Danny walked into the locker room and set on the bench in the centre. He put his face in his hands, closed his eyes and tried to process the days events. It didn't feel five minutes since five in the morning when he had to leave for work and Lindsay had insisted on getting up at four so she could make him breakfast and spend some quality time with him.

At the time he had told her to stop being stupid but she had insisted and had made him breakfast but had soon found themselves back in bed making love to each other- for the last time. He had woken her up just before he left- he didn't realise he was saying goodbye for good, for the last time. It was now that he was glad that his wife had been the stubborn woman that she was because it had allowed him to spend that extra, now precious, hour with her.

He had been at the hospital for the past 12 hours and the effects were showing. He highly doubted that when he got home he would be able to sleep but as he thought about the man who had shot Lindsay he saw red. He felt like crying out but Danny Messer had no tears left.

Tomorrow would be the beginning of a new life with no Montana by his side since they got married three years ago nether mind the two years that they had been dating previous.

He took a deep breath, stood up and opened his locker his eyes briefly looking at Lindsay's. He battled with himself to look in the locker but gave in and pulled it opened. There was actually quite little in the locker there was a change of clothes, her shampoo and perfume. He looked at the inside of the door and saw the pictures that Lindsay had tacked to it.

He let his eyes scan the pictures of the team on New Years Eve, his favourite was the one of the whole team Sid had took a quick picture of them soon after the 12 o'clock mark. Mac, Stella and Flack were in the middle with Adam and Hawkes on one side and Danny and Lindsay on the other. He and Lindsay (then his girlfriend) were looking at each other with no care in the world bar each other. Everyone on the team agreed that they were made for each other and as he looked at the wedding photo in the centre he knew that they were right.

Before he closed the door he looked at the newest photo of their latest scan where you could clearly make out their child. Lindsay had bet Danny that they were having a girl but Danny had disagreed. Lindsay had been right of course. The child in the picture was now his life and he would do anything to protect her.

He reached into his locker to grab his gym bag and left the room as he heard Mac's voice.

'Get him out of hear' Mac told an officer, 'He can't apologise so get him out of my sight before I do something I regret! Make sure he gets booked for murder of an officer!'

'Yes sir!' the obviously new officer said as he guided a handcuffed man towards the elevator.

'Danny!' Mac said.

Before full realisation had reached his brain his legs and arms had taken charge and the man was now pinned up against the wall as Danny's arm stopped the man from getting enough oxygen, 'HOW COULD YOU DO IT, YOU BSTRD!! WHY? YOU DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT YOU'VE DONE! DIDN'T YOU NOTICE SHE WAS PREGNANT, YOU IDIOT!'

As Danny had been shouting Mac had ran across the corridor and managed to pull the younger man off of the man. The man fell to the ground as he tried to breath again. Mac felt Danny relax in his arms so he let go and Danny headed off towards the elevator without another word- his bang left, that wasn't important.

Flack who had just come out of the interrogation room went to go after him but Mac put out his arm, 'No Flack, he needs to be a lone- trust me.'

Danny walked into the apartment and shut the door quietly. By now all his emotion had been drained- he had nothing left he felt numb and his feet were guiding him toward the bedroom where he stripped and collapsed into bed. He was suddenly overwhelmed by the smell of Lindsay and he automatically fell asleep to the peacefull and welcoming smell.

Danny woke up the next morning in a daze he wasn't really sure if he had been dreaming but as he rolled over on to the cold sheets, it all came flooding back. He didn't want to get up but knew that if he didn't get out from under the covers soon, he never would!

The night before he hadn't even thought about making sure everything was ready for Lindsay. He knew that Flack and Stella would have done anything but he just wanted to make sure.

He got up and walked towards the closet. Momentarily pausing to look at his wife's, he shook himself and his favourite shirt and a pair of jeans. He left his bedroom and walked across the hall towards the nursery that had been decorated for the past month. He noticed that the many boxes that had been in the room were no longer there but the contents had been placed around the room. The cupboard was full of Nappies and clothes for Lindsay.

He headed to the kitchen to put on the coffee machine and as he turned the corner he noticed that the counter was full of milk powder and bottles. He let out a deep breath that he hadn't noticed that he was keeping in, 'Looks like I'll be busy!'

An hour later Danny looked at his watch, 10am, he had checked the apartment over many times to make sure he had everything he needed. He had even had time to move the cradle in to his room. The truth was he couldn't wait any longer to get his daughter home. There had been no words exchanged between Mac and Danny but he just knew that Mac was giving him as much time off as he needed to care of his daughter.

He grabbed his keys and wallet and left the apartment.

He jumped out of his car and practically ran up to maternity.

