A/N: Five kids, two parents and a dog. That's the form of chaos in the Messer home. Now imagine Yankee Stadium, the Messer seven, their two nannies, Flack and a foul ball. Oh yes, tears, fights, and just plain crazy family fun. Also I made some changes to the character of Miracle. After some research I figured that Miracle would have more wrong with her than just being small. Enjoy!
Game Day or Why You Should Never Bring Five Kids, Two Baby-Sitters and Your Best Friend to Yankee Game
The house was quiet. A first for the Messer household since the birth of their five children; DJ, Isabella, Evan, PJ and Miracle. It was summer vacation and with all five home all day long the Messer parents were ready to ship all five to a distant island and leave them there until school started again. That wasn't fair to say about all of them, two would be granted leave, Bella and Miracle but the other three would have to stay.
Don't get them wrong, Danny and Lindsay loved their kids with all their heart. Just when you have three who would rather be trying to play baseball in the house, fighting over the last of the Lucky Charms, or just being seven going on eight, was enough to want to send them to the moon.
One July afternoon, after putting away Candy Land and Monopoly Jr, because DJ, Evan and PJ continued to fight with Bella and Miracle about everything under the sun Rachel and Becca Hammerback, Sid's two daughters, decided that it was time to get outside and let the Deathly Trio run out some energy.
After the babies were born Lindsay and Danny accepted help from anyone who would give it. The Hammerback women were the first to step up. Marie, Rachel and Becca would bring by groceries, help Lindsay and Danny with the babies and did whatever they could to ease the stress on the Messer family. Everyone in the lab did whatever they could to help out the Messers.
Stella was a gem to Lindsay while Miracle was still in the hospital. Stella was a constant figure in the NICU, keeping watch over the tiny baby. Miracle was the smallest of the five. DJ weighed in at four pounds seven ounces; Bella four pounds three; Evan three pounds eight, PJ four six and Miracle at two pounds one ounce. The older four were able to go home after a month in the NICU. Miracle was there for five months. It was discovered that Miracle was autistic. They had little hope that she would ever talk. There was no one that Miracle loved more than her Aunt Stella. Stella was the only besides Lindsay and Bella that Miracle would connect with.
At the park Rachel chased after the trio while Becca sat in the shade with Bella and Miracle reading a book. By the time that they were a year old Lindsay had read everything from The Fountain Head to Pat the Bunny to them. She read to them while she was pregnant and while they were in their incubators. Bella and Miracle sat under the big shade tree in the middle of the park listening to Becca read about the perils of Martin the Warrior.
Becca looked up and saw Rachel and the others engaging a game of tag with a daycare group. Rachel was chatting with the adults in the daycare. The girls always got a laugh when people in the park asked about "their" kids. It was easier to just smile and nod instead of trying to explain that they were the kids' nannies.
It was getting late and almost time for Danny and Lindsay to get home from work. They didn't like the kids to be out too late. It took awhile for Rachel to pry DJ and Evan from the playground. The seven of them got home just as Danny and Lindsay arrived. Lindsay saw the weary and exhausted looks on Becca and Rachel's faces.
"Thank you girls so much for giving up your summer to help us out," Lindsay said, counting heads as everyone entered the house.
"It's no problem Linds," Becca replied. "This is better than lounging around the house all summer. We love these guys anyway. Oh good news!"
"What? DJ didn't try to jump out of a tree today?" Lindsay guessed.
"No, Miracle talked!" Becca exclaimed. "Miracle spoke!"
Lindsay gasped, bringing her hands to her face, covering her mouth. "Oh my God! Please say you're not kidding!"
"I'm not. She pointed across the park and saw DJ and called out his name," Becca explained. "Clear as day."
Lindsay knelt down beside Miracle. "Did you talk today baby?" Lindsay questioned, brushing a soft brown curl from her face. "Tell Mommy what you said."
Miracle stared off into space, lost in her own little world. There nothing could hurt her. Her doctors were sure that she knew the members of her family but those she didn't see all the time she may not respond to. They prayed nightly that something would snap her out of her tiny little shell and become the bright little girl that was in there somewhere.
