook hands. Suddenly a high pitched womanly squeal filled the air. Flack threw Danny a cheeky grin, "Good luck."
"Yeah, Yeah, get outta hear ya clown. Tell Angell we said hello!" Danny called out to him.
"Danny, Look!" Lindsay called out to him excitedly. Danny walked back into the apartment to find three generations of women sitting on the couch. Lindsay was holding up a little pillow with their baby's name and birthday embroidered on it. "My mom made it. Isn't it beautiful?" The delight on his wife's face made Danny grin.
"It sure is," He replied.
The end. Thanks for reading!!!
P.S. I haven't a clue when baseball season is so I just pick a date. I have a feeling I missed but oh well…thus is the world of fan fiction ;)