'Good Morning Mr Messer.' One of the nurses greeted him as neared the place of his daughter, 'Come to take your little Angel home?'

'I have,' he grinned proudly as he opened the door where a nurse was getting Lindsay ready to leave.

'Oh hello Sir I see you brought the car seat' the nurse said indicating towards the object that Danny was carrying, 'Do you want me to put Lindsay in it?'

'Erm, no it's ok I can, do' He said as the woman handed Lindsay to him.

30 minutes later the nurses had finished informing Danny of every extra little thing that he needed to do and remember. It then took him another 10 minutes to let the nurses leave with such a beautiful child!

'Ok sweetie, let's get you home.' He said as he made sure that the car seat was fitted securely.

As he was half way home he looked in the rear view mirror for the hundredth time and noticed that Lindsay was now asleep. He was that child's father and the thought put an enormous grin on his face- the first one in 24 hours. He was so glad that this child was a part of his life and he couldn't wait to get home where his mum was going to visit and see her first grandchild!

Louie had nether had children before the coma and with Danny having that 'player' status Angie Messer had doubted that she'd ever have a grandchild. But then life changed after Louie woke up he gave up with the whole dugs, guns and Tanglewood and tried to build up his life. He had got a job at an office and was well respected at the work place and now had his own fiancé. Who he had engaged to two months previous the woman's name was Lucy and Danny loved her like his own sister and Louie; well Louie had fallen for her nearly as bad as Danny had for Lindsay.

He had now arrived back at his apartment's car park and tried to shake off the lonely feeling that was already growing inside of him. He got out and opened the door, 'Hello sweetie, we are home.'

He opened his apartment and headed for the couch. He thought about putting Lindsay in her cradle but he wanted to spend time with her. So he took her out of her car seat and lay on his side on the sofa. He positioned Lindsay so she was lying beside him on the sofa while he propped his head up with his fist and looked down at the small and fragile child that was still asleep.

Yesterday he had noticed how much she looked like her mother. She was as beautiful as his wife and Danny loved the fact that Lindsay would never be forgotten and that their daughter would hopefully grow up to resemble Lindsay Monroe Messer. However he hated the fact every time he looked at her daughter he saw his wife.

A buzzer awoke him from his daydream and he got up with Lindsay in his arms to greet his guests,

'Yeh?'

'Oi Danny buzz us up it's cold out here!'

'Calm down bro,' Danny chuckled as he buzzed up his family. Two minutes later he opened the door to face his mother, Louie and his fiancée Lucy.

'Ma, good to see 'ya come in! Where's pa?'

'Your father is on his way but never mind the chit chat dear! I want to have a proper look at my grandchild,' both Danny and Louie laughed, 'Come on hand her over!'

Danny of course passed his daughter over to hi mother and then went to greet the others,

'Good to see 'ya Luc,' He said as he kissed her on the cheek and then turned to face his brother.

'Hey Lou, I didn't think you to were coming,' He said as he pulled his brother into a hug.

'Yeh well, did you think I was going to leave it any longer to come and see you and my little niece!'

Lucy headed over to Angie to get a better look at Lindsay, 'Are you ok man? How are you coping?' Louie said putting his hand on Danny's shoulder?'

Danny took a deep breath, 'As well I can man! I mean I miss her already but I have got someone else to occupy me at the moment. To be honest I'm trying not to think about her.'

'So that's why you keep moving your wedding ring around each time you talk? Because you aren't thinking about her?'

Danny gave him a weak smile, 'Danny I know you don't really want to talk about it yet and I know you might think it's too soon but well,' Louie took a deep breath, 'I think you should start thinking about planning erm Linds' funeral!'

Danny's head shot up, 'I'm saying right at this current moment but you can't leave it too long, you know that right.'

Danny started twiddling with is ring again, 'Yeh I know! I spoke to Lindsay Mum and Dad last night and they are getting a flight to the city. I mentioned the matter to them' he couldn't bring himself to say 'her funeral!'

'I offered to arrange for a burial all the way back in Montana somewhere near her friends that were killed.' Louie nodded, 'but they said that may have been her wish before she moved to New York but after only a few months of living here Lindsay already considered this her home and this is where she'd want to be!'

'They were right!' Louie said,

Danny nodded in agreement, 'I don't really know why I offered but anyway when they get back I'll arrange it with them and I want you and Mac to help. While in the city you two were more like her brother and father. She always said she had two families.' Danny said smiling.

'Anyway Dan enough of this, let's get a damn drink and go see that Angel over there, Ma and Luc are getting all the fun!' The two men grabbed a drink form the kitchen and then joined their family in the living room.