Just as the Messers and the Hammerback girls sat down to start their dinner the back door flung open and an ecstaic Flack blew in. He was holding a large yellow envelope and was grinning like the Cheshire Cat.
"Uncle Don!" the kids exclaimed.
"I know it's dinner time but once you hear what I have to say, you're going to love me," Flack said quickly. "You know that string of robberies the lab solved at Yankee Stadium?"
"What did you do?" Lindsay asked, staring him right in the eye.
"Well I have here in this envelope ten tickets to the Boston/Yankee game next Saturday afternoon," Flack said. "Now these are not left field bleacher seats, these are field level behind the Yankee dugout seats. We are so close to the players that they can actually hear us when we catcall!"
Danny, DJ, Evan and PJ were speechless. Lindsay picked up her water glass and stared at Flack from over the rim. "Donald Flack, I'm only going to ask you again. What did you do?"
"Let's just say that the owner was so grateful to the entire department and asked what he could do to thank the department for all their hard work in solving the robberies. I may have mentioned that I knew a family within the lab that would love to go to a game."
"You sold us out didn't you?" Lindsay questioned, giving Flack her now patented Mother/Dectective stare.
Danny could see Flack folding under the pressure of his wife's glare. Ever since the kids were born they had been fghting off the modeling agencies, the commercial producers, anyone who would want to profit from their precious brood.
"So I might have mentioned something about the Messer quints," Flack said, caving to Lindsay's stare. "Drop your pride Linds. These are awesome seats! To get these seats retail would cost you four grand."
"I'd shut up now Flack," Danny said. "Let's put this to a vote. Messer tradtion, we never do anything unless three fourths agree. All in favor of going to see the Yankee's play Boston next week, raise your hand."
DJ, Evan and PJ's hands were up before Danny even finished the sentence. Danny's hand also went up. So far the vote was four to three. Danny looked down the table to the girls (minus PJ).
"Do you want to go to a baseball game Mira?" Bella asked her sister. "Do you want to go see the Yankees play ball?"
"Ball," Miracle's small voice said. "Ball."
The vote was forgotten, Miracle said it all for them. The smiles could not be erased from the faces of the Messer parents.
That night, after everyone was tucked into bed the reality of what they were going to be doing hit them. Five kids at a Yankee game. Danny could see disaster happening when he closed his eyes. But no matter how he thought of it the only thing standing out in his mind was hearing his youngest child speaking. Nothing could take away that joy.
Finally it was Game Day. Armed with everything they would need the Messer family, along with the Hammerback girls made their way to the Bronx for the game. Flack was going to meet them there with the tickets. It was a strange caravan to say the least. Danny had bought all the kids matching Yankee jerseys with their name on the back. All of the kids, minus Miracle who was riding on Danny's shoulders, were attached to each other by connective locking wristbands. Bella complained the most about having to wear them.
"Why do I have to wear this again Dad?" Bella asked. "I'm the good one, remember? I'm not going to wander off."
"Isabella," Lindsay warned. "This is not up for debate. As soon as we meet up with Uncle Flack and get to our seats the bands come off. It's the best way we can keep track of all of you. Please cut us some slack."
Miracle had taken to using her father's head and a drum and was looking around at all the new sights and colors. Finally they got through the parking garage and made it to the ticket window where Flack was waiting. He was wearing his Derek Jeter jersey, Yankee cap, jeans and sneakers. The kids were shocked to see him so casual. They had rarely seen him in anything other than a suit.
"Wow! Flack you do scrubby well," Lindsay teased.
"You don't want to go there with me Linds," Flack retorted.
Danny led the caravan with Miracle on his shoulders. The kids were connected to each other and managed to take the hand of one of the other adults with them. They arrived at their seats and they figured out who would sit where. Danny took the aisle with DJ next to him. Then Evan, PJ, Flack, Becca, Bella, Miracle, Lindsay and Rachel on the end. Along with the tickets the Yankees also gave them three hundred dollars to use while at the game. Danny figured at least two hundred would be spent on food and snacks. The rest they would use for gifts after the game.
The kids were enthralled with the atmosphere of the stadium. They were so close to the grass and the players that if they yelled loud enough A-Rod or Jeter would be able to hear them. DJ, Evan and PJ were prepared to catch any fly ball they could. But it was Miracle that was surprising everyone. She kept saying "Ball" over and over and pointing to things in the outfield. They may have just found what they needed to help Miracle with her autism.
Soon the hotdog guy was coming around. He took one look at all the kids and about turned tail and ran. They started out with just getting one for everyone. Then Bella and Evan dropped theirs. Danny then got two more just in case. Sodas were a different story. Flack and Becca took orders from everyone and went up to the concourse and brought them back.
The game went smoothly then the fifth inning arrived. Flack had a surprise for the Messer kids. He had paid good money to have a message played over the Subway marquee. It would also be read over the PA system.
DJ, Isabella, Evan, PJ, and Miracle Messer: I love you! Uncle Don
Flack had also told them where they would be sitting so the Jumbotron would find them. The kids waved to themselves, making faces and being themselves. Danny punched Flack in the shoulder as a thanks for the message. From then on things got better. The first baseline umpire gave each of the kids a baseball from his stash.
It was shocking to Lindsay how well behaved her kids were being. She had expected a popcorn war by now. It was almost as if someone had replaced her monsters with perfect little clones. For a moment she wanted one of them to try to climb over the fence and get into the dugout before they were caught. She should have remembered the old saying Be careful what you wish for.
It was the eighth inning and Miracle had fallen asleep and was curled up on Lindsay's lap. Lindsay figured that she would be more comfortable in the car than in the stadium. She wiggled her way out of the row and stopped to get the car keys from Danny. It was as soon as Mom was away the fun (or anti-fun if you're Bella) began. Danny started throwing popcorn and sunflower seeds at Flack. Flack tossd a few back which then got fidgety Evan and DJ into the brawl. PJ ended up getting nachos in her hair by DJ. She returned fire by opening a packet of ketchup and mustard into DJ's blone curls.
Before Danny could stop him DJ exploded a ketchp packet at PJ and missed, getting Bella instead. Bella, being Bella began to cry. She lunged at DJ only to be stopped by Flack who tucked her under his arm, letting her dangle. He caught DJ in the same fashion and began to walk out of the seats heading for the rest room. The rest soon followed. Becca and Rachel did their best to get PJ and Bella cleaned up. In the boys' room it was turning into a water war. All they were doing was making a bigger mess.
Soon everyone was as clean as they could be and Danny had gathered them all in a huddle. He stared each kid down, moving on to his best friend, then his nannies. In a stern, commanding, clear voice said, "Not a word of what just happened is told to Mom. If anything is let out expect to be grounded for the rest of your lives, dead or fired. Am I clear?"
"Daddy," Bella started. "I will not lie to Mommy. You started it. I am a innofent bystader."
"Guilty by association right Flack?" Danny said. "I mean it not one word."
They stopped at the gift shop on their way out and finished off the money the Yankees had given them. Danny bought personalized cups for each of the kids. He also bought a teddy bear for Miracle and Lindsay. DJ and Evan bought baseball cards to add to their collection. Bella bought a book about the Yankees.
The kids slept the entire ride back home. Lindsay asked how the rest of the game went. Danny covered saying the kids had a blast and that they need to do things like that more often.
Later that night, after the kids were bathed and in bed Lindsay questioned Danny. "How did PJ get bits of nachos in her hair?"
"Do I have to answer that?" Danny replied, flipping on ESPN. Footage of the game was on. The camera zoomed in on where the Messer had been sitting. It caught Danny on tape having a food fight with his kids. You could plainly see DJ smash his plate of nachos into his sister's hair.
"DANIEL MESSER! I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!" Lindsay yelled. She reached over to whack Danny upside the head but he was already gone, hiding in the boys' room.
